This easy Sweet Potato Casserole recipe is topped with pecans and marshmallows is a traditional side at our family Thanksgiving table.
This comforting dish unites tenderly mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, and butter with a hint of cinnamon. It is all crowned with pillowy soft marshmallows and toasty pecans.
A sweet potato casserole is the perfect combination of sweet and savory that everyone will fall in love with!
A Dessert-Like Thanksgiving Side Dish
I love turkey dinner… not for the turkey per se, but more for the stuffing and the sides that go along with it like this amazing casserole.
- This Sweet Potato Casserole is fairly simple and traditional leaving the flavors of the sweet potatoes and pecans to really shine through.
- It’s easy to make and can be made ahead of time.
- Not only are they delicious; this sweet potato casserole is inexpensive to make.
- This almost dessert-like side dish is perfect for Thanksgiving, Easter, or Christmas but simple enough to serve for Sunday supper too!
The sweet potato is a nutritional powerhouse; a source of beta-carotene, as well as Vitamin C and potassium. Cooked sweet potatoes are also a good source of fiber.
Ingredients in Sweet Potato Casserole
The ingredients in this recipe are simple but delicious. There really is no need for lots of extra additions like eggs or flour, we let the flavor of the potatoes shine through.
- Sweet Potatoes – This recipe uses 3lbs of sweet potatoes which is about 6 medium to large sweet potatoes. This can vary a bit. You can use canned sweet potatoes if you’d like, you’ll need 3 cans (29oz each). We tried a few different brands and found Bruce’s to be superior and have way more potatoes in the can for the same weight!
- Brown Sugar – Light or dark brown sugar works in this recipe. I prefer dark brown sugar if I have it as it has more flavor. You can also add a dash of maple syrup if you’d like.
- Butter – I use salted butter in this recipe. You can use unsalted butter and add extra salt if you’d like.
- Pecans – We love pecans paired with sweet potatoes. Feel free to swap them for walnuts.
- Flavoring – A little hint of vanilla extract and a pinch of cinnamon is added for flavor. You can add extra cinnamon or more warm spices (like pumpkin pie spice) if you’d like. You can also add a splash of bourbon or other flavors.
Topping Options
Our favorite way to top this recipe is with pecans and mini marshmallows. If you’d prefer, you can add a streusel topping or pecan crumble.
Preparing the Sweet Potatoes
I prefer to peel and cube my sweet potatoes before boiling to cut down on cooking time. You can certainly boil them whole (they’ll need about 20-25 minutes) and peel them once they’re cooked.
Using a potato masher to mash sweet potatoes by hand allows you to leave a little bit of texture. If you prefer them completely silky smooth, you can use a hand mixer to make them fluffy.
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole
- Prep the sweet potatoes: Prepare the potatoes by peeling and boiling them in a large pot per the recipe below.
- Mash: Mash with butter, cinnamon, and sugar. Spread the sweet potato mixture into a baking dish.
- Bake: Top with marshmallows & pecans and bake until golden. So easy.
Variations
We always make a simple sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans but you can also add a delicious crumble topping, or a splash of bourbon if you’d like!
Easy to Make Ahead
This easy sweet potato casserole can be prepared well ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours for meal prep.
If you do refrigerate it before baking, remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking. If chilled, heat it for about 20 minutes and then stir. Add the topping and cook an additional 15-20 minutes as cold sweet potatoes take much longer to heat through.
This Sweet Potato Casserole is a perfect Thanksgiving side dish yet it is so easy – you will want to serve it all the time!
The addition of pecans and marshmallows really adds a crunchy, crisp topping that pairs so nicely with those soft, buttery mashed sweet potatoes. Once you try it, you’ll see why this sweet potato casserole makes an appearance on every special occasion.
More Sweet Potato Love
Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup butter softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup pecans chopped, divided
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon or to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups miniature marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9 x 13 pan.
- Place sweet potatoes in a pot of boiling water. Simmer for 15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain.
- In a large bowl (or in the pot the potatoes were cooked in), mash the sweet potatoes with brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, vanilla and salt & pepper.
- Fold in half of the pecans and spread into prepared pan.
- Sprinkle with the marshmallows and the remaining pecans.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until marshmallows are golden brown and potatoes are heated through.
Video
Notes
- Prepare and refrigerate it before baking without the toppings.
- Remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking and bake for about 20 minutes and then stir.
- Add the topping and cook an additional 15-20 minutes or until heated through and the marshmallows are toasty.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Side Dish
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This easy sweet potato casserole can be prepared well ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours for meal prep.
If you do refrigerate it before baking, remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking. If chilled, heat it for about 20 minutes and then stir. Add the topping and cook an additional 15-20 minutes as cold sweet potatoes take much longer to heat through.
Leftovers can be placed in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
You can bake to reheat but I find it quicker to reheat sweet potato casserole in the microwave. Once reheated, you can add new marshmallows and put it in the oven (or air fryer) for a few minutes to toast.
You can freeze sweet potato casserole before or after baking. If freezing before baking, don’t add the topping until it has thawed and baked. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake according to the “make ahead” directions in the notes of the recipe.
More Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love
I made this recipe for Thanksgiving dinner at my in-laws and everyone loved it! Big family get-together and no leftovers. I was surprised to see the pan had been scraped getting every last bit. I am making this again for New Year’s Day dinner but it will just be my husband and I. Can I freeze half and if so – how long can I store it in the freezer? Thank you for this definite keeper!
I am so happy to hear this recipe was a hit Linda! If planning on freezing it, I would leave the topping off and add when ready to bake to keep it crisp. If possible I would take it out of the freezer the night before and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. It can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Delicious! I add extra vanilla and cinnamon and less sugar. Mine fits in an 8×8 dish and I waited until the last 10 minutes to put the marshmallows on. Love this dish!
Love your recipes
l love this recipe Thank you
AMAZING RECIPE HANDS DOWN!! I am not a cook whatsoever! I thought I would try this recipe for Thanksgiving. It was a HUGE hit! Everyone got seconds and my picky young nieces and nephews absolutely devoured it. I will make this recipe from now on. You will NOT be disappointed!
great recipe.eady.a hit at Thanksgiving.
I made this casserole for my family, as I am not a sweet potato fan. It got RAVING reviews. My Dad who is known to be VERY picky and will tell you if he doesn’t like something… absolutely LOVED it. He must have said it 5 times during Thanksgiving dinner. Which my sister did not like as she had made other sides too. So needless to say this casserole stole the show for Thanksgiving. I had never made sweet potato anything, and it was super simple. I prepared the sweet potato mixture the night before and let it sit in the fridge.
I am so happy to hear this casserole was a hit on Thanksgiving with your family Melissa!
I loved this simple delicious recipe for Thanksgiving dinner or any special occasion. Actually I’m fixing it for just my husband and I for Sunday dinner. Just home from church and I love to come home to some exciting food.
Easy and delicious. I’ll never use canned sweet potatoes again. Going to try a dairy free version next.
This is my first year cooking sweet potatoes casserole. I really didn’t know how easy it was to make
This was the best recipe I found on line. The only variation I made was that I left the sweet potatoes cubes versus completely mashing them up because that’s how I like mine.
Easy recipe and absolutely delicious will be a staple on our thanksgiving table! I only altered the recipe after weighing my potatoes but did not change the ingredients and the flavor was delectable. Not too sweet, light and fluffy with an added texture of pecans but honestly if you have a nut allergy this recipe would still be divine without them!
This is the best sweet potato casserole recipe I have eaten. It is delicious and beautiful to serve. I prefer boiling potatoes for 30 min with skins on and then the skin just peels off leaving entire potato in a bowl for mashing.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Karen!
Came out great! So easy, and tasty. I cut the recipe in half because it was for only my husband and I. Ended up using walnuts, still great saved this recipe.
The best recipe hands down!! Thank you! Everyone loved the dish I made
Personally, I’m not a sweet potato fan, but my mother-in-law is. She has limited mobility, so I took over Thanksgiving this year & sweet potatoes are her favorite part of it all. She LOVED it! Such an easy recipe, I’m just happy she enjoyed it! thank you so much for sharing!
I am so glad to hear this recipe was a hit with your mother-in-law AC!
Perfect. Sweet but not overly sweet. I hand mashed mine for just the sake of making the effort. It’s a perfect dish for any dinner…especially one you get to share with friends and family! I’ll be making this again! So easy for anyone at any level to make.
Can ginger or nut meg be substituted for cinnamon?
You can substitute the spices with other warm spices. Nutmeg is quite strong so I would suggest just a pinch.
I’m using this with ham for Christmas, it looks divine
Holly, I was curious if there’s anything you don’t make thats delicious? Time and time again I use your recipes and every time they are delicious. Good Job!
You talk about the ingredients needed, but you never say any measurements. How much butter, how much brown sugar, etc.?
If you use the “jump to recipe” at the top of the page, you will see the full recipe and ingredients. You’re likely looking at the overview of ingredients.