This Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole is a classic holiday staple. Smooth, custard-like sweet potatoes are baked to perfection and topped with marshmallows and crunchy pecans.
It isn’t Thanksgiving or Christmas without sweet potatoes. And while I love sweet potatoes in any form, this Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole is a special treat that I always look forward to. Part side dish, part dessert (who are we kidding?), this decadent dish is a total classic and will have you reminiscing about your Grandmother’s sweet potato casserole recipe of years past.
The base of this easy sweet potato casserole is a luxurious, creamy, ultra-smooth mashed sweet potato combo that’s topped with melty marshmallows and a crunchy pecan topping. It’s totally addictive and deserves a spot on your holiday table. Give it a try - this will become your new holiday tradition!
In This Post
Why I love this recipe
- Easy to make. This traditional sweet potato casserole is easy to make and takes less than an hour to throw together.
- Delicious. Not too sweet and totally addictive, this will be the first dish to go on your Thanksgiving or Christmas table.
- Great make-ahead dish. Prepping for a big holiday dinner? Make-ahead dishes are the answer! This old-fashioned sweet potato casserole can easily be made ahead (mostly) and then just popped in the oven before you’re ready to serve it.
- Looks amazing. You really can’t beat the beauty of this dish. The alternating marshmallow and brown sugar pecan topping make this sweet potato casserole a total showstopper.
Ingredients
You’ll find all the typical ingredients you’d see in a classic sweet potato casserole here. These are the standouts:
For the sweet potato base:
- Sweet potatoes. You’ll want to peel the sweet potatoes, then chop them into evenly sized cubes. This will help them cook more evenly when they’re boiling.
- Whole milk, butter and egg. This combo, whipped with the mashed sweet potatoes creates a creamy, custardy, souffle like base that is totally luxurious!
- Splash of oj. This brightens up the dish slightly and ads just a touch of extra sweetness.
- Brown sugar, cinnamon and pure vanilla extract. If you’re looking to make this casserole lower sugar, definitely feel free to reduce the brown sugar down to 1 tbsp. We love this extra special treat during the holidays, but you can easily get away with reduced sugar since the sweet potatoes are already sweet!
For the topping:
I used a combo of marshmallows and sweet pecans for the topping of this old-fashioned sweet potato casserole. But if you prefer one over the other, feel free to just go with that.
- Marshmallows. Marshmallows give this traditional sweet potato dish that decadent, ooey gooey sweet flavor and texture. I used mini marshmallows here since I was alternating them with the crunchy pecan topping. But, if you want to make this an all-marshmallow topping, larger marshmallows would also do the trick.
- Pecans, butter, and brown sugar. The sweet, crunchy pecan topping is made simply by mixing some brown sugar, softened butter, and chopped pecans.
How To Make Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole
This traditional holiday casserole is so easy to make!
- Boil the sweet potatoes. Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Add your sweet potatoes and boil them until very soft, about 20-30 minutes.
- Mash. Drain the sweet potatoes and mash them with a potato masher.
- Mix. Add in the milk, butter, egg, brown sugar, cinnamon salt, and vanilla and beat using a hand mixer until everything is incorporated and the mixture is smooth and creamy. Spread the mixture evenly into a greased casserole dish.
- Bake. Bake the casserole for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Prepare your toppings! While the casserole is baking, prepare the crunchy pecan topping by mixing the butter, brown sugar, and chopped pecans in a bowl.
- Add the toppings. At the 25-minute mark, remove the casserole from the oven, and, working in alternating strips, add the marshmallows and the crunchy pecan topping to the top of the casserole.
- Finish! Return the dish to the oven and continue baking for 10-15 minutes, or until the marshmallows have started to brown.
Helpful Tips
- Chop the sweet potatoes to the same small size. I don’t know about you, but time never moves slower than when you’re waiting for your potatoes to boil. Make this go a little faster by cutting the sweet potatoes into smaller cubes.
- Use a hand mixer. You can absolutely mash your sweet potatoes by hand and incorporate everything with a large mixing spoon. But I find that using a hand mixture makes the texture ultra smooth and creamy and is well worth pulling out if you’re looking for a silky custardy-like casserole versus a chunkier version.
Variations
It’s called an old-fashioned sweet potato casserole for a reason - it’s the classic that we all know and love! But if you feel you want to mix it up, here are a few options:
- Use all marshmallows or all crunchy pecan topping. We love the mix, but you can choose one or the other if you have a strong preference.
- Make it half n half. Instead of alternating the marshmallow and pecan toppings, you could simply top half the dish with marshmallows and the other half with the crunchy pecan topping (This is helpful if you have picky eaters on your hands!)
- Adjust the crunchy topping. You can make this topping more streusel-like by adding a bit of flour to the pecan mixture.
- Add coconut flakes. Another option for a slightly tropical taste is to add sweetened coconut flakes to the pecan mixture.
Frequently Asked Questions
This old-school recipe uses a mix of the traditional marshmallow and crunch pecan topping, just like Grandma’s version! A trusted classic that you can never go wrong with.
Yes! We love the flavor combination of the gooey marshmallows mixed with the crunchy pecan topping. And this specific presentation makes for an extra special holiday dish. But if you’re team marshmallow or team pecan - go for what you like best!
Yes. While the skin of a sweet potato is edible, it adds a texture that is too clumpy. When you peel the sweet potatoes, you end up with a creamy smooth texture that makes this a classic old-fashioned sweet potato casserole.
Absolutely! One of the great things about this dish, especially when making it for a holiday meal, is that it can easily be made ahead of time and stored until ready. To make ahead, prepare everything up until baking, then cover and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it. You can make the sweet potato base up to 3 days ahead of time.
You could, although the one potential upset here is that the marshmallows may melt with the longer baking time and then dissolve. That’s why it’s best to warm the base up first, then add your toppings for the last 10-15 minutes.
Yes! Store the casserole in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, thaw overnight then bake as instructed.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
True yams are actually very different from sweet potatoes and have a rough tree-bark-like skin and aren’t too sweet. But, most products you see in grocery stores labeled as Yams are actually sweet potatoes in disguise. (See this explanation from Bon Appetite.) So, if it looks like a sweet potato, it’s probably just fine to use without noticing much of a difference.
How to serve
Obviously, this is a great holiday dish and goes perfectly with a Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas ham. But you don’t have to wait for the holidays to enjoy this decadent sweet potato casserole. It also goes great with:
- Meatloaf
- Pork chops
- Roasted chicken
- Steak
- Salmon
- Other veggies
If you make this Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole, be sure to let me know what you think in the comments below! And please tag me @frontrangefed on Instagram so I can see your masterpiece!
More easy side dishes
- Homemade Yukon Gold Potato Chips
- Creamy Orzo With Rosemary Brown Butter
- Fried Mashed Potato Balls With Bacon And Cheese
- Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts
- Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
- Roasted Garlic And Cauliflower Mash
Recipe
Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 5 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 splash orange juice
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- 5 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
For The Marshmallow Pecan Crunchy Topping
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, slightly softened
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1-2 cups mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Place the diced sweet potatoes in a large saucepan filled with water. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and boil for 15-20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and soft.
- Drain the water from the sweet potatoes and mash the potatoes. Add the whole milk, orange juice, brown sugar, butter, egg, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt and beat until the sweet potato mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased, shallow 2 ½ - 3 qt baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, make the crunchy pecan topping. Add the pecans, butter, and brown sugar to a small bowl and mix well.
- At the 25-minute mark, add your toppings. You may choose to use all marshmallows, all crunchy pecan topping, or a combination of the two. I like to create stripes so that there’s a little something for everyone. And, it makes a stunning dish.
- Pop everything back into the oven for about 10-15 minutes, until the marshmallows have started to brown and the pecan topping is crunchy.
Notes
- Use a hand mixer to mix the sweet potatoes in order to make them silky smooth.
- Change up the topping by using all marshmallows or all crunchy pecan mixture. Or, make the casserole half n half!
- If making ahead, prepare to the point of adding the toppings. If the marshmallows cook for too long when reheating, they will melt into the casserole.
Nutrition
Nancy Bowles says
I made this recipe last year for my family and they LOVED it! Everyone wanted the recipe. I am definitely making it again this year!
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Nancy! So glad you like it!!
Tracey says
Can this be prepared the day before? Thank you.
Sarah Jenkins says
Yes To make ahead, prepare everything up until baking, then cover and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it. You can make the sweet potato base up to 3 days ahead of time.
Anna says
I remember making this a few years ago and it was a big hit. I was trying to figure out cook time with this and the Turkey. Can I cook the potatoes initially then later finish it off w the marshmellows and pecan?
Sarah Jenkins says
Hi Anna,
Yes - I think that should work perfectly! Maybe just cover the sweet potatoes to keep warm-ish until you're ready to add the topping so that the potatoes don't have as long to reheat once you're ready for the marshmallows and pecans. I can't wait to hear how it goes for you!
Gena says
I LOVE the creativity of this recipe! I love marshmallows and pecans on top of my sweet potatoes....why did I never think to make them like this before?? I had to go ahead and make your recipe when I found it, a trial run for Thanksgiving if you will. It's my new favorite! Thank you!!!!!
Sarah Jenkins says
Yay! So glad you liked it Gena!
Lisa says
This recipe is a staple at our holiday dinners. It's always the first side dish to go.
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Lisa!
Claire says
My daughter has been doing a project in cooking class about different foods around the world. For her final cook she and three friends decided to make a thanksgiving style feast.
She made stuffing, green beans and your sweet potato casserole.
All the kids thought it was strange as here mini marshmallows go in hot chocolate.
But they all tried it. The teacher was so impressed with how the girls had researched and found recipes that were traditional for other countries.
My daughter especially loved your variations section as she was able to include the ideas in her project.
Thank you so much for a great recipe that was easy to follow ????
Sarah Jenkins says
That's so awesome Claire! Thanks so much for sharing!
Sharina says
I added some coconut flakes to the pecan mixture as suggested and it turned out sooooo fine! Everyone was filled and satisfied, we had no leftovers!
Sarah Jenkins says
Right??? I love that add!!!
Jane says
I love this recipe! It is so simple and delicious, and it always reminds me of home.
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Jane!!
Allie says
These sweet potato casserole was to die for! I'm always a sucker for that pecan marshmallow topping and this recipe was way better than others I've made in the past.
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Allie!