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My Southern Sweet Potato Casserole is the casserole of your dreams! Creamy whipped sweet potatoes with cinnamon and nutmeg, all topped off with crunchy pecans and sweet brown sugar- what could be better? Sweet potato casserole with pecans is easy, delicious, and perfect for the holidays.
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Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
To be honest, I wasn't always the biggest fan of sweet potato casserole. Up until I started making it myself to bring to family gatherings, I had only ever had it with canned sweet potatoes and marshmallow topping (and I am picky about marshmallows!).
But now, you will always catch me scooping out a big portion of sweet potato casserole for myself over the holidays. That's because I make mine with a pecan topping and simple, fresh ingredients, including fresh baked sweet potatoes!
And trust me, making sweet potato casserole with fresh sweet potatoes is just as easy as cracking open a can. I'll show you how!
Isabel, I tried it and it was a hit with family and friends! I took it to a church Thanksgiving celebration and they raved about it! It was very delicious and I will be saving this as one of my favorites for Thanksgiving. ❤️
Veronica on Pinterest
Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe Ingredients
- Large sweet potatoes
- Sugar: Plain white granulated sugar is all you need here.
- Large eggs: If possible, I recommend cage-free, pasture-raised eggs or farm fresh eggs. It makes a big difference in any recipe using eggs.
- Butter, melted: I recommend getting unsalted butter, or the casserole might be too salty. If you only have salted butter, just be sure to add less salt than called for.
- Evaporated milk: Don't forget this! It's important to the texture and flavor of this recipe.
- Vanilla extract: Mexican imitation vanilla is a great budget-friendly alternative to vanilla extract, if needed.
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Nutmeg: I'm pretty on-and-off about nutmeg, so I don't always include it. If you're not a nutmeg fan or if you only have cinnamon, don't worry - you can leave it out.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar both work.
- Butter, melted: Additional butter is needed for the pecan topping. As above, I recommend unsalted butter.
- Chopped pecans
- Flour: I'm using all-purpose flour. If you need your sweet potato casserole gluten-free, you can use gluten-free flour, because this is for the topping and not critical to the baking.
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Pierce sweet potatoes several times all over with a fork, then place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake until tender, about 45 to 60 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Once cool enough to handle, peel and add the sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Whip with an electric hand or stand mixer at medium speed, until fluffy and smooth. You can also use a potato masher or fork instead, for a coarser mash.
- Add sugar, eggs, butter, evaporated milk, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg to the potatoes in the bowl. Mix until combined.
- Add the mixture to a square, 9 by 9-inch casserole dish. Spread the potatoes out into an even layer.
- Add butter, brown sugar, flour, and chopped pecans to a separate bowl, and mix well. Then, spread this mixture evenly on top of the potatoes. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top browns and the casserole is heated through.
Boiling Sweet Potatoes for Casserole
If you prefer to boil sweet potatoes for sweet potato casserole, follow these steps:
- Peel sweet potatoes and cut into even cubes no larger than 2 inches.
- Add the sweet potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. The water should just cover the potatoes.
- Bring to a boil. Boil for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender - you should be able to pierce them easily with a fork.
- Drain well, then mash as instructed.
Sweet Potato Casserole Recipes FAQ
Boiled sweet potatoes and baked sweet potatoes both work when making sweet potato casserole, and have no impact on the baking time. So, which method you use is up to your preference. Baked potatoes have a slightly different, more roasted flavor than boiled.
You can make sweet potato casserole ahead of time by cooking the sweet potatoes and whipping them up to 2 days before. Store in the casserole dish you intend to bake them in, tightly covered in the refrigerator. You can also prepare the topping ahead of time and store separately from the casserole in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, assemble and bake according to instructions as usual.
To freeze sweet potato casserole before baking, prepare the potatoes as instructed, but make the topping on the day you plan to bake it. Thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight, assemble with the topping when ready, and bake as instructed.
It was delicious 😋 It went so fast I never got a photo! Thanks!
Lala on Pinterest
Easy Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe Tips
- Make sure to let your mashed sweet potatoes cool down before you beat in the eggs so the eggs do not cook.
- You can also boil your sweet potatoes in a large pot, if you prefer. I love the flavor of baking sweet potatoes as the roasting gives them a deeper flavor.
- My casserole will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
- You could even enjoy this dish as a dessert (it is similar to a sweet potato pie recipe, after all!). Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of maple syrup.
What to Serve with Sweet Potato Casserole
I love serving this easy make-ahead casserole for the holidays! It pairs perfectly with ham and turkey recipes:
- Honey Glazed Ham
- Smoked Ham
- Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Boneless Turkey Roast
Try some of my other sweet potato recipes next!
This is such a wonderful recipe! I have made it many times now, and my family, particularly my parents, love it!
Anne
I love my southern sweet potato casserole recipe and am thrilled over you trying it out. Let me know what you think in the comments below and with a rating! I always love to hear your feedback.
Southern Sweet Potato Casserole
Equipment
- 9 by 9-inch casserole idsh
Ingredients
- 4-5 sweet potatoes - large
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs - beaten
- 1 stick butter - melted
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Pecan Topping
- ½ stick butter - melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup pecans - chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Pierce sweet potatoes several times all over with a fork, and place on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 60 minutes.Once cool enough to handle, peel and add to a large mixing bowl. Whip potatoes with an electric mixer until fluffy and smooth. You need about 4 cups of whipped sweet potatoes.For coarser potatoes, or if you don't have an electric mixer, you can also use a potato masher or a fork.
- Add sugar, eggs, butter, evaporated milk, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg to the potatoes. Mix until combined.
- Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly in a 9 by 9-inch baking dish.
- Add butter, brown sugar, flour, and chopped pecans to a bowl, and mix well. Spread evenly on top of the potatoes. Bake for 30-35 minutes until heated through.
Notes
- Make it ahead of time: Turn this into a make ahead sweet potato casserole by cooking your sweet potatoes and whipping them up ahead of time. Store them, tightly covered, in a casserole dish in the refrigerator, for up to a couple of days ahead of time. You can make the topping ahead of time by simply preparing it and storing it to spread on before baking.
- Freeze it: Prepare the potatoes as instructed but make the topping on the day you plan to bake it. Thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight, and you are good to go!
Liz @ Books n' Cooks says
This looks really amazing!
David says
I am not a big fan of the sweet potatoes but i decided to try them out in this combination. I have to say that i am pleased i did. Thank you.
Em Beitel says
We are SO glad you tried it, David! We love this take on Sweet Potato Casserole.
Amanda says
I just made a DOUBLE batch of this. Can't wait to show off in front of my family. Thanks for the recipe.
Em Beitel says
Awesome! Thanks so much for letting us know, Amanda!
Valerie says
I want to make a double batch also, but I’m not sure what size pan to put it in. Can you help me out with that? Please.
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Valerie! You could make double the amount and bake it in a 9 by 13-inch dish. It will likely require a little more baking time, so just be sure to check it before pulling it from the oven.
Enjoy!
Jack says
Mine is in the oven now. It smells so good. I tried a tiny bit with a spoon and i think it will taste as amazing as it smells.
Em Beitel says
So glad to hear it, Jack!
Anne says
This is such a wonderful recipe! I have made it many times now, and my family, particularly my parents, love it!
Em Beitel says
Thank you so much, Anne!
Jason says
Thank you for this absolutely wonderful recipe! I made this for Thanksgiving and got great reviews. Now i am making it again for my friends.
Em Beitel says
That is awesome! Thank you so much, Jason!
Katie G says
I made this for Thanksgiving, the family loved it. I did make one change to the recipe. My daughter is allergic to cinnamon, so I substituted ginger for the cinnamon. It was delicious.
Em Beitel says
That's awesome to hear, Katie! We're so glad you enjoyed it - thank you for your comment!