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This Sweet Potato Casserole is creamy, crunchy, toasty, and so divine! So sweet it almost tastes like dessert!
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This Sweet Potato Casserole recipe is, hands down, the best recipe for sweet potato casserole I’ve ever tasted, and we’ve had many many recipes pass over our Thanksgiving table over the years. Tender sweet potatoes, whipped to perfection, and topped with a streusel topping (crumble topping) that makes the whole dish taste like it should be on the dessert table. It’s versatile enough that you can add or take away topping ingredients depending on your guests tastes.
Ingredients in Sweet Potato Casserole
Let’s start with the base of this dish, the sweet potato mixture. It’s easy, made with real ingredients, and so yummy! Here’s what you need:
- Sweet potatoes – you can use some canned sweet potatoes or about 3 ½ cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes.
- Milk – any type will work
- Brown sugar – dark or light brown works great
- Butter – melted
- Egg – slightly beaten
- Vanilla extract – just about a teaspoon
- Salt – half a teaspoon or to taste
Sweet Potato Casserole Toppings
My mother just likes a sprinkling of cinnamon on the top of her sweet potatoes. I, however, like something a bit sweeter. You can top this casserole with the traditional toasted marshmallows, or try the toasted coconut and pecan topping. The streusel-like topping so easy to throw together and gives the dish such a unique flavor and texture that pairs so beautifully with the creamy sweet potatoes. See the recipe card below for how to make the topping. I promise it’s worth it!
Frequently Asked Questions about Sweet Potato Casserole
Canned candied yams sold in grocery stores in the United States are sweet potatoes, and this is what we use in this recipe for sweet potato casserole. However, actual yams and sweet potatoes are quite different. To learn more, visit the North Carolina Sweet Potatoes website. Did you know more than 50% of the sweet potatoes grown in the United States are grown in North Carolina?
Yes! This is good news for those of you hosting Thanksgiving this year. Assemble your casserole ahead of time, chill in the refrigerator, then bake the day of. It will be delicious!
Sweet potatoes can be stored in the fridge for up to five days. And if the casserole is left out for more than a couple of hours, it should be discarded, so make sure to store the leftovers as soon as you can.
When making Sweet Potato Casserole the traditional way, it is gluten-free. To make this recipe with the crumbly topping GF, swap out the all-purpose flour in the coconut topping for coconut flour, rice flour, or any other favorite gluten-free flour mixture.
Yes, we do use an egg in this sweet potato casserole as a binding ingredient. We recommend using a fork to stir the egg in a small dish before adding it to the sweet potatoes, and then blending it in well so it distributes through the mixture.
How to Re-Heat
To reheat this casserole, warm it in the oven at 350 degrees until warmed through, about 20 minutes. If you put it in the microwave, the pecans will become soft and you won’t get that good crunch.
Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Sweet potato casserole is the perfect complement to your Thanksgiving turkey, in addition, here are a few more sides to serve up with Thanksgiving dinner:
- Green Bean Casserole
- Cranberry Sausage Stuffing
- Best Dinner Rolls From Scratch
- Perfect Mashed Potatoes
- Traditional Pumpkin Pie
- Orange Cranberry Sauce
More Delicious Sweet Potato Recipes
Thanksgiving or not, sweet potatoes are always a delightful side dish, and a sweeter alternative to regular potatoes. Try a couple of these favorites:
Sweet Potato Casserole with Coconut Pecan Topping
Video
Ingredients
- 29 ounces sweet potatoes drained (or 3 ½ cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes)
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl or mixer, combine sweet potatoes, milk, brown sugar, melted butter, egg, vanilla, and salt. Beat ingredients with a hand mixer (or in a mixer) until the sweet potatoes are light and fluffy.
- Transfer sweet potato mixture into a greased 9×9 inch baking pan.
- Stir all of the topping ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potatoes.
- Bake uncovered for 35 minutes.
Notes
Recipe Tips
- Sweet potatoes or yams can be used in place of the canned sweet potatoes in this recipe. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes, then boil them until fork tender. Mash them with a little milk to reach your desired consistency, then follow the recipe instructions as written.
- We recommend using a hand or stand mixer when blending the sweet potato mixture to get a light, airy texture. Be sure to mix until it is completely blended – no chunks!
- This recipe can be double and cooked in a 9×13 baking pan to serve 12-15 people.
Nutrition Information
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I make this casserole another using two eggs cinnamon ! Everyone requests this recipe
I love that is so easy to make and so delicios. Even the pickiest eaters love it.
What kind of coconut did you use, sweetened or unsweetened?
Sweetened, but you can use unsweetened if you want. The brown sugar gives plenty of sweet. Thanks for asking!
Yum! Thank you so much, love all ur recipes!
This sounds really good. I just can’t seem to make good ones. My mom always makes the best sweet potatoes. This looks like hers.
This is an easy sweet potato recipe. I love sweet potatoes and this is a great holiday recipe.