Sweet potato casserole with can sweet potatoes

This easy Sweet Potato Casserole 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 to create a sweet and savory masterpiece you will fall in love with!

A Dessert-like Side Dish

I love turkey dinner… not for the turkey per se, 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.

This almost dessert-like side dish is perfect for Thanksgiving, Easter or Christmas but simple enough to serve for Sunday supper too!

Delicious and Nutritious

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 fibre.

Not only are they nutritious and delicious; the best part that this sweet potato casserole is not expensive meaning this easy side won’t break the bank!

Preparing the 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 certainly use a hand mixer to make them fluffy.

We always make a simple sweet potato casserole with marshmallow and pecans but you can also add a delicious crumble topping, or a splash of bourbon for a yummy Bourbon Sweet Potato casserole!

Easy to Make Ahead

This easy sweet potato casserole can be prepared well ahead of time and refrigerated overnight to make meal prep a breeze.

If you do refrigerate it before baking, I would suggest removing it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking.

I heat it for about 20 minutes and then add the topping and cook an additional 15-20 minutes as cold sweet potatoes take much longer to heat through.

This recipe makes quite a large casserole so if you are only serving your family you may choose to cut the recipe in half. Or better yet, make the recipe as is and enjoy leftovers the next day!

This Sweet Potato Casserole is perfect for any special occasion yet is so easy – you will want to serve it all the time!

The addition of pecans and marshmallows really add 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 next to Cranberry Millionaire Salad and Bacon Green Bean Bundles at every special occasion.

More Sweet Potato Love

• Roasted Sweet Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Pie
• Baked Sweet Potato
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes

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This easy Sweet Potato Casserole 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.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

• ▢ 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

• 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.

5 from 806 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Calories: 188 | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 316mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 12185IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

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