Description
Creamy, comforting, and simple sweet potato casserole with a crunchy pecan crumble on top. Texture and flavors are spot on!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (908g) sweet potatoes, peeled (about 5 small/medium)
- 1/3 cup (5 Tbsp; 71g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar (I prefer dark)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup (120ml) half-and-half or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping
- 1/3 cup (41g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar (I prefer dark)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup (5 Tbsp; 71g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 and 2/3 cups (210g) pecan halves or chopped pecans
- optional: fresh rosemary or thyme, and sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot or dutch oven and cover them completely with water. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain the water and allow the sweet potatoes to cool for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan (or a similar size casserole dish, or a 12-inch oven-safe skillet). Set aside.
- Place the cooked sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the potatoes until relatively smooth—I like to leave some chunks for texture. For your reference, you will have about 4 cups of mashed sweet potatoes. Add the butter, brown sugar, beaten eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, and salt. Spoon/pour the mixture into prepared pan.
- For the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Using a silicone spatula, fold in the melted butter and pecans until the mixture is totally combined. Spoon evenly over potatoes.
- Bake for 30–40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then top with a little fresh thyme or rosemary and a sprinkle of sea salt. Serve warm.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: This is a great make ahead recipe! Here’s how to get started 1–2 days before: Prepare sweet potatoes through step 3, then prepare the topping. Cover each separately and refrigerate for up to 2 days. On the day of serving, assemble and bake. Assembled, unbaked casserole can be frozen up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature, and continue with step 5. Baked casserole can be frozen up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature, and bake at 350°F (177°C) until warmed through.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Large Pot (such as a Dutch oven) | Vegetable Peeler | 9×13-inch Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Whisk | Silicone Spatula
- Adding Marshmallows: If you love marshmallows on top of your sweet potato casserole, you can certainly add them. Bake as directed above, but 5 minutes before it’s done, add 1 cup marshmallows on top and then finish baking.