Sweet Potato Casserole (With Marshmallows And Pecans!)
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Classic sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows and pecans is the perfect traditional Thanksgiving side dish to add to your holiday feast. Creamy and rich, the sweet potatoes pair perfectly with the crunchy pecans and sweet marshmallows for a rich holiday dish perfect for sharing.
Why We Love Sweet Potato Casserole
- Classic Thanksgiving Side Dish – For many families, it isn’t a Thanksgiving table without sweet potato casserole on the table! You’ll love this recipe, it tastes simply delicious with any holiday feast, and also is great for Christmas or Easter.
- Kid Friendly Side Dish – Look it’s not every day your vegetable is topped with toasted marshmallows! This recipe is a great treat for kids and adults that kind of breaks the rules for a holiday dinner a little bit. Vegetable and dessert together, the best of both worlds!
- Easy To Prep And Adapt – This dish does come together fast, and it is easy to adapt. If you have guests who prefer things a little less sweet, this recipe is based on my mashed sweet potato recipe. It’s really easy if you’re making one of these recipes, you could add both to the table as the prep is similar.
Ingredients For Sweet Potato Casserole
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions below in the recipe card.
- sweet potatoes
- milk you can use whatever milk you have, but whole milk or 2% will give you a creamier potato. You can also use heavy cream or half and half if you prefer a richer dish.
- butter melted, divided, you can use more butter to taste if you prefer
- maple syrup
- salt
- chopped pecans
- brown sugar
- mini marshmallows
How To Make Sweet Potato Casserole
- Wash, dry and peel sweet potatoes. Dice into 1 inch pieces for even cooking.
- Set a steamer basket in a large pot and fill with water up to the basket. Add diced sweet potatoes to the basket and bring water to a boil. Cover with a lid and reduce to a simmer. Steam for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
- Remove the sweet potatoes and place them in a large bowl or pot. Add milk, 2 tablespoons butter, maple syrup and salt to the sweet potatoes. Mash the sweet potatoes thoroughly using a potato masher or an electric mixer.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with spray oil. Add the sweet potato filling to the pan.
- In a small bowl mix together pecans, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and brown sugar. Sprinkle pecan mixture over top of mashed sweet potatoes. Add the marshmallows to the top the sweet potatoes.
- Bake for 15-20; until the pecans and marshmallows are golden brown. Serve hot and enjoy!
What To Serve With Sweet Potato Casserole
I usually serve sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving or another holiday, so many of the recipes I suggest will be perfect for your holiday table too. For the main dish, try this roasted turkey tenderloin, or this bone in turkey breast in the crock pot. A glazed honey orange ham or this stuffed pork tenderloin also make great holiday meal mains.
For side dishes if you are hosting the dinner try the honey-roasted carrots, creamy garlic cream cheese mashed potatoes or the delicious honey butter skilled corn. The cranberry vinaigrette salad dressing always feels special at the holidays, and it’s great paired with the super simple cranberry apple salad.
Sometimes it’s easier to make side dishes for a crowd in a casserole dish. Try the green bean casserole (with bacon!), baked candied yams, the loaded mashed potato casserole, our family’s absolute favorite sausage stuffing.
Add some homemade cornbread muffins or buttermilk cornbread, or the delicious cheddar garlic biscuits.
Need hot appetizers? Try the baked cheesy spinach dip, slow cooker BBQ lil’ smokies, or the slow cooker cranberry meatballs.
Sweet Potato Casserole Variation Ideas
Swap The Nuts – You can swap the nuts for another kind or leave the pecan topping out altogether. Walnuts work well on this casserole as would pistachios, and possibly almonds or cashews in a pinch but I’ve never tried them. The nuts mostly add texture and crunch to the casserole. You may also like those pecans in my mini chocolate pecan pie bites for dessert!
Use Large Marshmallows – Mini marshmallows work a little easier for this casserole than the larger marshmallows do. If you have larger marshmallows, I recommend cutting them in half for a more even covering. If you place a full layer of large marshmallows the casserole may become too sweet. The larger flatter marshmallows, like are used sometimes for smores in the summer, are another great option.
Can You Make This Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe Ahead?
This recipe does really well when you prep this sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans ahead of time!
You can prepare the casserole dish up to 24 hours in advance before baking. If you are baking the recipe from the refrigerator you may need to bake it slightly longer, so it is warmed all the way through the dish, especially if you are opening and closing the oven more often.
Can You Use Canned Sweet Potatoes?
Yes, you can use canned sweet potatoes for this recipe. I do find this recipe does have a bit more flavor when made with fresh sweet potato, but it’s delicious either way.
How Long Will Sweet Potato Casserole Last?
Expect this casserole will taste it’s best if enjoyed within four days. Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes You’ll Love
Baked Candied Yams
The BEST Stuffing (With Italian Sausage)
Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Potato Casserole
Equipment
- 1 large knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Vegetable peeler
- 1 Measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Large pot
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 potato masher
- 1 8 x 8 inch pan could also use a 9 x 9 pan or a similarly sized oval pan
- 1 Spray oil
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes
- ½ cup milk you can use whatever milk you have, but whole milk or 2% will give you a creamier potato
- 3 tablespoons butter melted, divided
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Wash, dry and peel sweet potatoes. Dice into 1 inch pieces for even cooking.
- Set a steamer basket in a large pot and fill with water up to the basket. Add diced sweet potatoes to the basket and bring water to a boil. Cover with a lid and reduce to a simmer. Steam for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
- Transfer potatoes to a large bowl or pot. Add milk, 2 tablespoons butter, maple syrup and salt to the sweet potatoes and mash thoroughly with a potato masher or an electric mixer.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8 pan with spray oil. Add sweet potatoes to the pan.
- In a small bowl mix together pecans, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and brown sugar. Sprinkle pecan mixture over top of mashed sweet potatoes. Top the sweet potatoes with mini marshmallows.
- Bake for 15-20; until marshmallows are lightly browned. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This?
I would love to see it! Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!
