The Secret to EASY Sweet Potato Casserole!
When it comes to holiday side dishes, sweet potato casserole is as classic as it gets – it’s well-known, well-loved, and a must-have at many tables on Thanksgiving Day. Tender and creamy mashed sweet potatoes meet butter and warm spices, plus a crispy-crunchy topping. Yes, please!
If you ask me, the only downside to classic sweet potato casserole is that it’s a little cumbersome to make. Many recipes require over an hour of prep time before anything even goes into the oven! This holiday staple requires a lot of effort for a single dish… and if we’re being completely honest, that kind of effort is better spent prepping an epic sourdough stuffing recipe, you know?
My solution? Cheater Sweet Potato Casserole. Thanks to a couple of smart swaps, this easy sweet potato casserole recipe yields the silky smooth, buttery sweet potato casserole you know and love in this classic Thanksgiving dish – in just a fraction of the time and with just a fraction of the effort.
It’s truly the easiest sweet potato casserole recipe you’ll ever make – what’s not to like about that?!
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How to Make Easy Sweet Potato Casserole
The secret to potato casserole in under 40 minutes? The casserole topping is made with candied pecans and walnuts. Grab them ready-made at the store (let the store do the extra work this year!), chop ’em up fine, and sprinkle them all over fluffy, buttery, cinnamon- and maple-laced mashed sweet potatoes. It’s the perfect sweet and crunchy topping without any extra work.
Making the casserole comes down to 3 simple steps – boil, mash, and cook.
Prepare and boil the sweet potatoes. Peel the potatoes (a y-peeler makes peeling an especially easy task), then dice into 1-inch pieces. Add the diced sweet potatoes to a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Submerge in cold, salted water. Bring everything to a boil, cooking until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender (about 20 minutes).
Meal prep tip ⇢ Peeling and dicing sweet potatoes can easily be done in advance, cutting down on day-of prep. Simply peel and dice as described above, then pop them into an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Mash the sweet potatoes to your desired consistency. For extra control over flavors and textures, add the butter and milk little by little as you mash.
Transfer the fluffy mashed sweet potatoes to your favorite serving dish & top them off with a generous sprinkle of store bought candied nuts!
Want to DIY your own candied nut topping? ⇢ Check out our spicy candied nuts recipe!
Is sweet potato casserole with a marshmallow topping more your style? Skip the candied nuts and sprinkle mini marshmallows on top. Bake or broil for a few minutes, just until the marshmallows are toasty and golden brown. Watch the dish closely to avoid burning!
This Easy Sweet Potato Casserole is a breeze to whip up, and sure to be a hit at your Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving dinners – we can’t wait for you to try it!
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about and seeing your PWWB creations! Happy cooking! ♡
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Easy Sweet Potato Casserole with Candied Pecan Topping
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8–10 1x
- Category: Side Dish Recipes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Not your grandma’s sweet potato casserole! This Easy Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans is truly the easiest sweet potato casserole you’ll ever make – pure maple syrup and warming cinnamon are folded into the creamiest, fluffiest mashed sweet potatoes, and it’s finished with a simple pecan topping (candied pecans!) for a sweet and crunchy topping without any extra work.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
- 1 cup whole milk (or milk of choice)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 cups chopped candied nuts
- for serving, as desired: maple syrup, butter, fresh herbs, etc.
Instructions
- Boil the sweet potatoes: Place the diced sweet potatoes in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven and cover with 8 cups cold water, or enough to completely submerge the sweet potatoes. Season with 2 tablespoons Kosher salt. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover, cooking for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Carefully strain, then return to the pot.
- Mash the sweet potatoes: Mash the sweet potatoes to your desired consistency. For extra creamy mashed sweet potatoes, add the boiled sweet potatoes to a food processor and puree. As you mash or puree, slowly add in the butter, one tablespoon at a time, and the milk. Alternate as you go – a little butter, then a little milk. Once the sweet potatoes have reached your desired consistency, stir in the maple syrup and ground cinnamon. Taste and season with additional salt, to taste. I add 1/2 teaspoon, taste, go from there.
- Assemble the cheater sweet potato casserole: Transfer the potatoes to a casserole dish or a serving dish. At this point, you can serve them immediately or transfer to a 200 degree F oven to keep them warm until you’re ready to serve. Just before serving, top with a drizzle of pure maple syrup, extra pats of butter, and a sprinkling of candied nuts. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: Leftover sweet potato casserole will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through. You can also freeze leftover sweet potato casserole. To freeze, transfer cooled sweet potato casserole to a freezer-safe container. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. You may need to or want to add extra milk/butter as you reheat previously-frozen mashed sweet potatoes to doctor up the texture.
- Alternate cooking methods: If you’re worried about space on the stovetop as you plan out your Thanksgiving dinner timeline, you can prep the mashed potatoes in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot.
- Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Place the potatoes in the slow cooker, covering with 8 cups cold water (or enough to completely submerge the potatoes) and seasoning with 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Slow cook on high for 2-4 hours, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Strain & mash according to Step 2 of Recipe Directions, above. Serve immediately or hold in the slow cooker, using its “Keep Warm” setting for up to 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Top with the candied pecan topping just before serving.
- Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Place sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot, covering with 8 cups cold water (or enough to completely submerge the potatoes) and seasoning with 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Cook with manual high pressure for 8 minutes. Let Instant Pot naturally release pressure for 2 minutes before carefully manually releasing the remaining pressure. Strain and mash according to Step 2 of Recipe Directions, above. Serve immediately or hold in the Instant Pot, using its “Keep Warm” setting for up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Top with the candied pecan topping just before serving.
- 10-Minute Meal Prep: Up to 5 days ahead of time, peel & dice the sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces, storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. All you have to do on Thanksgiving is get cooking!
- Make-ahead Sweet Potato Casserole: Mashed sweet potatoes can also be made up to 3 days in advance, stored covered in the refrigerator, and reheated just before your Thanksgiving dinner. Top with the candied pecan topping just before serving.
- Portions: As written, this sweet potato casserole recipe serves up to 10 people as a side dish. There are a couple of options to scale this recipe up or down:
- Scaled up: To serve up to 14 as a side dish, double the recipe. Be sure to cook the potatoes in a stockpot or a vessel large enough to cover the potatoes with at least 2 inches of water.
- Make it a mini: To serve a cozy crowd of up to 4, simply halve the recipe.
Recipe by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Eat Love Eat
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