Let’s be honest: sweet potatoes usually get stuck under a blanket of marshmallows at Thanksgiving. And while I’m not knocking the gooey, golden-brown goodness of marshmallows, I’m here to argue that sweet potatoes deserve a way bigger role at your holiday table.
Imagine this: buttery, creamy sweet potatoes topped with a crunchy, sweet-and-salty pecan topping. It’s that perfect combo of comfort and elegance that will make your friends and family swoon. Bonus: this dish is super easy to make ahead, crowd-friendly, and totally portable: perfect for Friendsgiving or any holiday gathering.
Whether you’re hosting 4 or 14 people, this casserole is a guaranteed hit. And the best part? You can prep almost everything in advance so the day-of stress melts away like butter on top of your sweet potatoes.
Make-Ahead Tips
There are a couple of ways to prep ahead:
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Option 1: Roast the sweet potatoes 2-3 days in advance, then mash and store them in the fridge until ready to assemble. You can also prep the pecan crumb topping and store in an airtight container in the fridge, just be sure to bring it to room temperature before baking as the butter will harden in the fridge.
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Option 2: Assemble the casserole through Step 6, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Keep the pecan topping separate until you’re ready to bake.
To reheat: Cover the casserole with foil and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 3–5 minutes to let the topping crisp up beautifully.
Spiced Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole
- Total Time: 110
- Yield: 8-10
Description
This easy, make-ahead sweet potato casserole with a crunchy pecan topping is the perfect Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving side dish your family and friends will love.
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potato Filling:
- 5 large sweet potatoes
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup melted butter
- ½ cup milk or evaporated milk
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
For the Pecan Streusel Topping:
- 1½ cup halved pecans
- ⅓ cup flour
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup salted butter, melted
- ½ – 1 tsp cayenne depending on your spice preference
- ¾ tsp salt
Instructions
For the Sweet Potato Casserole:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prick sweet potatoes a few times with a fork, wrap in foil, and roast until tender, about 45 minutes – 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool.
- While cooling, make your pecan topping by adding the pecans, flour, brown sugar, cayenne, salt, and melted butter to a mixing bowl and mix until combined.
- Once cool enough to handle, peel the sweet potatoes and add to a large mixing bowl with the brown sugar. Whip using an electric mixer for about 1 minute or until fluffy. If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can do this by mashing by hand for a more rustic texture.
- Add in the melted butter, milk, cinnamon, and salt and mix to combine.
- Add in the eggs and mix until just combined, don’t overmix.
- Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into a 9″x13” baking dish.
- Top your casserole with the pecan mixture and bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until the pecans are golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 90
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Oven Roasted