This Yummy Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping is our family’s favorite and most requested side dish during the holidays. It’s a classic recipe and super easy to make ahead.
Most years for Thanksgiving we have made the long trip (by car) from our home in Georgia to my husband’s family in Wisconsin to enjoy a week with them and of course, have Thanksgiving dinner. It’s a most enjoyable time for all filled with laughs, memory-making moments, and delicious food.
My wonderful Mother-in-law makes an out of this world Sweet Potato casserole that my pickiest daughter loves. My Mother-in-law shared her recipe with me and it will be part of our meal this year as we aren’t able to go to their house. A few other of her recipes make appearance on our dinner time often, like her Chicken Divan casserole.
Can you this casserole ahead of time?
It’s an easy sweet potato casserole to make ahead of time and then just bake it while the turkey is resting. You can make the filling and topping, store each in its own container in the refrigerator, a day ahead of time. Then about 30 minutes before you’re ready to bake the casserole, pull it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temp before baking. I like make sure the topping is still pretty chilled before adding it to the casserole so that it will not all just melt into the sweet potatoes. Bake as directed on recipe card.
Ingredients
- 13×9 inch baking dish (this one is perfect)
- fresh sweet potatoes
- white granulated sugar
- eggs
- salt
- unsalted butter
- milk
- vanilla extract
- light brown sugar
- all-purpose flour
- chopped pecans
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
Step 1
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grab a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish and lightly spray it with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Step 2
Peel, and cut the sweet potatoes in to even pieces, about an inch in size.
Put sweet potato cubes in a large saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil and let cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and place potatoes in a large mixing bowl to mash. I use a handheld mixer to mash the sweet potatoes.
Step 3
Add to the sweet potatoes the white granulated sugar, eggs, salt, four tablespoons of softened butter, milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Step 4
In medium bowl, mix the light brown sugar and flour. Cut in the three tablespoons of butter until the mixture is coarse crumbs. Stir in the pecans.
Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
Step 5
Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.
Tips, Tricks, and FAQs
- Can I use canned sweet potatoes? No, using fresh sweet potatoes will provide the best results.
- You can replace the pecans with walnuts, or even hazelnuts.
- Swap out the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice to give it a little different flavor.
- Use less sugar if you would like a more savory dish.
More Side Dishes to Enjoy:
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
- Apple Butternut Squash Casserole with Bacon-Pecan Topping
- Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries
- Helen’s Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
- Slow Cooker Rosemary Dinner Rolls
Yummy Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 cups sweet potato peeled and cubed
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Pecan Topping
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Spray a 13×9 inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
- Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash.
- In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- Transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- In medium bowl, mix the sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans.
- Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.
Notes
Tips, Tricks, and FAQs
- Can I use canned sweet potatoes? No, using fresh sweet potatoes will provide the best results.
- You can replace the pecans with walnuts, or even hazelnuts.
- Swap out the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice to give it a little different flavor.
- Use less sugar if you would like a more savory dish.
Make Ahead Holiday Meals
- Breakfast Enchiladas from Devour Dinner
- Caramel Apple Pecan Cheesecake from The Spiffy Cookie
- Cheesy Potato Casserole from Cheese Curd In Paradise
- Easy Make Ahead Sausage Balls from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole from Jen Around the World
- Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole from Fresh April Flours
- Make-Ahead White Whole Wheat Poppy Seed Buns from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Slow Cooker Hashbrown Casserole from Hostess At Heart
- Tequila Lime Whole Cranberry Sauce from That Recipe
- Vegan Pumpkin Halwa from Magical Ingredients
- Yummy Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping from Blogghetti
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Enjoy!
This is such a delicious creamy casserole. It’s on my menu for Thanksgiving. Your instructions made it so easy to make too.
Yum! I’m all about planning ahead to make a holiday meal easier and this recipe is perfect. Thanks for all the tips to make it delicious.
This sounds delicious! And I’m amazed you drive all the way to Wisconsin!! Wowzer!
SO simple! And I love that I can make it ahead of time.
Sweet potato casserole is one of my favorites for the holiday season.
Topping is yum! Love this casserole!
Have made this many tines, and it is a crowd favourite. I definitely use less sugar.
Could it be made ahead and froze, with topping added once cooked?
You can freeze the filling and then thaw when ready to bake. Add the topping before baking.
Can I make this Tuesday night and bake it on Thursday for thanksgiving?
Yes! I wouldn’t recommend adding the topping until you’re ready to bake it.