This is 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, & a must-have at many tables on Thanksgiving Day. Honestly, what’s not to like? Tender & creamy mashed sweet potatoes meet butter & 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 1+ hours of prep time before anything even goes into the oven! This holiday staple requires a lot of effort for a single dish… & 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 & love in this classic Thanksgiving dish – in just a fraction of the time & with just a fraction of the effort.
The secret?
The casserole topping is made with candied pecans & walnuts. Grab them ready-made at the store (let the store do the extra work this year!), chop ’em up fine, & sprinkle them all over fluffy, buttery, cinnamon- & maple-laced mashed sweet potatoes. It’s the perfect sweet & crunchy topping without any extra work.
It’s truly the easiest sweet potato casserole recipe you’ll ever make – what’s not to like about that?! ♡ Read on to learn more about this Easy Sweet Potato Casserole with Candied Pecan Topping, or jump straight to the recipe & get cookin’!
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Key Ingredients – Candied Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole
This easy sweet potato casserole recipe calls for just 6 ingredients!
You will need…
- Sweet potatoes – Of course! I like using garnet or jewel sweet potatoes, which are also known as yams.
- Milk – Mashed into the sweet potatoes for ultra smooth texture. For this recipe, we reach for the REAL deal – whole milk – which makes the mashed sweet potatoes extra creamy & velvety.
- Unsalted butter – Mashed into the sweet potatoes for rich flavor.
- Ground cinnamon – For its cozy warmth!
- Maple syrup – For a little bit of extra rich sweetness. Be sure to use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
- Candied pecans – The store-bought crunchy-sweet topping solution for this easy sweet potato casserole recipe. You can also use candied walnuts or a combination of your favorite candied nut varieties.
How to Cook Sweet Potatoes for Casserole
With your ingredients gathered & prepped, it’s time to get cooking. This is where easy comes into this sweet potato casserole recipe! Simply boil, mash, & top – start-to-finish in less than 40 minutes!
Step 1: Prepare & Boil
Just a few simple steps:
- Peel the sweet potatoes. A y-peeler makes peeling an especially easy task. It is my go-to kitchen tool for peeling root vegetables or squash.
- Dice the peeled sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces. They don’t need to be perfect by any means, but it is important that the pieces of sweet potato are pretty uniform in size so they cook evenly.
- Boil the potatoes. 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 & dicing sweet potatoes can easily be done in advance, cutting down on day-of prep. Simply peel & dice as described above, then pop them into an airtight container & store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Step 2: Mash
Mash the sweet potatoes to your desired consistency. For extra control over flavors & textures, add the butter & milk little by little as you mash.
For extra creamy & smooth sweet potatoes, purée them in a food processor. Typically a no-no with regular potatoes, sweet potatoes don’t have the same starches that would cause them to become gummy. A food processor is my favorite way to get creamy, dreamy, totally smooth sweet potatoes.
Step 3: Top
Transfer the fluffy mashed sweet potatoes to your favorite serving dish & top them off with a generous sprinkle of candied nuts!
Candied nuts provide an irresistible crunch, perfectly complementing the creaminess of the sweet potatoes. To keep things as simple as possible (this is EASY sweet potato casserole, remember?), I let the store do all of the work & pick up a package of already candied nuts. I usually reach for candied or glazed pecans, but feel free to use whatever candied nuts you love most – walnuts, pecans, or a combination of the two work great in this dish! (If you really want to DIY your candied nut topping, check out our spicy candied nuts recipe… there may or may not be bacon involved!)
FAQ: What About Marshmallows?
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 toast & golden brown. Watch the dish closely to avoid burning!
This Easy Sweet Potato Casserole is sure to be a hit at your Friendsgiving &/or 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 & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your PWWB creations!
Love easy Thanksgiving side dishes? Us too! Be sure to try my Aunt Kari’s Sourdough Stuffing, Cheesy Butternut Squash Gratin, or this No-Stir Pumpkin Risotto next. Happy cooking! ♡
Print
(Cheater!) 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 & warming cinnamon are folded into the creamiest, fluffiest mashed sweet potatoes, & it’s finished with a simple pecan topping (candied pecans!) for a sweet & crunchy topping without any extra work.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled & 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 & 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) & 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) & 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 & 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, & 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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