This Sweet Potato Casserole with crunchy pecan topping is the ultimate holiday side dish. This is my sister Tanya’s recipe, and it is famous at our family’s Thanksgiving dinners. It’s a classic recipe with a fluffy and soufflé-like sweet potato layer topped with a crunchy pecan streusel. It’s also EASY to make.
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Sweet Potato Casserole Video
Watch the video tutorial where I walk you through step by step how to make this sweet potato casserole and see just how easy it is! If you make this recipe for Thanksgiving or Christmas, let me know.
The Best Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
This easy sweet potato casserole recipe is the best I’ve ever tasted. Without fail, it is always served on our Thanksgiving menu alongside our Juicy Roast Turkey, an unforgettable Turkey Gravy, Au Gratin Potatoes, and Pumpkin Pie.
My sister Tanya taught me how to make her famous sweet potato casserole, and wow, is it good! As with my Stuffing Recipe, I love that it’s make-ahead friendly, and I’m always happy when we have leftovers from this dish because it reheats well (see make-ahead tips below).
There’s nothing more comforting than the sweet smells, the luxurious texture, and the crisp, nutty topping. It’s also terrific served with Prime Rib Roast on Christmas or Easter.
Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes – You’ll need 4 lbs or 4 large potatoes for about 6 cups once mashed. Choose firm potatoes with dark, blemish-free, and even-colored skin.
- For the Filling – Egg, Sugar, Butter, Vanilla, and a pinch of salt- give the potato layer incredible texture, flavor, and airiness. Eggs are an important binder and help the casserole puff up almost like a soufflé. You can adjust the sugar to taste or use your favorite sugar substitute.
- Dried Cranberries – while optional, they add a nice tangy bite to balance the richness of the casserole.
- For the Crumble Topping – Light brown sugar, flour, and butter for a crisp and buttery streusel-like topping. The pecans add a nutty crunch, but you can leave them out if needed.
Variations and Substitutions
Try some of these easy swaps to make the casserole your own:
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows: cover the streusel or replace the streusel topping with 2 cups mini marshmallows in the last 25 minutes of baking.
- Add a splash of maple syrup to the filling for a hint of maple flavor
- Change the texture: Coarsely mash sweet potatoes for a rustic texture, or whip them in a stand mixer for an airy texture.
- Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole: Replace the eggs with 3/4 cup applesauce. Also, replace the butter with your favorite butter substitute.
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole
In just a few easy steps, you can make this irresistible recipe for sweet potato casserole.
- Cook Sweet Potatoes – Peel and chop sweet potatoes into 1″ chunks. Cover with water and boil for 10-15 minutes until fork-tender. Mash with a potato masher or use an electric hand mixer for super creamy potatoes.
- Make the Filling – Preheat Oven to 350˚F. In a medium bowl, whisk together: 3 eggs and 1/2 cup sugar. Whisk in 6 Tbsp melted butter and 1/2 Tbsp vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Stir butter mixture into sweet potatoes, then fold in 1 cup dried cranberries and spread into a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Make the Pecan Crumble Topping – Combine 2/3 cup brown sugar and 1/3 cup flour. Add 3 Tbsp of diced cold butter and rub the butter with the sugar mixture using your fingertips until pea-sized crumbs form. Stir in the pecans.
- Assemble and Bake – Sprinkle streusel mixture evenly over sweet potato mixture, put your baking dish in the oven and bake uncovered at 350˚F for 35-40 minutes or until hot and sweet potatoes start to puff at the edges.
Pro Tip
For a sweeter flavor, start with Baked Sweet Potatoes. Simply wash the outside, pierce the skin several times with a fork, and then place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Then remove skins before mashing.
Serve Sweet Potato Casserole With
We make this casserole year-round, but it’s best known on holiday menus. Try serving it alongside these other delicious mains and sides:
- Spatchcock Turkey
- Deviled Eggs
- Au Gratin Potatoes
- Pear Salad
- Mashed Potatoes
- Soft Dinner Rolls
- Cornbread
Can I Make Sweet Potato Casserole Ahead of Time?
The holidays can get busy so you’ll appreciate that this is make-ahead friendly and no one will know you prepped your sweet potato casserole early.
- Make Ahead – Assemble the casserole and store the topping separately. Refrigerate both for 2-3 days. Add the topping to the potatoes before baking, and add a few minutes to the bake time if starting with a cold casserole.
- Refrigerate Leftovers – Once completely cooled, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-5 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- To Reheat – Bake in a preheated 350˚F oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.
This sweet potato casserole recipe is the perfect addition to your holiday table with its crunchy pecan topping and sweet, spiced sweet potato layer. I hope your family adores this dish as much as mine does!
Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 lbs sweet potatoes, 6 cups mashed
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt, or a pinch of salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries, optional
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, or gluten-free flour substitute
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold, diced
- 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped, optional
Instructions
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole
- Cook Sweet Potatoes – Peel and chop sweet potatoes into 1" chunks. Add to a large pot with enough water to cover surface of potatoes and bring to a boil. Cook uncovered at a medium/low boil about until easily pierced with a fork (about 10-15 minutes). Drain and mash (mash with an electric mixer to make it even creamier).
- Make Sweet Potato Filling – Preheat Oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Stir butter mixture into cooked sweet potatoes, then stir in dried cranberries. Spread sweet potato mix evenly into a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Make Pecan Crumble Topping – In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and flour. Add butter and use your hands to rub the mixture together until pea-sized crumbs form. Stir in chopped pecans.
- Assemble & Bake – Sprinkle over sweet potatoes and bake at 350˚F uncovered for 35-40 min or until hot and sweet potatoes start to puff at the edges.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Sweet Potato Recipes
If you love this sweet potato casserole recipe, then you won’t want to miss these other sweet potato recipes.
- Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Bacon
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Sweet Potato Salad
- Creamy Sweet Potato Soup
- Baked Sweet Potato
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
I made the sweet potato casserole for Christmas Eve family dinner and it was a HIT.
There was not a bite left.
It will now be my go to sweet potato casserole for every holiday.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, April!
We made this for Thanksgiving! It was very yummy. Love the cranberries in it.
That’s so great, Michelle! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Hi Natasha.
I made this sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving and it was a big hit. My daughter actually requested that I make it for Christmas Eve to go with the ham. Thank you for all your great recipes.
Sounds like you found a new family favorite, Carol!
I have arthritic hands and peeling the hard sweet potatoes is impossible. Would canned sweet potatoes work?
Hi Carole, I honestly haven’t tried that. it may be worth experimenting though. I think it could still work with well-drained canned sweet potatoes. Please let me know if you test that out.
you could microwave the sweet potatoes in that potato bag or just like a baked potato-it comes out nice and moist and then easy peasy to peal and cut up skipping the boiling water and then go ahead with the rest of the recipe and easy on the hands
I make a similar recipe which calls for baking the sweet potatoes, then split and scoop out with a spoon. If canned doesn’t work for you perhaps baking would be a solution.
Carole, try cooking the sweet potatoes in the oven, let them cool and then scoop the meat out. That is a much easier way than peeling them. It works great.
You should be able to bake the sweet potatoes and peel them after they are soft and cooled.
H I Carole, I f you rub the potatoes with vegetable oil and wrapping them in foil before baking them in a 400° oven, the peeling will slip right off with ease.
Thanks for the tip!
I use canned for the same reason. I drain sweet potatoes very well and I cut back on the sugar to at least one half the amount.
Made this recipe for Thanksgiving this year and it was an absolute hit! There were no leftovers and everyone asked for the recipe. Made your mashed potato recipe last year as well and got the same response. Amazing!! Thank you Natasha
That’s just awesome, Jessica! Thank you for sharing that awesome feedback and review with us!
Hi Natasha,I made this recipe this year for Thanksgiving and OMG it became my favorite dish,I’m not waiting for next year to make this again,I’ll be probably making this every week and freeze it in small portions. It’s so so delicious. I pretty much cooked the Thanksgiving dinner using your recipes for the Turkey,the turkey gravy and the green beans.I love al your recipes,thank you!
You’re welcome, Angela! I’m so glad you liked this dish & so inspired knowing you used several of our recipes for Thanksgiving! That’s so great!
Wow! Just wow! This was amazing. I made it for Thanksgiving and everyone was reluctant to try it because we have never had sweet potato casserole before. Everyone, including my super picky husband, loved it. Will be making again for Christmas!
Don’t you just love it when that happens! Thank you for the great review, Amber!
Same here,we’ve never made sweet potato casserole before.It was so easy to make this and absolutely delicious
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for sharing that with me.
Did you realize that your directions for the topping don’t say to include the pecans in it?
Oh my goodness you’re right! I had it in the print-friendly recipe but not at the top. Thank you so much for pointing that out. Fixed! wouldn’t be the same without them.
Hi Natasha,
Looks fabulous, is there a substitute for the flour, grandma is
Gluten free?
Thank you
Hi Kathy, I would suggest using a 1:1 gluten-free flour to substitute to keep this a gluten-free sweet potato casserole.
Hi Natasha! I need to 1/2 this recipe. What do you think the cooking time should be? I will prepare in advance so it will be baked cold. Thank you. Love your recipes!
Hi Doreen, I have not baked it halved so I cannot advise on the time. If you test that I’d love to know how that turned out. If you use half the size of baking dish and the casserole is the same height, you would bake for about the same amount of time (maybe 5 minutes less).
Thanks Natasha! I’ll wing it since I’m the only sweet potato lover in my house. Wish me luck on the egg and a half! Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays, Doreen! I hope you love this recipe!
One of my favorite Sweet Potato Casseroles is to drain large can of juice from a pineapple can (rings) and mix the juicewith sour cream (1 sm. tub). Cut about 5 to 6 cooked potatoes into 1/2″ to 1″ slices to coat sides in flour to fry in butter for a light brown crust. Layer slices into a casserole dish, pour sour cream mixture, sprinkle brown sugar, and top with crushed or rings of pineapple. Repeat layers and bake at 350 degrees until sour cream mixture looks like a puffy cream and dish is slightly toasted on top or until fully baked (approx. 45 min.). You may need 2 large cans of pineapple, 1-rings for top, 1- chunks or crushed for layers. Delicious! Our family tradition for Sweet Potato Casserole!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
My recipe is similar and also delicious. Will have to try it with the berries. Where did you get that 9×13 dish I love it!!
Hi Mindy, that dish is from Fred Meyer. I have a similar one linked in the post above.
Hi Mindy, we used this pan here. I hope that helps.
Hello Natasha! I love your recipes! I’ve turned into a better chef (mom cook) after watching your videos! I have one question about this casserole, I admidtly am making wayy too much food for Thanksgiving and wondering if the base casserole could be halfed and frozen? I’ve noticed alot of the marshmallow comments so I’ve decided to swap the craisins for tiny hot cocoa marshmallows. I’ll let you know know how it turns out! Thank you! Happy Holidays!
Hi Nathalie, I have not tested freezing it but halving the recipe should work great.
Hi, can i omit the eggs.
Hi Alesha, we always make it with the eggs but I think it would still work without them. It would be a slightly different texture but still will work.
Hi Alesha, we always make it with the eggs but I think it would still work without them. It would be a slightly different texture but still will work.
hi Natasha! I’m making this recipe today but all I have on hand are walnuts. Do you think they will be okay, or will the walnuts overpower the flavor? I’m trying to avoid driving to the store again!
Hi Adrianna, I haven’t tested that with walnuts to advise but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Can you make this ahead of time?
Hi Pam, yes please see the make-ahead instructions in the post which should help.
Hi Natasha, love your recipes so much. And so does my family. Do you have any Turkey stuffing recipe or just stuffing recipe? Would like to make one with your help.
I’m so glad you love our recipes. That is so wonderful to hear. Unfortunately, we don’t have a stuffing recipe posted yet, but when I come up with something wonderful, I will be sure to share it.
mmm this is so amazing! An awesome way to prepare those sweet potatoes. Just in time for the holidays. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Matt! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review
This is the only way I will eat sweet potatoes. So so good!
That’s so great Katie! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Natasha,
ALL of your recipes are amazing!
Actually I am using your turkey and gravy recipes for Thanksgiving. My son happen to see your sweet potato casserole on my Facebook page and requested it for Thanksgiving.
Thank you so much for turning this 70 year old ( not so great cook) into an amazing cook
Have a blessed Thanksgiving
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles!