Description
A comforting and classic Sweet Potato Casserole featuring creamy mashed sweet potatoes sweetened with brown sugar and vanilla, topped with a crunchy pecan streusel. Perfect for holiday dinners or family gatherings, this dish combines tender baked sweet potatoes with a buttery, spiced topping for a delightful balance of flavors and textures.
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
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black 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 Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
- Bake Sweet Potatoes: Pierce each sweet potato twice on two sides and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 75 minutes or until they are cooked through and soft. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit after baking the potatoes.
- Peel and Mash: Once baked, peel the sweet potatoes—the skin should pull off easily—and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Mash them thoroughly using a potato masher or press through a potato ricer until smooth. Allow the mashed potatoes to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes to prevent the eggs from cooking when mixed in.
- Mix Sweet Potato Filling: Add brown sugar, melted butter, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, salt, and pepper to the mashed sweet potatoes. Use an electric hand mixer to blend everything until well combined and smooth.
- Prepare Casserole Dish: Grease a casserole dish approximately 12 by 8 inches in size. Pour the sweet potato mixture into the dish and spread it evenly to create a smooth layer. Set aside while preparing the topping.
- Make Topping Mixture: In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans with a fork, breaking up any brown sugar clumps. Pour the melted butter over the mixture and stir until it is evenly moistened, tossing continuously as it may seem dry at first.
- Assemble and Bake: Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potato layer in the casserole dish. Bake in the preheated 350-degree oven for about 40 minutes, tenting with foil during the last 10 minutes if the topping starts to brown too much.
- Serve Warm: Remove from oven and serve the casserole warm for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- The 4 lbs of sweet potatoes should yield about 5 cups mashed, enough for the casserole filling.
- Milk used can be whole, 2%, or even a creamy plant-based milk but avoid skim milk to maintain richness.
- Use freshly ground black pepper for a nice subtle heat that balances sweetness.
- If you do not have pecans, walnuts are a good substitute for the topping.
- Tenting the casserole with foil during baking helps prevent the topping from burning while the filling heats through.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and gently reheated in the oven to preserve texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
