Dessert, Fall, Holiday, Side Dishes

Sweet Potato Casserole

Jump to Recipe

The Sweet Potato Casserole has always been my favorite Thanksgiving Side. I love all things sweet potato – and this classic casserole easily makes my favorites list. The sweet potato filling is so creamy, the pecans add the perfect amount of texture and crunch, and the toasted marshmallows on top make this side dish so dessert worthy.

Sweet potato casserole recipe with marshmallows
Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows and Pecans

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes- I use 5 medium sweet potatoes for this recipe.

Brown Sugar- To me, sweet potatoes are already very sweet so I usually stick to 1/4 cup-1/2 cup. If you want to cut out added sugar all together, you can roast your sweet potatoes in the oven instead of boiling them. This will create more syrup-y sweet potatoes that have a much sweeter flavor to them.

Butter- HUGE fan- 1 full stick.

Heavy Cream- 2-4 tablespoons for the consistency.

Salt- just a pinch – to balance the sweetness

Cinnamon- I use a generous amount for this casserole: usually 2 tablespoons

Pecans- These are optional. I love the texture with them, but the casserole is still so good without them.

Mini Marshmallows- I love toasted marshmallows on top of this casserole. I never leave these out. The marshmallows toast the best in the oven if you use mini marshmallows and cover the entire casserole top, not leaving any spaces between the marshmallows but not overlapping them either.

How to make sweet potato casserole

  1. Start by peeling, cubing, and boiling the sweet potatoes. *If you want to avoid adding sugars, roast the sweet potatoes in their skins and tin foil in the oven for about an hour. Then, let cool fully before peeling the skins off. This should make them taste naturally sweeter.
  2. Drain (or peel if you roasted the sweet potatoes) and add them to a mixer.
  3. Add in the brown sugar, butter, cream, salt, and cinnamon and mix until smooth.
  4. Fold in the pecans and pour into a casserole dish.
  5. Top with mini marshmallows and put in the oven on “broil” for 3-5 minutes or until you see the tops start to turn color. Watch the dish carefully to avoid burning the marshmallows. They will toast very fast on broil.
  6. Serve immediately as a side dish or dessert.

Sweet Potato Casserole

5.0 from 2 votes
Recipe by Madison Hanson Course: SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

8-10

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

5

minutes
Total time

25

minutes

This classic sweet potato casserole recipe is so creamy, the pecans add the perfect amount of texture and crunch, and the toasted marshmallows on top make this side dish so dessert worthy.

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

  • 5 Medium Sweet Potatoes

  • 0.5 Cup Salted Butter

  • 2-4 Tbsp Heavy Cream

  • 1-2 Tbsp Cinnamon

  • 1/4-1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

  • 1 Pinch Salt

  • 1/2 Cup Pecan Halves

  • 1-2 Cups Mini Marshmallows

Directions

  • Start by peeling, cubing, and boiling the sweet potatoes until they are soft all the way through.
  • Drain the sweet potatoes and add to a mixer with brown sugar, butter, cream, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until smooth.
  • Fold in the pecans and pour into a casserole dish.
  • Top with mini marshmallows and put in the oven on “broil” for 3-5 minutes or until you see the tops start to turn color. Watch the dish carefully to avoid burning the marshmallows. They will toast very fast on broil. Serve immediately as a side dish or dessert.

Like this recipe?

Follow us @madisonsrecipes on Pinterest

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe FAQ

Can you freeze sweet potato casserole?

Yes. It can be frozen for up to 2 months. I have found the best way to freeze the casserole is by filling zip lock bags with the sweet potato mixture. When you are ready to make it, thaw the bags in the refrigerator or under running water. Then, pour into a casserole dish, add the pecans. Cover the casserole with tin foil and warm in the oven at 350 for 40 minutes. Finally, add the marshmallows and toast them on broil for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Can you make sweet potato casserole ahead of time?

Yes. My favorite way to prepare sweet potato casserole is by preparing the casserole filling a day or two in advance, then storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until I am ready to bake it. When you are ready to bake it, add in the pecans, then warm it by covering the casserole with tin foil and baking in the oven at 350 for 40 minutes before adding the marshmallows to toast. You can also prepare it farther in advance and freeze it.

How to cook sweet potatoes for casserole?

I use two main options to cook sweet potatoes for my sweet potato casserole- you can peel, cube, and boil them until they become soft, or you can bake them in their skins, wrapped in tin foil for 1-2 hours until they are soft and syrup-y. Then peel the skins off before starting your casserole filling.

How long does sweet potato casserole last in the fridge?

Sweet potato casserole will usually last up to 5 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container.

This sweet potato casserole is so easy to make and is such a staple around Thanksgiving time. I hope that you and your family love this recipe as much as I do! Make sure to check out my Sweet Potato Pie recipe too!