Sweet Potato Casserole (Thanksgiving Side Dish Upgrade)

Creamy, warmly spiced, and oven-ready in about 1 hour, perfect for make-ahead holiday spreads.

Silky mashed sweet potatoes kissed with cinnamon and vanilla, crowned with a bronzed pecan-oat crumble and just-toasted marshmallows.

Why You’ll Love It

• Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Recipes: Classic holiday profile with modern tweaks for flavor and texture.
• Unique Thanksgiving Side Dishes: Two toppings in one pan—pecan-oat crumble on one half, marshmallows on the other.
• Sweet Potato Dinner friendly: Savory option included for weeknights (no marshmallows, herb-Parmesan topping).
• Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes: Lower-sugar swap with maple, Greek yogurt, and oat-pecan crunch.
• Thanksgiving Recipes Side Dishes: Make-ahead friendly; rewarms beautifully without weeping or splitting.

Ingredients (notes only)

Base: Sweet potatoes (roasted or boiled and mashed) + butter (or olive oil), milk or half-and-half, eggs (set + richness).
Flavor: Brown sugar or maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, pinch salt.
Crumble topping: Pecans, rolled oats, brown sugar, flour (or almond flour), melted butter, pinch cinnamon.
Marshmallow finish: Mini marshmallows toasted in last minutes.
Savory path: Parmesan, garlic, fresh thyme/rosemary, olive oil, black pepper.

Step-by-Step (classic, creamy + crumble & marshmallow)

1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch pan (or 2-qt casserole).
2. Cook sweet potatoes: Roast (best flavor) at 425°F until fork-tender (45–55 min), or peel/cube and boil in salted water 15–18 min; drain well.
3. Mash base: In a large bowl, mash warm potatoes with butter. Whisk in milk, brown sugar/maple, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and eggs until silky.
4. Spread into pan; smooth top.
5. Make pecan-oat crumble: Mix pecans, oats, brown sugar, flour, and melted butter to damp sand.
6. Top: Sprinkle crumble over one half (or all). Bake 25–30 min until edges just set and tiny bubbles appear.
7. Marshmallow finish: Scatter mini marshmallows over the other half; bake 5–7 min more until puffed and golden (or broil 30–60 sec—watch closely).
8. Rest 10 min to set; serve warm.

Pro Tips

• Dry = creamy. If you boiled, let potatoes steam-dry 2–3 minutes after draining.
• Velvety mash: Blend briefly with a hand mixer; don’t overwork.
• Flavor depth: Swap part of the butter for browned butter.
• Two-zone topping: Foil a line down the pan to keep crumble and marshmallows separate, then lift foil out before final 5–7 minutes.
• Make-ahead insurance: Bake without marshmallows, cool, cover, and refrigerate; add toppings when reheating for best texture.

Variations (mapped to interests)

• Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes: Use 2 Tbsp maple + 2 Tbsp brown sugar, ½ the butter, and ½ cup plain Greek yogurt; top with light oat-pecan crumble (no marshmallows).
• Sweet Potato Dinner (savory): Mix in ½ cup grated Parmesan, 1 tsp garlic, 2 tsp chopped thyme; top with olive-oil panko + Parm.
• Sweet Potato Pie Casserole: Increase vanilla, add ½ tsp pie spice; top with crushed graham crackers + pecans (pie-vibes without crust).
• Unique Thanksgiving Side Dishes: Swirl maple-bourbon into the mash (1 Tbsp) and finish with salted pecan crumble.
• Nut-free: Use oat-only crumble or pumpkin-seed crunch.

How to Serve

• With roast turkey, gravy, and green vegetables for contrast.
• With baked chicken or pork chops for a Sweet Potato Dinner on non-holiday nights.
• As a brunch side next to eggs and sausage.

Make Ahead & Storage

• Make-ahead (48 hrs): Assemble base in pan; cover and refrigerate. Bake +5–10 min from cold. Add toppings near the end.
• Freeze: Bake base only; cool, wrap, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight; reheat 325°F (165°C) until hot; add toppings to finish.
• Leftovers: Refrigerate 3–4 days. Reheat 325–350°F until warmed through; add a few fresh marshmallows for a new toast.

FAQs

Roast or boil the potatoes?
Roasting concentrates sweetness and reduces water; boiling is faster but be sure to steam-dry.

Do I need eggs?
Eggs help the casserole slice cleanly. For egg-free, add 1 Tbsp cornstarch; bake until fully set.

Can I make it less sweet?
Yes—use maple only, reduce sugar by half, skip marshmallows, and go with crumble or savory topping.

How do I keep marshmallows from melting flat?
Add them in the last 5–7 minutes or broil briefly; serve after a 10-minute rest.

Simple Nutrition (estimate, per 1 of 10 servings, classic half-crumble/half-marshmallow)

Calories 295 | Carbs 44g | Protein 4g | Fat 12g | Sat Fat 5g | Fiber 5g | Sodium 210mg | Added sugar ~15g