I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more helpful success tips. Side dishes are, without a doubt, the best part of a classic Thanksgiving meal. Don’t get me wrong—I love my Thanksgiving pies. But we’re talking creamy from-scratch green bean casserole, flaky soft dinner rolls, and flavorful cornbread stuffing. Today’s recipe for homemade sweet potato casserole is a family favorite. Enjoy a smooth and creamy sweet potato mash topped with a crunchy, toasty, praline-esque pecan topping. Because it’s a little sweet, I like to serve this casserole with a sprinkle of sea salt and some savory fresh thyme or rosemary. A lovely balance of texture and flavor!
Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
Creamy + crunchy = wonderful contrasting textures in every bite Buttery sweet potato mash with a hint of vanilla Cinnamon-spiced brown sugar pecan topping Sweet + salty—a decadent way to get your vitamin A! You can conveniently prep it a couple days in advance
10 Ingredients in This Thanksgiving Side Dish
Plus, finishing touches like thyme or rosemary and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt round out the entire dish.
Boil & Mash the Sweet Potatoes
This recipe starts out just like my sweet potato dinner rolls. Begin by peeling the sweet potatoes with a vegetable peeler. Boil them in a large pot of water until they’re nice and tender. Let them cool for about 15 minutes, and then mash. You can use a potato masher and some arm muscle for this, but I usually just use my mixer. Once they’re as smooth as you’d like (feel free to leave some chunks if you prefer them that way!), beat in the eggs, brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. These are all the ingredients you need for the sweet potato layer.
Easy Crunchy Pecan Topping
Can I Use Marshmallows on This Sweet Potato Casserole?
Yes. If you love marshmallows on your sweet potato casserole, you can certainly add them. I wouldn’t leave off the pecan topping, though. (You’ll really miss that texture!) Add the marshmallows towards the end of the bake time. See recipe Note below for details. The names of these two starchy root vegetables are often used interchangeably, but they are actually different, and originate from different continents. Native to Central and South America, sweet potatoes typically have orange flesh and a pinkish-brown skin, and are sweeter and creamier in texture when cooked. Native to Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, true yams have white flesh and a bark-like skin, with a drier, starchier texture—more like a regular baking potato. You could, however, use purple sweet potatoes if you can find them! If you love the cinnamon-y brown sugar pecan topping here, you’ll enjoy something similar on this pumpkin French toast casserole and this cranberry Christmas cake.
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole Ahead of Time
More Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes
Cornbread Stuffing and Sausage & Herb Stuffing Green Bean Casserole Dinner Rolls and Cornbread Cranberry Sauce Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese Candied Sweet Potatoes Cranberry Brie Puff Pastry Tarts
And of course… dessert. Here are our favorite Thanksgiving pie recipes, including classics like pumpkin pie, apple pie, and pecan pie. Don’t forget turkey pot pie for any leftover Thanksgiving turkey!
1–2 days before serving: Boil and mash the sweet potatoes, add the remaining ingredients to the sweet potatoes, and smooth into a baking dish. Prepare the topping in a separate bowl. Cover each separately and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Day of serving: Spoon the topping over the sweet potato layer and bake. Freezing instructions: If assembled, the unbaked casserole can be frozen up to 2 months. Take it out of the freezer and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bring the casserole to room temperature and bake.
