Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
This easy Sweet Potato Casserole recipe is topped with a brown sugar pecan toppings and always steals the show on Thanksgiving. Best part is you can be prepared in advance for an easy make-ahead holiday side dish.
4-5 large sweet potatoes
3 large eggs
½ cup evaporated milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
½ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ cup butter, melted
Topping:
3 Tbsp. butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).
Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot. Add enough water to the pot to cover the potatoes a little more than half way. (You will need at least 3-4" of water but the water will not completely cover the potatoes!) Bring the water to a boil and then turn the heat to a medium simmer. Cover and simmer until they feel tender when poked with a fork. It may take 20-40 minutes to cook your sweet potatoes depending on the size of the potatoes, but you don't want them to be mushy.
Drain water and place sweet potatoes on a plate or cutting board to cool down. Once they are cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skin from the potatoes and place potatoes in a large mixing bowl.
Add eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla, sugar, salt, and butter and mash everything together until smooth. I start with a potato masher and then use an electric mixer on low speed, for about 45 seconds, to get the mixture smooth.
Pour mixture into a lightly greased casserole dish. Anything around the size of an 8x11'', 9x13'' or even a deep dish 10'' pie pan will work.
Make the Topping:
Add flour, brown sugar and pecans to a mixing bowl. Add butter and cut in with a fork or pastry blender until well combined. Sprinkle topping over sweet potato mixture.
Bake in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Cook's Notes:
- Topping: To add a marshmallow topping instead, top the casserole with a layer of miniature marshmallows and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the marshmallows are puffy and browned.
- Nut Allergy: Omit the nuts, or add about ½ cup rolled oats instead, for texture.
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare this easy sweet potato casserole recipe 1-2 days in advance. First make the filling and smooth into your baking dish. Make the topping, but store separately. Add topping before baking.
- Freezing Instructions: Prepare the sweet potato casserole completely, but don’t bake it. Cover with a double layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Allow it to come to room temperature for 30 minutes on the counter before baking.