This indulgent sweet potato casserole is topped with the most delicious pecan topping and is the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table!
Dessert or casserole? It depends on who you ask! This sweet potato casserole reminds me of a cross between a pecan pie and a pumpkin pie. Even people who hate sweet potatoes will enjoy this easy recipe. I couldn’t stop thinking about the leftovers in my fridge and had to help myself to an extra serving.
The filling is creamy and sweet and the topping adds an extra bit of flavor and crunch. I know once you try it, you’ll want to make it again and again.
Ingredients
For the filling:
- Sweet potatoes – I chose to use fresh sweet potatoes instead of canned for this recipe. You’ll want to bake or boil them so they can be easily mashed!
- Brown sugar – Is it just me, or is brown sugar the best? It adds some sweetness to the filling and provides so much flavor!
- Milk – Milk helps make the sweet potato mash extra creamy.
- Eggs – Eggs help hold the filling together.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla extract provides just a hint of vanilla flavor.
- Butter – Just a little butter makes the filling extra-rich.
- Shredded sweetened coconut – Shredded coconut provides a fun texture!
For the pecan topping:
- All-purpose flour – Flour is the base of this pecan streusel topping.
- Brown sugar – More brown sugar sweetens up the topping.
- Butter – Butter is another essential ingredient for forming the streusel.
- Pecans – Chopped pecans are the perfect finish for this casserole!
What I Used For This Recipe
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- 3-Quart Glass Baking Dish: This 3-quart glass baking dish from Pyrex is perfect for this recipe (and really any casserole!), plus it comes with a lid so you can easily store leftovers.
- Stainless Steel Measuring Cups: I use these measuring cups for just about everything!
- Glass Mixing Bowl Set: Also from Pyrex, I love these glass mixing bowls and use them almost daily.
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
This sweet potato casserole is so easy to make! Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Make the filling. In a large bowl, stir together the cooked and mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla, butter, coconut, and salt. Spread evenly in a 9×13 baking pan.
- Make the pecan topping. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, butter, and pecans until it reaches a crumbly consistency. The quickest way to do this is to just use your hands! Spread evenly over sweet potato mixture.
- Bake. Bake for 35 minutes. Serve hot.
Why are there eggs in sweet potato casserole?
The eggs in sweet potato casserole help bind everything together and make it more of a casserole consistency vs. just being a sweet potato mash!
Are yams and sweet potatoes the same thing?
This question causes a lot of confusion! Real yams are not the same as sweet potatoes, but in the U.S. orange sweet potatoes are often labeled as yams, which is what causes the confusion. Real yams are closer to yucca than sweet potatoes – they have a thick, woody skin and are neutral in flavor, similar to white potatoes.
Sweet potatoes can come in three different colors – white, orange, and purple – but when we think of sweet potatoes, we most often think of the orange variety.
The good news here is that you won’t often find a real yam in grocery stores, so you don’t need to worry too much about getting them mixed up!
What to Serve with Sweet Potato Casserole
Of course, when I think sweet potato casserole, my mind immediately goes to Thanksgiving dinner! Below are a few of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes:
- Mashed Potato Casserole
- Green Bean Casserole
- Broccoli Casserole
- Cheesy Brussels Sprouts
- Mom’s Simple Stuffing
- Roasted Root Vegetables
- Crockpot Cranberry Pecan Stuffing
More Sweet Potato Recipes You’ll Love
- Sweet Potato Pie
- Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Muffins
- Sweet Potato Home Fries
Do you have any amazing Thanksgiving recipes? I’m always looking for more recipes to try! Follow me on Instagram @simplystacieblog, on Facebook at Simply Stacie, and on Pinterest @SimplyStacie and let me know how you liked this and my other recipes!
Sweet Potato Casserole
This simple Thanksgiving side dish is dessert-like! The filling is creamy and sweet and the topping adds an extra bit of flavour and crunch.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked sweet potatoes, mashed
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 1/2 tsp salt
Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a large bowl, stir together sweet potatoes, brown sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla, butter, coconut and salt. Spread evenly in a 9×13 baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, butter and pecans until a crumbly consistency. Spread evenly over sweet potato mixture.
- Bake for 35 minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
Tip: Use clean hands to quickly to get the topping to a crumbly consistency.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 491Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 550mgCarbohydrates: 58gFiber: 3gSugar: 37gProtein: 6g
Miz Helen says
We will love this delicious casserole! Your post is awesome and thanks so much for sharing it with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you have a great week and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Sherry Cole says
Hi Stacie! I am featuring your casserole at Totally Terrific Tuesday! This looks amazing and perfect for Thanksgiving. Have a great week!
Rita Thayer says
Thank you…the sweet potato casserole sounds amazing…& will be cooking it soon!
Ramona says
Have you prepared this the day b/4 and cooked it just prior to the meal. 2# – Can it be prepared, not baked, and frozen ahead of time?
Stacie Vaughan says
Hi Ramona,
Yes, you can prepare the day before. However, I would make the topping portion the same day right before you go to bake it.
Yes, you can freeze it for up to 3 months.