Sweet Potato Casserole

5 from 2 votes

This sweet potato casserole is perfect for a holiday dinner. Not too sweet with the right amount of spice and a crunchy pecan topping. Make-ahead friendly!

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Side Dish, Vegetables

Cuisine: American

Keyword: casserole, Christmas, dairy free, gluten free, Pecans, side dish, sweet potato casserole, sweet potatoes, Thanksgiving, vegetables, vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 330kcal

Author: Carissa Serink

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons butter cut into chunks (use Dairy Free butter alternative to make this recipe Dairy Free)
2 ½ pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes, about 2 large or 4 small
⅓ cup, plus ¼ cup brown sugar divided
¼ cup water
salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup pecan halves
1 egg white lightly beaten (or use 2 Tablespoons of aquafaba to make this recipe vegan)
pinch cayenne
pinch cumin

Instructions

Melt 4 Tablespoons butter in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Add cubed sweet potatoes, ⅓ cup of the brown sugar, ¼ cup water, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring regularly for 45 minutes, until sweet potatoes are soft but not broken down.
Increase heat to medium-high and boil until liquid thickens to a glaze, about 5 minutes.Transfer sweet potatoes to a 9x9" baking pan or casserole dish of a similar size.
While sweet potatoes are cooking, mix 1 cup pecan halves, ¼ cup brown sugar, egg white, a pinch of salt, pinch cayenne, and pinch cumin together in a small bowl. Spread evenly over sweet potatoes.
Heat oven to 400°F and move oven rack to the middle position. Bake casserole until sweet potatoes are heated throughout and pecans are golden brown and crisp, 15-25 minutes. Watch carefully so they don't burn. (Note: If finishing this step after the sweet potatoes were made ahead, then refrigerated, ensure to use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is 165°F).

Notes

To Make Ahead: Follow steps 1-3 to cook sweet potatoes. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. On the day you will be serving them, transfer to a casserole dish and mix up the pecan topping. Follow remaining steps to bake.

Nutrition