This sweet potato casserole with pecans is a must-make holiday side dish. Quick to prepare, it’s sweet, subtly spiced, and gets rave reviews year after year!
For more Thanksgiving sides, check our recipe for green bean casserole or sliced potatoes in muffin tin.
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You’ll love this recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
This baked sweet potato casserole recipe will be the star of your holiday dinner! A rich, creamy sweet potato filling is topped with a crisp streusel mixture and baked to golden perfection. It’s a guest favorite with our bone-in turkey breast and cheesy baked mashed potatoes.
I’ve tried countless sweet potato casserole recipes throughout the years, and this is the only one I come back to again and again. I promise you’ll never need another version!
Not only is it sweet and perfectly spiced with the best balance of creamy and crunchy textures, but this casserole is also simple to prepare. All you have to do is combine the filling, and the oven finishes the rest, leaving you free to finish your turkey breast and other sides.
The only hard part is waiting for the dish to finish baking. One bite and this pecan sweet potato casserole will become an instant favorite with your whole family!
Baked Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Sweet potatoes: Peeled and halved crossways.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar or cane sugar enhances the natural sweetness of the potatoes.
- Eggs: Add structure, holding the casserole together.
- Unsalted butter and heavy cream: Enhances the richness and creates a creamy consistency.
- Vanilla extract: Improves the overall taste of the filling.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt.
Pecan Topping for Sweet Potato Casserole
- Flour: All-purpose flour forms the base of the topping.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar.
- Unsalted butter: For the best results, use cold butter.
- Chopped pecans: Add a bit of crunch. Chopped walnuts will also work.
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
You’ll need a large pot, a 9×13 baking dish, and a mixing bowl. For a full description see the recipe card below.
Step 1: Boil the halved sweet potatoes, and simmer until fork-tender. Then, drain the water, and transfer to a bowl.
Step 2: Mash the sweet potatoes until smooth.
Step 3: Add the sugar, eggs, melted butter, heavy cream, vanilla, and spices.
Step 4: Mix with a spoon until well combined.
Step 5: Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a greased baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
Step 6: Combine flour and brown sugar in a bowl. Next, cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Step 7: Stir in the chopped pecans.
Step 8: Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the potatoes. Bake until the top is golden brown and the casserole is heated through.
How long to cook Sweet Potato Casserole
The exact baking time will vary based on your oven and the baking dish used. In general, I find that 40-50 minutes is plenty long enough. However, you’ll know your casserole is done when the top is lightly golden.
If the top begins to brown too quickly, cover the dish with foil, and continue to bake until the casserole is heated all the way through.
Can you make Sweet Potato Pecan Casserole ahead of time?
Yes, this recipe is great to prepare a day or two in advance. To do so, follow the directions to assemble the casserole right up to adding the topping. Then, cover the baking dish with foil, and transfer it to the fridge.
When you’re ready to serve, add the streusel, and bake as normal, adding a few extra minutes as needed for the casserole to heat through.
Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole Tips
- Avoid over-cooking & over-mashing: Overcooked sweet potatoes turn crumbly and soggy. Make sure to keep an eye on them when boiling and to cook just under tender and easily pierced with a fork. Also, mash the sweet potatoes just until smooth. Just like homemade garlic mashed potatoes, over-mashing can result in a gummy consistency.
- Use cold butter for the topping: If your butter is too warm it can create a soggy topping. Cutting or grating cold butter in with the streusel will allow it to melt evenly, creating the beautiful golden color and crisp texture we want. Keep the butter refrigerated just until you’re ready to use it or even better freeze it for 30 minutes.
- Prevent burning: Keep a close eye on your oven, and remove the casserole dish as soon as the top is lightly browned. If the streusel begins to brown before the casserole heats through, cover the dish lightly with foil, and continue to bake just until warm.
Sweet Potato Pecan Casserole with Pecan Topping FAQs
Be careful not to overcook your sweet potatoes! They will turn soggy and watery as they release too much liquid. Also, be sure to use full-fat heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, low-fat alternatives will have a thinner, more liquid-like consistency that can cause your casserole to become runny.
On their own, boiled sweet potatoes are pretty bland. However, I much prefer to use them in recipes like this sweet potato casserole, because they take on the flavor of the rest of the ingredients well.
Eggs bind the ingredients together, giving the filling structure and creating a lighter, fluffier consistency.
If the filling is too thin for your liking, feel free to stir in a bit of flour or cornstarch. Start with small amounts, and adjust as needed!
If you try our sweet potato casserole, please leave a star rating and a comment letting us know how you liked the recipe.
Description
Elevate your favorite holiday side dish with the sweet, warm, rich nutty flavor of this sweet potato pecan casserole with a streusel topping!
For the Sweet Potato Base:
For the Pecan Streusel Topping:
- Place the halved sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20-40 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork. Cook time will depend on the size of the potatoes. Drain well.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly coat a 9X13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Transfer the drained sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Mash the potatoes until smooth. Add the sugar, eggs, butter, heavy cream, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt to the mashed sweet potatoes. Mix until well combined and smooth.
- Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
- Make the Pecan Streusel Topping: Combine the flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Cut butter into the mixture using a pastry cutter or fork. Mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the chopped pecans. Sprinkle the pecan streusel topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture in the baking dish.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the casserole is heated through. Allow the casserole to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Sweet Potatoes: It’s important not to overcook the potatoes in step #1 or they will turn crumbly, and soggy, and your casserole will be watery.
- Heavy Cream: For the best creamy texture and not a watery casserole, do not substitute heavy cream with anything lower in fat, such as half and half or milk.
- Use Cold Butter: For the streusel, keep the butter refrigerated until you’re ready to use it. If your butter is too warm it can create a soggy topping.
- Make Ahead: This casserole dish can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Follow the directions to assemble the casserole right up to adding the topping. Then, cover the baking dish with foil, and transfer it to the fridge. Prepare the streusel topping, cover it, and refrigerate separately until ready to use it. When you’re ready to bake, add the streusel, and bake as normal, adding a few extra minutes as needed for the casserole to heat through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3/4 cup
- Calories: 377
- Sugar: 23 g
- Sodium: 240.8 mg
- Fat: 17.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 50.9 g
- Protein: 5.9 g
- Cholesterol: 88 mg
