Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping — 🍠🙌🧡 This is the BEST sweet potato casserole ever!! The sweet potatoes are tender and creamy, while the streusel topping adds a delightful buttery crunch thanks to the pecans!
Table of Contents
- Butter Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole
- Ingredients in Sweet Potato Casserole
- How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
- Recipe FAQs
- Storage and Reheating Instructions
- What to Serve with Sweet Potato Casserole
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Butter Pecan Crumble Topping Recipe
- More Easy Sweet Potato Side Dishes:
Butter Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole
I love sweet potatoes and have a ton of recipes using them, but I was missing a classic: sweet potato casserole.
It was about time I made it and we loved every bite because this isn’t just any ole sweet potato casserole recipe. The crunchy butter pecan crumble topping really sets it apart.
The mashed sweet potatoes are so tender, creamy, and fluffy while the crumbly streusel topping adds a buttery, brown sugary crunch thanks to the pecans.
The brown sugar caramelizes in the oven with the butter and the topping is irresistible. I kind of want to put this topping on everything now.
This is an easy sweet potato casserole recipe that’s especially perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s a no-frills side dish just like the one you grew up eating, and anyone can make it!
I was tasked with making sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving several years ago. Ironic bc I don’t actually eat the sweet potatoes. I picked this recipe bc I was attracted to the topping. It has been demanded ever since. Every single sweet potato hater in the extended family loves this. IF there are leftovers, prepare for a rumble. — TaMom
Ingredients in Sweet Potato Casserole
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy sweet potato casserole with pecan topping:
- Sweet potatoes
- Eggs
- Unsalted butter
- Milk
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Ground nutmeg and cinnamon
- All-purpose flour
- Fisher pecan halves
I used Fisher Pecan Halves. Fisher Nuts are preservative-free and non-GMO Project Verified, making them an excellent choice for cooking and holiday baking. The resealable bag helps keep the nuts fresh for longer.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
I’m not even remotely exaggerating when I say this is the best sweet potato casserole recipe! Here’s a rough overview of the recipe steps:
- Prepare the filling: Peel, chop, and boil the sweet potatoes in a large pot until fork tender.
- Add the cooked sweet potatoes to a large bowl along with the eggs, butter, milk, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
- Mash to combine (I like to use a potato masher!), turn the sweet potato mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Make the pecan topping: Melt the butter, then toss with the brown sugar, flour, and salt. Stir in the pecans.
- Assemble and bake: Sprinkle the crumble topping over the sweet potatoes. Bake until the top is lightly golden brown, the edges are set, and the center is mostly set.
Recipe FAQs
My sweet potato casserole took 50 minutes to bake at 350ºF because I started with it cold from the fridge (I prepped it the night before). Note that baking times will vary based on the pan used (glass or ceramic baking dishes will bake for longer than metal pans), your oven, climate, ingredient variances, etc. To be safe, start checking your pecan-topped sweet potato casserole at 30 minutes.
The butter pecan topping will be golden brown and the center should be set (it will never be firm like a cake, but it shouldn’t be runny or have lots of jiggle to it).
4 pounds. My best advice is to weigh your potatoes at the grocery store to see how many you’ll need. The number of sweet potatoes needed will vary depending on their size.
Yes! If you prefer sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top, follow my classic sweet potato casserole recipe instead.
Unbaked casserole will last up to three days in the fridge, while the baked casserole will keep for about a week.
Yes, very easily! Here’s how:
1. Assemble the entire casserole the night before, cover it with foil, and refrigerate it until ready to bake.
2. Baked the prepped casserole straight from the refrigerator, adding 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
In the fridge: If stored in an airtight container, leftovers will last up to 1 week.
In the freezer: Assemble the sweet potato layer, bake, let cool, then freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat the prepped casserole, thaw overnight in the fridge. Make a fresh batch of topping, sprinkle it over the casserole, and bake until done.
To reheat: Cover with foil so the pecan topping doesn’t burn, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 300ºF, or until warm.
What to Serve with Sweet Potato Casserole
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Sweet Potato Casserole with Butter Pecan Crumble Topping
Ingredients
Filling
- 4 pounds raw sweet potatoes, diced into large chunks and boiled
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup milk, I used unsweetened cashewmilk
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, optional
Topping
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 cup Fisher Pecan Halves
Instructions
Make the Filling
- To a large stockpot, add the sweet potato chunks, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until sweet potatoes are fork tender. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
- Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 2.5 to 3-quart baking dish or a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
- To the large bowl with the sweet potatoes, add the eggs, butter, milk, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt, optional nutmeg, optional cinnamon, and beat with a handheld electric mixer on medium-high speed until combined and fluffy.
- Turn out into baking dish, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula; set aside.
Make the Pecan Topping
- To a large microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and heat on high power to melt, about 1 minute.
- Add the brown sugar, flour, salt, and toss with a fork or your fingers until moist crumbs form.
- Add the pecans and toss to incorporate.
- Evenly turn topping out over filling.
Bake
- Bake the sweet potato casserole for about 45 minutes (or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours if you’re prepping it in advance), or until top is lightly golden browned, set on the edges, and mostly set in the center. Mine took 50 minutes because I started with it cold from the fridge because I prepped it the night before. Baking time will vary based on pan used (glass or ceramic baking dishes will bake for longer than metal pans), oven, climate, ingredient variances, etc. Start checking at 30 minutes.
- Serve immediately. Extra will keep airtight for up to 1 week in the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Easy Sweet Potato Side Dishes:
All of my Thanksgiving recipes!
Classic Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows — 🍠🙌🧡 Tender and creamy sweet potatoes, the subtle crunch of a buttery pecan crumble, and gooey marshmallows make this comfort food side dish an automatic family FAVORITE!
Savory Sweet Potato Casserole — If you thought sweet potato casserole couldn’t get any better, wait until you taste it topped with candied bacon and pecans!
Easy Homemade Candied Yams — Learn how to make the BEST candied yams which are baked in the most wonderful buttery cinnamon-and-sugar sauce!
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows — 🍠🙌🧡 Sweet, creamy, decadent, and reminiscent of sweet potato casserole but individually portioned! FAST and EASY enough for family dinners or make them for more formal holiday celebrations!
Sweet Potato Bites with Marshmallows and Pecans — Sliced sweet potato rounds are brushed with a maple cinnamon-and-sugar mixture, baked, and then topped with marshmallows and pecans!
Roasted Sweet Potato Salad — Goodbye mayo-loaded, mushy, boring potato salad. Hello to a Mexican-inspired potato salad full of flavor and texture with corn, black beans, peppers, and cilantro!
Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole — A HEALTHIER and DELICIOUS twist on sweet potato casserole!! The potatoes and apples retain some texture with the perfect amount of crumble topping!
Post is brought to you by Fisher. The recipe, images, text, and opinions expressed are my own. #ThinkFisher
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fisher nuts. The opinions and text are all mine.
Looks very good, i love this recipe and several more i seen
Wonderful – enjoy!
I made this with baked yams and everyone LOVED it! Baked them, mashed them (yams will just slip out of their peels when cooked) and otherwise followed the recipe exactly! Was so delicious it felt wrong having it with the main course, as it was so rich and yummy!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad the yams were perfect here!
Did you peel the potatoes?
yes
Can this be prepped, frozen and then cooked a few days later?
Many people have asked this in the comments already and while I haven’t personally tried it that way, I think you will be okay. If it’s literally just going to be a couple of days, I wouldn’t even bother freezing and would just keep it in the fridge.
when preparing the crumble topping, mine initially became a wet mixture. so i added more flour, which then resulted in a dough – nothing like the beautiful crumbs in your video. any idea what could have gone wrong?
By adding more flour, that’s what created the dough. Double check your measurements on everything else and I think you will be fine next time.
Hi Averimade this yesterday and it was Fantastic! Thank you for the recipe ?
I actually put it all together on Thursday and baked it yesterday. (We had our Thanksgiving the day after). When I make it again, and I will! I’ll do the same b cuz I liked the way it set up from chilling overnight. ?
I’m glad that it worked out great to pre-assemble it and then bake it yesterday and that you’ll do it again that way!
Delicious! I made this recipe for Thanksgiving dinner and my family loved it! Just the right amount sweetness. Although I used walnuts instead pecans and added allspice and chili powder.
I bet the chili powder a fun twist to this! Glad it was the right amount of sweetness and the family loved it!
Can this be frozen with out the topping?
Yes
This dish looks like a wonderful alternative to the single-note marshmallow covered variety. I wonder have you ever tried making it with cardamom?
Haven’t tried but I’m sure it would add a nice flavor.
This looks amazing. Do you think it would work out to cook the sweet potatoes in the crock pot instead of on the stove?
Re-read previous comment replies, thanks!
Do you peel the sweet potatoes before dicing and cooking?
yes
I am embarrassed to ask this but I’ve never made anything sweet potato related other than microwaving one! Do I peel the potatoes?!
yes
I only have salted butter, will that be ok for the topping?
yes
I have to travel an hour and a half with the sweet potato casserole and I won’t have time to completely baked it when I arrive willl the topping still be good if I completely bake it before I leave home and then just heated up again when I arrive at our dinner or should I half bake it before I leave and then finish baking it when I arrive so the toppings stays crispy?
I would do the later option if possible but if it’s not practical, then do the former. Good luck!
If I want to wait until tomorrow morning to bake it did I leave off the topping until I am ready to put it in the oven?
That’s fine, yes.
Hope to get an answer quick as it’s the day before Thanksgiving and I’m prepping!!!! My grocery store was completely out of the orange sweet potatoes (small town) so I bought the yellow sweet potatoes instead but now I’m sort of panicking thinking what if it doesn’t taste well? Do you know if the recipe could work with those?
Different potatoes very in their level of starch and in sweetness so it’s hard to say if it will be exactly the same but I think it will be close.