This sweet potato casserole with a delectable pecan crumble topping is the ultimate holiday side, sweet, cozy, and just the right amount of indulgent. It's easy to make ahead and guaranteed to be a hit at your Thanksgiving or Christmas table.
Are you a marshmallow-on-sweet-potatoes kind of person? I definitely was as a kid, but these days I've moved on to fully appreciating the beauty of a buttery pecan crumble topping instead.
This sweet potato casserole has become one of my all-time favorite Thanksgiving sides. It's sweet without being cloyingly so, and the touch of orange zest and juice adds a brightness that makes it really special. The recipe makes a generous portion (perfect for feeding a crowd with leftovers to spare), and it's easy to prepare in advance. It reheats beautifully and even freezes well in individual portions, so you can pull out a little holiday cheer any time of year. Hope you enjoy!
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Equipment
For this recipe you will need:
- Large casserole dish - I recommend using at least a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish, or something of a similar size. I baked this in my Le Creuset 14.75 x 9 inch casserole dish and it worked great.
- Large pot - Something to boil the potatoes in. You can also bake them and then peel and mash if you prefer.
- Potato peeler - I love this Good Grips Potato Peeler from Oxo.
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls - I use the Pyrex nesting glass mixing bowls pretty much daily. Highly recommend for holiday cooking!
- Microplane or zester - You'll need something to zest the orange with. I've had this MasterChef Microplane for years and it works great.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Sweet potatoes - You'll need about 4 lb of sweet potatoes for this recipe, which is usually about 4-5 medium to large sweet potatoes.
- Unsalted butter - You can use salted butter if you prefer, you'll just want to adjust the amount of salt added to the recipe.
- Eggs
- Evaporated milk - You can substitute with whole milk or half in half if preferred.
- Maple syrup - I love the flavor of maple syrup in the recipe but if you don't have any on hand feel free to substitute with another ¼th cup of brown sugar.
- Brown sugar - Both light and dark brown sugar work for this dish.
- Orange - While you technically can omit the orange if preferred, I absolutely love the flavor and freshness it adds.
- Ginger and cinnamon - Feel free to omit or add more or less according to preference. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg, cloves or cardamom for a more heavily spiced casserole.
- Vanilla extract - Feel free to omit, but I love the flavor. You can also use vanilla bean paste.
- Salt & pepper
- All-purpose flour
- Pecans - Walnuts also work in a pinch.
Alternative Toppings
Like the idea of the crumble topping but still fancy having some marshmallows on your sweet potato casserole? Feel free to halve the crumble ingredients and then add rows of crumble and mini marshmallows to the top before baking for a fun and festive twist!
Step-by-Step Photos
Recipes FAQs
Of course! Simply bake them at 400 F for about an hour or until tender (the timing can vary based on the size of your potatoes). Then remove from the oven and peel them when they are cool enough to touch. Then mash together with the butter and follow the rest of the instructions as listed.
Yes! You can prepare the casserole a day or two in advance and store it in the fridge, then bake it before serving. You can also bake it fully, let it cool, and reheat it when you're ready to serve.
Cover with foil and warm it in the oven at 350°F until heated through. Individual portions can be microwaved for a quicker option.
Yes, canned sweet potatoes or yams can be used as a shortcut. Just make sure to drain them well before mashing. You'll also want to check the labels to see if any sweeteners have already been added. If so, you may want to adjust the brown sugar and maple syrup levels to taste.
Of course! It's your dish after all. While I love the crunch and flavor the pecan crumble adds, you can totally swap it with mini marshmallows if that's your tradition. Alternatively, you can cut the crumble ingredients in half and do rows of crumble and mini marshmallows for the best of both worlds.
Absolutely. Assemble and bake the casserole, then let it cool completely before freezing. I like to freeze individual portions using Souper Cubes so I can pull them out whenever we want a little holiday flavor.
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Made this Sweet Potato Casserole recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Sweet Potato Casserole
Equipment
- Large casserole dish
- Potato peeler and Zester
- Mixing bowls
- measuring cups spoons
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 4 lb Sweet potatoes (about 4-5 large potatoes)
- ¾ cup butter
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup evaporated milk Can substitute whole milk or half and half.
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 orange, zest & juice About 2 teaspoon zest and 2-3 tablespoon juice.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Pecan Crumble Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, cubed
- 1.5 cup Pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Peel your potatoes and place in a large pot. Sprinkle with about ½ teaspoon of salt, then cover with water and boil until tender. Drain the potatoes well. Then place in a large bowl along with ¾ cup of butter. Mash together with the butter until smooth. Set aside to cool and preheat the oven to 350 F.
- While the potatoes are cooling make the crumble topping. In a medium sized mixing bowl combine ½ cup flour, ¾ cup brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Mix to combine then add in ½ cup of dice butter. Use your hands to press or pinch the butter into the flour mixture. Once you get a chunky, slightly sandy texture, add in the pecans and continue to pinch together with your hands until crumbly.Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together 3 eggs. Then add evaporated milk, sour cream, maple syrup, brown sugar, the zest and juice of 1 orange, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, salt and pepper. Mix until everything is well combine then pour over the cooled potatoes and stir together until everything is well incorporated.
- Pour the sweet potato mixture into a large casserole dish. Then sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the top. Bake uncovered at 350 F for 45-50 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm and enjoy!
Vivian
My kids love sweet potato casserole so much that I make it all year round! I was looking for anorher recipe to try and this one hits the spot. SO good!
Bradley
I love your take on this classic! The added crunch of the nuts is a nice touch.
Eveline
I tried this sweet potato casserole and it came out so good! Perfectly creamy with that golden topping—everyone loved it.
jamjarkitchen
So glad you enjoyed it!
Lana
This sweet potato casserole is a cozy, classic side dish that’s rich, slightly sweet, and perfect for holiday meals or comfort food cravings.