Description
A classic Sweet Potato Casserole featuring creamy mashed sweet potatoes topped with a crunchy pecan streusel, baked to golden perfection. This comforting dish balances sweetness and spice, ideal for holiday gatherings or a cozy family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potato Base
- 4 lbs sweet potatoes
- 1/2 cup (110g) packed light-brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup milk (anything but skim)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Topping
- 1/2 cup (70g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
- 1/2 cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup chopped or broken pecans
- 1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sweet Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Pierce each sweet potato twice on two sides to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Bake Sweet Potatoes: Place the sweet potatoes on the prepared baking sheet and bake until cooked through and soft, about 75 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Peel and Mash Potatoes: Once cool enough to handle, peel the sweet potatoes—the skin should pull off easily. Transfer the peeled potatoes to a large mixing bowl and mash thoroughly using a potato masher or a potato ricer for a smooth texture.
- Mix Sweet Potato Filling: Let the mashed potatoes cool for 5 to 10 minutes to prevent cooking the eggs when added. Stir in brown sugar, melted butter, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, salt, and pepper. Use an electric hand mixer to blend everything together until well combined and smooth.
- Transfer to Casserole Dish: Grease a 12 by 8-inch casserole dish and pour in the sweet potato mixture. Spread evenly and set aside.
- Prepare Topping Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans. Break up any brown sugar clumps with your fingertips. Pour the melted butter over the mixture and stir until the topping is evenly moistened; it may seem dry initially but will come together with tossing.
- Add Topping and Bake: Evenly sprinkle the topping over the sweet potato layer in the casserole dish. Bake in the preheated 350-degree oven for about 40 minutes until heated through. Tent the casserole with foil during the last 10 minutes to prevent the topping from browning too much if needed.
- Serve: Remove from oven and serve warm for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- The 4 lbs of sweet potatoes yield about 5 cups mashed.
- Use milk with some fat content (not skim) for a creamier casserole.
- You can prepare the topping ahead of time and refrigerate before baking.
- If pecans are unavailable, walnuts make a suitable substitution for the topping.
- Letting the mashed potatoes cool slightly before mixing eggs prevents curdling.
- Cover the casserole loosely with foil after baking if you want to keep it warm without drying out.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
