Description
This Southern Sweet Potato Casserole is the ultimate crowd-pleasing comfort dish—perfect for holidays or cozy family dinners. Creamy mashed sweet potatoes are lightly sweetened and spiced, then topped with a buttery, brown sugar pecan crumble. It bakes into a golden, crunchy-topped side that’s rich, velvety, and unforgettable. Whether you’re planning a holiday feast, searching for easy dinner sides, or in need of quick Thanksgiving food ideas, this easy recipe delivers soul-satisfying flavor every time.
Ingredients
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar (for topping)
1 cup chopped pecans
3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Bake sweet potatoes until fork-tender (about 45–60 minutes), then peel and mash.
3. In a large bowl, mix mashed sweet potatoes with butter, brown sugar, milk, egg, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Transfer mixture to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish and spread evenly.
5. In a separate bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and chopped pecans.
6. Add melted butter and stir until crumbly.
7. Sprinkle topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture.
8. Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes, until topping is golden and casserole is heated through.
9. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Bake, don’t boil the sweet potatoes to keep the filling from getting watery.
Toast the pecans lightly before using for an even richer flavor.
Assemble ahead by storing filling and topping separately in the fridge, then bake fresh.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: sweet potato casserole, holiday side dish, Thanksgiving, easy casserole, Southern food