Easy Pecan Roasted Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potato casserole is a classic Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish. Who’s ready for cooler weather and fall festivities? ME, always!
This rich, creamy sweet potato casserole without marshmallows has a buttery, crunchy, pecan topping that will become a constant for your holiday table!
Sweet Potatoes – Bake vs Boil
What makes the best sweet potato casserole? We prefer baked sweet potatoes for this casserole. We think it adds more of a roasted flavor.
But you can also boil them. Place peeled and cut potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold water to about 1-inch above potatoes. Bring to a boil. Boil for about 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain thoroughly.
You can also microwave them. Wash, pierce the potatoes with a fork a few times and wrap in a damp paper towel. On a microwave-safe plate cook them on high for 5 -10 minutes or until fork tender.
Recipe Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes – You’ll need about 3-4 large sweet potatoes.
- Unsalted butter – Gives a rich buttery flavor to this simple sweet potato casserole.
- Dark brown sugar – Light brown sugar is fine but dark adds more molasses flavor.
- Salt, vanilla extract ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg – For glorious flavor!
- Egg yolks – This recipe uses large eggs.
Topping Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Dark brown sugar
- Unsalted butter – Melted.
- Ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt
- Raw pecans – Chopped.
You can also sprinkle on a few mini marshmallows with the crumb topping.
How to Make Easy Sweet Potato Casserole
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and then parchment paper. Easy clean-up is always a must in our kitchen.
Poke a few holes on all sides of the potatoes with a fork. Bake for 1 hour or until a knife inserts easily in the center.
Remove and let cool just long enough to handle them.
Prepare the pecan topping by combining the flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl until moist and clumping together. Stir in the chopped pecans. Place in the freezer until ready to use.
Placing the topping in the freezer helps to keep the crumb topping texture while baking.
Peel the potatoes or slice down the center and scoop out the tender flesh into a large bowl. Using a potato masher (or electric mixer), mash the sweet potatoes to your desired consistency. We prefer to leave a few lumps, we don’t like a completely smooth souffle-like texture.
Whisk or beat in the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt. Beat the egg yolks in one at a time until combined.
Pour the sweet potato mixture into a 9×13 baking dish. Remove the topping from the freezer and break it up again into crumbles.
Spread the crumb topping evenly over the top of the sweet potatoes.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are heated through and bubbly around the edges.
This easy sweet potato casserole is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter!
Yes, make the filling just as the recipe states. Place in the 9×13 pan, cover, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before baking. Bake for about 20 minutes, then top with the streusel and bake another 15 to 20 minutes.
Let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Yes, you can freeze it! Make the filling, place it in the baking pan, and bake it without the topping. Let it cool to room temperature. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the filling, then wrap it with aluminum foil or freezer paper and freeze.
Make the topping fresh before baking. Don’t forget to freeze it for about 10 minutes.
When you are ready, thaw in the fridge overnight. When ready to bake remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking. Bake for about 20 minutes, then top with the streusel and bake another 15 to 20 minutes.
Other Side Dish Recipes
- Potatoes Au Gratin With Gruyere
- Easy Creamy Carrot Souffle
- Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
- Southern Yellow Squash Casserole
- Horseradish Sour Cream Roasted Asparagus
- Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe
Easy Pecan Roasted Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Filling
- 3 lbs Sweet potatoes about 3 large
- 1/3 cup Unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup Dark brown sugar packed
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 large Egg yolks
- 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon (or more to taste)
- 1/4 tsp Fresh ground nutmeg
Topping
- 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Dark brown sugar
- 4 tbsp Unsalted butter melted
- 1/8 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp Fresh ground nutmeg
- 3/4 cup Chopped pecans raw
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and then parchment paper.
- Poke a few holes on each side of the potatoes with a fork. Bake for 1 hour or until a knife inserts easily in the center. Remove and let cool just long enough to handle them.
- Prepare the pecan topping by combining the flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl until moist and clumping together. Stir in the chopped pecans. Place in the freezer until ready to use.
- Peel the potatoes or slice down the center and scoop out the tender flesh into a large bowl. Using a potato masher (or electric mixer), mash the sweet potatoes to your desired consistency.
- Whisk or beat in the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt. Beat the egg yolks in one at a time until combined.
- Pour the sweet potato mixture into a 9×13 baking dish. Remove the topping from the freezer and break it up again into crumbles. Spread the crumb topping evenly over the top of the sweet potatoes.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are heated through and bubbly around the edges.