Description
This Sweet Potato Casserole is a classic, comforting side dish perfect for holiday meals or any cozy dinner. Baked sweet potatoes are mashed and blended with brown sugar, butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla, then topped with a crunchy pecan streusel topping before baking to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potato Mixture
- 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 and Bake Sweet Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Pierce each sweet potato twice on two sides, place on baking sheet, and bake until soft and cooked through, about 75 minutes.
- Prepare Sweet Potatoes: Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Peel the sweet potatoes (the skin should come off easily) and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Mash thoroughly until smooth using a potato masher or ricer. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes to prevent eggs from cooking when added.
- Mix Sweet Potato Base: Add 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar, 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, 1/2 cup milk, 2 large eggs, and 1 tsp vanilla extract to the mashed potatoes. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Using an electric hand mixer, blend until well combined.
- Assemble in Casserole Dish: Grease a 12 by 8-inch casserole dish. Pour the sweet potato mixture into the dish and spread evenly.
- Prepare Topping: In a medium bowl, stir together 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1 cup chopped pecans. Pour in 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter and mix until evenly moistened, tossing well even if initially dry.
- Add Topping and Bake: Sprinkle the pecan topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees until heated through and topping is golden, about 40 minutes. Tent the casserole loosely with foil during the last 10 minutes to prevent over-browning if necessary.
- Serve: Remove from oven and serve warm.
Notes
- The 4 lbs of sweet potatoes should yield about 5 cups of mashed sweet potatoes.
- Use milk other than skim milk for better richness; whole or 2% milk works well.
- You can break up any brown sugar clumps in the topping using your fingertips for even distribution.
- Tenting with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking prevents the topping from browning too much.
- This dish serves 12 people as a side.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12 casserole
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
