Sweet Potato Casserole (Mom's Traditional Family Recipe) (2024)

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We have enjoyed this southern sweet potato casserole recipe every Thanksgiving and Christmas in my family for many, many years.

Sweet Potato Casserole (Mom's Traditional Family Recipe) (1)

So, a few things about my favorite sweet potato casserole recipe. Some people like marshmallows on top, but my family loves the brown sugar/ butter/ walnut topping. It is my favorite!

You can also make this sweet potato casserole with pecans, if you prefer. The topping gives the casserole that crunchy topping that is so delicious.

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Making this is much easierthan you may think.

How to make sweet potato casserole

First, gather your ingredients.

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Ingredients

For tastiest results, always use the best quality ingredients you have access to. For this recipe, you will need.

  • sweet potatoes – enough to make 3 cups of puree
  • brown sugar
  • white sugar
  • butter
  • eggs
  • vanilla extract
  • all purpose flour
  • walnuts (pecans and almonds work too)

Making the sweet potato casserole filling

I start by cooking up some sweet potatoes. You can bake them, boil them or steam them. OR you can use my new favorite method for cooking sweet potatoesin my Instant Pot. That is the method I used this time, as well as in the video.

Once I cooked and peeled my sweet potatoes, I mash them together with some sugar, butter, vanilla extract and egg. I use a potato masher to smash the sweet potatoes and mix everything up.

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Quick tip: Make sure you don’t add the eggs over piping hot potatoes. Or you might get scrambled eggs!😜

I let mine cool a little bit after peeling and mashing them up. They can still be warm, just not piping hot.

Brown sugar and walnut topping

Then Imix up the topping. I use my hands to break up the butter and mix everything until well-incorporated.

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I just keep squeezing those chunks of butter until they break down into coarse crumbs.

Then I pourthe sweet potato mash into a casserole dish, and I sprinkle that topping over it.

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Bake

Next, I bake the sweet potato casserole in the oven until the topping gets a little brown and crunchy.

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I hope y’all enjoy this recipe! Let me know if you try it. And be sure and check out all my best Thanksgiving recipes.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between sweet potato pie and sweet potato casserole?

Sweet potato pie has more of the texture of an actual pie, and is baked in na pie dish, sliced in to pie slices. Sweet potato casserole is usually considered a side dish, as opposed to a dessert. It’s texture more resembled mashed sweet potatoes, and is baked in a casserole dish. People use either the brown sugar and nut topping here, or alternatively, you can top with marshmallows.

Is sweet potato casserole a side or dessert?

It is traditionally a side dish.

How do I make vegan sweet potato casserole?

This recipe would be very easy to adapt to be vegan/ dairy free/ egg free. Simply eliminate the eggs and use a vegan butter. We like Earth Balance and Mikoyos.

Can I freeze sweet potato casserole?

Yes! I would suggest freezing the unbaked filling and topping separate. Thaw both prior to cooking, and sprinkle the topping on just prior to baking. You can also wait until the day of baking to make the topping. We actually do this almost every year to help with holiday prep, and it works great!

How do I make this lower in sugar?

For a lower sugar option, I highly recommend my mashed sweet potatoes recipe.

How long does this last in the fridge?

About 3 to 5 days, in a covered container.

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Print

Sweet Potato Casserole

We have enjoyed this sweet potato casserole every Thanksgiving and Christmas in my family for many, many years.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword best sweet potato casserole, sweet potato casserole recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 12

Calories 338 kcal

Author Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy

Ingredients

Sweet potato filling

  • 3 cups cooked sweet potato peeled and mashed
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup melted butter

Topping

  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup nuts (I used walnuts, but pecans or almonds are good too)
  • 1/3 cup butter* softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar (packet)
  • pinch salt, if unsalted butter was used (you don’t need any if you use salted butter)
  • cooking spray, butter or oil to grease the casserole dish

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, use a potato masher to mix up the cooked sweet potato, eggs, butter, vanilla and sugar.

  2. Transfer to a greased casserole dish and set aside.

  3. In a separate bowl, mix up the topping ingredients: flour, nuts, butter, brown sugar and (optional) pinch of salt.

  4. Use your hands to break down the butter chunks, and work the other ingredients in until well-incorporated.

  5. Sprinkle on top of sweet potatoes.

  6. Cook in a preheated oven at 350 degreed, until topping is slightly brown and crunchy, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.

Let the sweet potatoes cool slightly before adding the eggs. They can be warm. Just avoid pouring them over piping hot potatoes, as you might get scrambled eggs!

I often make the potato mixture and freeze it in a well-covered container. I thaw the potato mixture and make the topping on the day we plan to bake it.

Nutrition Facts

Sweet Potato Casserole

Amount Per Serving

Calories 338 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Cholesterol 51mg17%

Sodium 119mg5%

Potassium 415mg12%

Carbohydrates 46g15%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 30g33%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 13770IU275%

Vitamin C 13.9mg17%

Calcium 58mg6%

Iron 1.3mg7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe originally appeared on A Pinch of Healthy November 19, 2017. It has been updated with new photos. Here is what it used to look like.

Sweet Potato Casserole (Mom's Traditional Family Recipe) (9)
Sweet Potato Casserole (Mom's Traditional Family Recipe) (10)

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  2. Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Sweet Potato Casserole (Mom's Traditional Family Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

Why put egg in sweet potato casserole? ›

The egg is the all-important binder in a sweet potato casserole: it enriches and stiffens the mixture without making it heavy. Make sure to cool the mash slightly before adding the egg so it doesn't scramble, and to stir well so there are no streaks of cooked egg white in the finished dish.

Why is my sweet potato casserole so runny? ›

Add more potato and no liquid also you could use potato flakes to thicken them to the texture you like. Either with plain(all purpose) flour or cornflour mixed in milk to disolve first themn poured in ( not too much liquid just enough to disolve the powder).

How do you thicken a sweet potato casserole? ›

All-purpose flour will help thicken the sauce and give some structure. Maple syrup balances the sweetness and adds flavor. All granulated sugar can be too sweet.

What is the difference between yams and sweet potatoes Yahoo Answers? ›

While both yams and sweet potatoes are root vegetables, the taste of each is entirely unique. The orange-fleshed sweet potatoes tend to be much sweeter and creamier in texture compared to yams which have a white flesh that's starchier and more similar to a white potato.

Can I leave eggs out of sweet potato casserole? ›

Eggs (or not!)

– I've made this sweet potato casserole with and without eggs, both ways are delicious. The eggs act as a binder and gives the casserole a light and fluffy texture. Without eggs, the casserole doesn't have as much structure but it still silky smooth and tastes delicious.

What does adding an extra egg do to baked goods? ›

However, if you add too many eggs to your cake batter, then your end result could be spongy, rubbery, or dense. Like flour, eggs build structure in a cake, so they make a cake batter more bonded and dense.

How do you make a sweet potato casserole less watery? ›

Maple syrup, a dash of cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla all make an appearance for an incredible flavor. It's hearty and satisfying. Eggs and cream help stabilize the dish and prevent it from becoming too runny (a common complaint with many sweet potato casserole recipes).

How do you know when sweet potato casserole is done? ›

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture, then pop it into the oven and let it bake for 40 to 45 minutes. You will know it's done when the topping is lightly browned and the center of your casserole is set and firm.

What are the best canned sweet potatoes? ›

Princella No Sugar Added Cut Sweet Potatoes

You don't even miss the sugar with these No Sugar Added Princella canned sweet potatoes. They are so naturally sweet. They're also ultra creamy, which we obviously loved. These are the best canned yam stand-in for someone who doesn't like their sweet potatoes too sweet (me).

What does cornstarch do in a casserole? ›

Use as a Thickening Agent

Here's how it works: when cornstarch is added to a recipe, the starch molecules work to absorb water and thicken the mixture. When heated, those molecules swell and consume even more of the liquid in the recipe.

Why is my sweet potato still hard after baking? ›

The reason they are hard in the middle is cook them longer or on a higher temperature. Soaking will not help soften your sweet potato unless you are putting the potato and water in a pot on the stove and cooking it. If your sweet potato is still hard it's not cooked enough.

Are sweet potatoes healthier than regular potatoes? ›

Though they can both be part of a healthy diet, sweet potatoes are generally healthier than regular potatoes, partly because of their incredibly high vitamin A content. Sweet potatoes are also lower on the glycemic index, meaning that they are less likely than regular potatoes to make your blood sugar spike.

What are sweet potatoes mistaken for? ›

The truth is, generations of Americans have been getting it wrong. Sweet potatoes and yams are not the same. They are two separate foods that aren't even from the same family. We'll tell you when the confusion exactly began, and explain, once and for all, what the difference is between sweet potatoes and yams.

What is the difference between a sweet potato and a Caribbean sweet potato? ›

Boniatos are known for having rougher, bumpier skin than the average sweet potato. Rather than coppery orange, boniato skin is lighter, ranging from light brown to a dusty rose or even a slightly brownish-purple. Not just skin deep, the flesh of a boniato is also different in color, texture, and in taste.

Does egg thicken casserole? ›

Their ability to hold up to four times their weight in moisture makes eggs a good thickener for sauces, custards and curds. The proteins in eggs coagulate or set at different temperatures.

How do you make a sweet potato casserole not stringy? ›

I do two steps to reduce stringiness:
  1. Peel more of the sweet potato than just the outer skin. There's a layer of lighter orange flesh between the skin; keep peeling until you reach the darker orange.
  2. I mash with a Kitchen Aid stand mixer paddle. Don't scrape down the paddle when you're done.
Nov 24, 2023

Why do people put an egg in their mashed potatoes? ›

Adding egg yolks to a pot of mashed potatoes is an easy, dairy-free texture and taste upgrade that doesn't require any special techniques. The yolks harbor all the flavorful fats and emulsifying components and will thus effectively unify the fat and water in potatoes, translating to a smoother, uniformly creamy pot.

What role does the egg play when used in a breakfast casserole? ›

Structure. Whole eggs, egg yolks and egg whites are all used to add structure to batters. The yolk's elevated fat content helps it bind fats and liquids together through what's called an emulsion.

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