Description
This Sweet Potato Casserole recipe features tender, mashed sweet potatoes blended with buttery goodness, brown sugar, and warm vanilla, topped with a crunchy pecan streusel. Baked to golden perfection, it is the perfect comforting side dish for holiday dinners or cozy family meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potato Mixture
- 4 lbs sweet potatoes
- 1/2 cup (110g) packed light-brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup milk (anything but skim)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper)
Topping
- 1/2 cup (70g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
- 1/2 cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup chopped or broken pecans
- 1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Sweet Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Pierce each sweet potato twice on two sides, then place them on the baking sheet.
- Bake Sweet Potatoes: Bake the sweet potatoes until cooked through and soft, about 75 minutes. Once done, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Peel and Mash Potatoes: Peel the sweet potatoes (the skin should come off easily) and transfer the flesh to a large mixing bowl. Mash the potatoes well using a potato masher or ricer and let them cool for about 5 to 10 minutes to prevent the eggs from cooking prematurely.
- Mix Sweet Potato Filling: Add brown sugar, melted butter, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, salt, and black pepper to the mashed potatoes. Use an electric hand mixer to blend everything until well combined.
- Assemble in Casserole Dish: Pour the sweet potato mixture into a greased casserole dish (approximately 12 by 8 inches) and spread it out into an even layer.
- Prepare Topping: In a separate medium bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans using a fork, breaking up any brown sugar clumps. Pour melted butter into the mixture and stir until evenly moistened, tossing as needed to distribute butter thoroughly despite the initial dryness.
- Add Topping and Bake: Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture. Bake in the preheated 350-degree oven for about 40 minutes. During the last 10 minutes, tent with foil to prevent over-browning if necessary.
- Serve Warm: Remove from the oven and serve the casserole warm for best flavor.
Notes
- The 4 lbs of sweet potatoes should yield approximately 5 cups of mashed sweet potatoes.
- Use anything but skim milk for a richer texture in the filling.
- Letting the mashed potatoes cool before adding eggs prevents them from scrambling.
- Tenting the casserole with foil near the end of baking protects the topping from burning.
- For easier peeling, bake sweet potatoes until very soft as skin will slide off easily.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
