Is it acceptable to call this Sweet Potato Casserole topped with pecan crumbles my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal?
It’s a solid, classic side dish for the biggest eating day in America, but I probably like it so much because let’s face it…it tastes kinda like dessert.
Confession: I’m one of those people who would eat all the Thanksgiving sides (and desserts, of course) and can do without the turkey or ham.
Yep. I said it. Controversial, I know. And all you meat-loving folks are just confused.
Fear not. I do love the turkey with gravy and cranberry sauce (yes, gravy and cranberry sauce. I need both!). All I’m saying is if I had to pick one, sweet potato casserole (or any form of sweet potatoes or potatoes really) wins hands down.
Easy and delicious Sweet Potato Casserole
Enough meat talk, let’s focus on the real star of the Thanksgiving table. 😉
There are a million and one sweet potato casserole recipes out there, but I wanted to share one that is easy, requires only a few ingredients, and highlight the true star of the dish (sweet potatoes duh) without adding too much fillers to it.
This is also my go-to sweet potato casserole recipe. Tried and true and perfect.
Let’s make it!
There are two parts to this dish:
- Mashed sweet potato filling
- Pecan crumble topping
Boil sweet potatoes in water for 20 minutes, drain when they are done, and mash them.
Let it cool (because we will be adding eggs) and then combined mashed sweet potatoes with the following ingredients:
- Eggs
- Brown sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
Pantry-friendly, straight-forward ingredients. The goal is to make this non-complicated and take somewhat of a minimalist approach because these ingredients are there to enhance the sweet potatoes, not overpower it.
On a separate bowl, combine the ingredients below to make the crunchy, sweet pecan topping:
- Pecans
- All-purpose flour
- Brown sugar
- Unsalted butter
Fill a 9″x13″ rectangular casserole dish or a 12″ oval dish (picture below) with mashed sweet potatoes and then topped it with the pecan crumbles.
Whether you use a 12″ or 13″ rectangular or oval dish, bake time should be about the same.
Because oval dish is smaller than the rectangular dish, it’ll yield a slightly thicker Sweet Potato Casserole.
Once casserole dish is topped with mashed sweet potatoes and pecan crumbles, send it to the oven to bake!
After about 40 minutes in the oven, you’ll get a warm, smooth, creamy (but not heavy) sweet potato filling topped with crunchy pecan brown sugar topping.
Amazing flavors and textures in every single bite.
It’s the sweet potato casserole we all dream about stuffing our mouths and stomachs with on Thanksgiving day before going down for a nice, long nap.
It is only appropriate for all Thanksgiving meals to be followed by a nap.
And the best part is, this Sweet Potato Casserole is super easy to make, and just as easy to make ahead!
How to make ahead Sweet Potato Casserole
If you are making this ahead, there are a few ways you can go about this:
- Finish baking and store cooked casserole sealed (by covering with a lid or use aluminum foil or saran wrap if the dish doesn’t come with a cover) in the refrigerator for up to two days. When ready to serve, cover with aluminum foil and heat in the oven at 300℉ for 20-25 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are warm.
- Assemble casserole but do not bake. Store casserole sealed (by covering with a lid or use aluminum foil or saran wrap if the dish doesn’t come with a cover), in the refrigerator for a day. Let it sit in room temperature for about an hour so that it is no longer cold, then bake according to recipe instructions.
A Thanksgiving must!
Ahh sweet potato casserole. The star of the Thanksgiving table.
So gooey. So crunchy. So perfect for my sweet-potato-loving soul.
As the weather gets colder, the leaves turn red, and Starbucks starts serving Pumpkin Spice Latte…you know you need some of this sweet potato goodness back in your life to kick off all things Fall. 🧡
Other Sweet Potato Recipes
- Brown Sugar Pecan Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato and Kielbasa Hash
- Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Taco Bowl (by My Kitchen Love)
- Easy Sweet Potato Hash Brown (by Pinch and Swirl)
Other Delicious Holiday Side Dishes
- Gravy
- Cranberry Sauce
- Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Cheesy Garlic Scalloped Potatoes
- Cheesy Garlic Rolls
DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE? Please comment below and give us a 5-star rating! This will help others find this recipe on Google and Pinterest! We very much appreciate your help! 🤍
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
Ingredients
- 3 lbs sweet potatoes ~5 large sweet potatoes
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Pecan Crumble Topping
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Peel and slice sweet potatoes into smaller pieces (~2 inches long).
- Bring water to boil in a large pot, then add sliced sweet potatoes into water. Cook for 20 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft.
- When potatoes are done, drain water, and mashed potatoes with a potato masher or electric mixer until there are no lumps and smooth.
- Let potatoes cool.
- While waiting, combine all the crumble ingredients in a bowl.
- Pre-heat oven to 400 ℉.
- Once sweet potatoes are cool, add eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of unsalted butter. Mix well using a spatula or electric mixer to combine.
- Bring sweet potato filling to a 9" x 13" rectangular or 12" oval casserole dish, then evenly top with pecan topping.
- Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
- Remove and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Christie says
This Sweet Potato Casserole would be perfect for American thanksgiving! It looks so good!
Joyous Apron says
Thanks Christie! Such a classic! 🙂
Allie Chatham says
I made this dish for Thanksgiving, and it was my favorite thing I ate. Everyone else loved it too. It’s sweet, and the pecans add a little crunch. I will be adding it to our Thanksgiving menu from now on (and perhaps Christmas too). It’s delicious!
Joyous Apron says
Awesome! So glad you all enjoyed. Thank you so much!
Erica says
Made this for Friendsgiving, it was a huge hit! I was hoping there would be leftovers, but everyone gobbled it up.
Joyous Apron says
Happy to hear that you and your friends like it, Erica!