Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel

Things to Love About This Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping

• Sweet and comforting. This casserole is sweet like a dessert, with wholesome ingredients that keep you satisfied. It’s the perfect contrast to savory holiday dishes.
• Crispy topping. Speaking of contrast, nothing beats the crunchy pecan topping on this homemade sweet potato casserole. It’s light and crumbly, and it only needs 4 ingredients.
• Easy to make. The creamy sweet potato filling comes together easily, and then it’s a matter of layering everything in the pan and popping it into the oven to bake.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This short and sweet list of ingredients may come as a surprise. You don’t need much to make the perfect sweet potato casserole! I’ve included notes below on the ingredients in the filling and topping. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable recipe with measurements and step-by-step instructions.

For the Sweet Potato Filling

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How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

Before you start on your filling, you will need to bake and mash up the sweet potatoes. Once they are prepared, you’ll bake them once more with the streusel on top.

• Bake the sweet potatoes. Scrub and dry the sweet potatoes, and then prick them all over with a fork. Then, bake the potatoes on a lined baking sheet at 400ºF for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, switch off the oven and let the sweet potatoes rest inside for an additional 30 minutes before removing them to cool. Alternatively, you can cook the sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot.

• Peel the potatoes. When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the potato skins. Place the peeled sweet potatoes into a large bowl.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mash. Next, add the melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla, egg, and almond milk to the sweet potato flesh. Mix everything with a hand blender until the potatoes are creamy and smooth.

• Combine the topping ingredients. Now, add the chopped pecans, brown sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon to a small bowl. Mix until well combined.
• Assemble the casserole. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Transfer your prepared sweet potato filling to an 8×8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Sprinkle the pecan streusel evenly over the filling.
• Bake. Bake the sweet potato casserole uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the topping is browned. Serve warm, and enjoy!

Recipe Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Casserole

• Don’t forget to prick the potatoes. Poking small holes in the sweet potatoes is an important step before baking. It allows the steam to escape while they cook, and prevents the potatoes from exploding in the oven!
• Peel the potatoes after cooking. While it’s okay to peel the potatoes before you bake them, I don’t necessarily recommend it. They are so much easier to peel after they’re cooked.
• Choose your preferred cooking method. This recipe instructs you to bake the sweet potatoes before mashing them. However, you can choose to boil the potatoes or cook them in the air fryer or Instant Pot. As long as your sweet potatoes are fork-tender and mashable, any cooking method will suffice.
• Avoid over-browning. If you find that your streusel topping is browning too quickly, simply tent a piece of foil over the baking dish while the casserole finishes baking. You could also use a pie shield if you have one.

Feeling Creative? Try These Easy Variations

There are plenty of ways to adapt this easy sweet potato side dish. Here are some tasty recipe variations:

• Marshmallows. Make a sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and swap the crunchy pecans for a fluffy marshmallow topping. Sprinkle mini marshmallows over the filling and bake the casserole until the marshmallows puff up and start to brown.
• More spices. If you want to incorporate even more seasonal flavors into this dish, add extra spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice to the filling. Pumpkin pie spice is a great shortcut!
• Add bacon. Instead of or in addition to the pecans in the topping, try cooked bacon bits! Cook the bacon slightly less crispy to start, since it will continue to crisp up as the casserole bakes.
• Corn flake topping. Corn Flakes cereal has become a popular topping for sweet potato casseroles! Substituting the pecans with cornflakes is also a great way to make this recipe nut-free. You can even leave off the topping in favor of a generous layer of Frosted Flakes for something different!

Make-Ahead

If you’d like, you can make your sweet potato filling a day or two ahead of assembling and baking the casserole. Store it well-covered in the fridge until you’re ready to make your topping and bake.

How to Store Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Refrigerate leftover casserole in an airtight container once it has cooled completely (don’t leave it at room temperature for longer than 2 hours). It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Reheat. To reheat it, place it in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes. Make sure you cover it with foil to keep the topping from over-browning. Small portions can be reheated in the microwave.
• Freeze. You can freeze leftover casserole for up to 4 months. Place it in a freezer-safe container or cover it with two layers of plastic wrap. Thaw it out overnight in the fridge before reheating it.

More Thanksgiving Side Dishes

• Garlic Parmesan Brussels Sprouts
• Sausage Stuffing
• Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes
• Bacon Cauliflower Au Gratin