Crowd-Pleasing Sweet Potato Casserole
This sweet potato casserole is the best of both worlds—rich, creamy filling with a crunchy pecan topping and gooey toasted marshmallows. The ultimate holiday side dish!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 10 to 12 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American Southern
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the Casserole:
4 large sweet potatoes
1 cup milk
½ cup pure maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Toppings:
¼ cup (32 g) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons (44 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
½ cup (70 g) chopped pecans (or more, as desired)
1½ cups miniature marshmallows
Instructions
Step 1: Roast the Sweet Potatoes
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
Pierce sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place on a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for about 45 minutes until fork-tender. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350°F (177°C).
Step 2: Make the Sweet Potato Filling
4. Let sweet potatoes cool slightly, then slice open and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Discard the skins.
5. Lightly mash using a potato masher. Avoid over-mashing.
6. Add milk, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg. Stir until just combined.
Step 3: Prepare the Pecan Topping
7. In a small bowl, cut butter into flour using a fork until crumbly.
8. Add brown sugar and pecans. Stir to combine.
Step 4: Assemble & Bake
9. Spread the mashed sweet potato mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish.
10. Sprinkle the pecan topping in diagonal rows, leaving 1½-inch gaps between each row.
11. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.
Step 5: Add Marshmallows & Finish Baking
12. Remove dish from oven and carefully place marshmallows between the pecan rows.
13. Return to oven for another 10 minutes, or until marshmallows are lightly golden.
14. Serve warm.
Notes
Don’t over-mash the sweet potatoes—keep them creamy, not gummy.
You can increase the pecans if you love a crunchier topping.
For make-ahead prep: Prepare casserole and topping separately. Assemble and bake just before serving.
This dish can easily be made vegetarian by checking marshmallow ingredients (use gelatin-free if needed).
