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Close up of half eaten sweet potato pecan casserole on a white dish. Silver spoon inside.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping

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This is an old-fashioned sweet Thanksgiving side dish with a creamy sweet potato filling and a crunchy pecan layer on top. It's quick and easy to assemble and can be made in advance. 

  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

Units
  • 5 cups mashed sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds raw)
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup cream
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

Pecan topping:

  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

Sweet potato puree: if it's too hot, let it cool down before mixing it with the other ingredients, especially the eggs. I recommend making it up to 2 days in advance; it makes the assembly of this casserole much faster. 

For the casserole:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
  2. Butter a rectangular 8x12 inch (20x30cm) dish. 
  3. In a large bowl, stir to combine mashed sweet potatoes with the rest of the ingredients, except the topping. 
  4. Mix well, but don’t beat. 
  5. Transfer to the prepared dish and even out the top. 
  6. In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients until crumbly. 
  7. Sprinkle on top of the sweet potato mixture.
  8. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown and mostly set in the center. It can be longer if you use a glass dish. 
  9. Let cool on a wire rack if not serving it immediately. 

Notes

  1. To make the sweet potato puree
    Baked: wash, dry and wrap whole sweet potatoes, individually or together, in aluminum foil and place in an oven pan. Bake for about 1 hour, until soft and easily pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven, cut in half and scrape the pulp with a spoon. Transfer to the food processor and mix until smooth. Or use the immersion blender.
    Boiled or steamed: peel the sweet potato and cut into cubes. Cook in abundant boiling water (no salt) until soft. Drain and mash or process until smooth. 
  2. Vintage Kitchen tip: if you don't want the pecans to burn, don't bake this casserole in a high oven or broil it and cover the casserole with aluminum foil during the latter part of the baking time to protect the topping from direct heat. 
  3. Freezing: if storing it for a more extended period, consider freezing it. Transfer the sweet potato casserole to an airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap first and then aluminum foil. It can be frozen for 1-2 months.
  4. Reheating: use the oven or microwave. Preheat it to 325°F (160°C), and bake the casserole for about 20-30 minutes or until heated through. If using the microwave, reheat in 1-2 minute intervals until it's hot.
  5. Spice: you can substitute the pumpkin mix for ground cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg or ginger.
  6. You can use white sweet potatoes or yams with excellent results. The first option will render a light yellow filling. 
  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Side dish
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://vintagekitchennotes.com/sweet-potato-pecan-casserole/