The BEST Sweet potato casserole recipe - velvety smooth sweet potatoes topped with the most amazing, sweet, crunchy, pecan and brown sugar streusel. A must have side dish on the Thanksgiving or holiday table.
FEATURED READER COMMENT:
This is my favorite recipe ever! I have had this for years! It is a must for Thanksgiving and in between! My friends who hate the standard sweet potatoes with marshmallows and I have made them try this recipe, have changed their minds about sweet potatoes!
~ Sharon
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🦃 A Thanksgiving and holiday favorite
Sweet Potato Casserole with its crunchy pecan topping is one of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes for the holiday table. This sweet, creamy, and crunchy casserole makes the perfect side dish for roast turkey, mashed potatoes, and all the fixings. Serve it with our family favorite green bean casserole made from scratch, classic Thanksgiving stuffing, and fresh cranberry orange relish.
🍠 Side dish or dessert?
Sweet Potato Casserole is a must have on the holiday table. We always serve it as a side with dinner. Its sweet potato flavor comingles perfectly with everything on the holiday plate.
The streusel topping makes it sweet enough and delicious enough to be served as a dessert as well. It makes a great alternative to pumpkin pie.
For a version topped with brown sugared pecans, try my sweet potato souffle.
❤️ This streusel is everything!
The pecan crumble topping on this Sweet Potato Casserole is crispy, crunchy perfection! It’s sweet, it’s crunchy. It’s the perfect texture with buttery brown sugar nubs and chunks of pecans.
As it bakes it forms a syrupy glaze underneath the crunchy top that keeps everything moist and delicious.
📝 Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes
- Granulated sugar – I use white sugar so the delicate taste of the sweet potatoes shines through
- Milk
- Eggs
- Melted butter – makes it rich and creamy
- Vanilla extract
- Salt – salt brings out the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes
And in the streusel:
- Light brown sugar – for that caramely, praline flavor that’s so wonderful with pecans
- Pecans – for that Southern flavor that complements the sweet potatoes perfectly
- Melted butter – for a streusel with the most amazing texture
- flour
🧑🏻🍳 How to make sweet potato casserole
COOK THE SWEET POTATOES
Wrap in foil and bake until soft
MAKE THE FILLING
Process sweet potatoes, eggs, sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla until smooth and spread in a baking dish
MAKE THE STREUSEL TOPPING
Combine the brown sugar, pecans, flour, cinnamon, and melted butter and sprinkle on top of sweet potato filling
BAKE
Bake until golden brown
⏰ How to make in advance
Both the sweet potatoes and the streusel topping can be made up to three days in advance then chilled separately in the fridge. Let rest at room temperature 30 minutes before baking, then add the topping and bake.
🧡 Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions
This Sweet Potato Casserole is perfect for prepping ahead of the holidays! You can make it in stages so everything is ready to bake when you need it.
To make ahead (1–2 days):
Prepare the sweet-potato filling and spread it into your baking dish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Mix the pecan streusel topping separately, store it in an airtight container in the fridge, and sprinkle it on just before baking.
To freeze:
You can freeze the casserole before baking for up to 3 months — just leave the topping off and freeze separately. Let the sweet-potato filling cool completely, then cover the dish well with plastic wrap and a layer of heavy-duty foil. Label and freeze. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, top with the pecan-streusel mixture, and bake as directed.
Freezing the topping separately:
The brown-sugar-pecan streusel also freezes beautifully on its own. Mix the topping, crumble it into pieces, chill for 15–20 minutes, then freeze in a zip-top bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to use, sprinkle it straight from the freezer over the thawed casserole — no need to defrost.
Pro tip: For best texture and flavor, let the casserole cool completely before freezing. Add the crunchy topping right before baking to keep it crisp and delicious!
📝 Recipe notes
Cooking the sweet potatoes:
My favorite way of cooking the sweet potatoes is wrapping them each in foil, then roasting for about 1 ½ hours. I find it to be the most foolproof method for sweet potatoes that turn out perfect every time. Here’s why:
- the flavor intensifies with roasting
- they don’t become watered down from boiling
- they don’t get overcooked and dried out in the microwave
- the foil catches any sugary drips that come out of the sweet potatoes and seals in moisture
- the peels can be pulled off easily after baking
Alternatively, you can:
- prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and bake on a foil lined baking sheet until soft, about 1 hour
- prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and microwave until soft, about 10 minutes
Recipe
Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
For the sweet potato filling:
- 3 lbs sweet potatoes
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled 57g
- ½ cup milk 113g
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the streusel topping:
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed 213g
- ½ cup all-purpose flour 71g
- 1 cup chopped pecans 113g
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 85g
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
To cook the sweet potatoes
- Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork, wrap in foil, and bake until soft, about 1 ½ hours
For the sweet potato filling:
- In a food processor, combine peeled, cooked sweet potatoes, sugar, melted butter, milk, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Puree until very smooth, about 1 minute.
- Pour into a greased 2-quart casserole dish (mine was a 12 by 8-inch oval) and spread into an even layer.
For the streusel topping:
- In a separate bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans (breaking up brown sugar clumps as needed).
- Pour in melted butter and stir until mixture is evenly moistened. Use a gentle hand and mix until everything is moistened and in clumps. Don’t overmix or it will become pasty.
- Sprinkle mixture evenly over sweet potato mixture in baking dish.
- Bake in the lower third of a 350° F oven for about 30 minutes. The topping should get golden brown. If it starts to get too brown, cover with a piece of foil. The inside temperature of the casserole should reach about 170° F.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Enjoy, friends!
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Jessica Crawford says
OMGosh!!!! I’ve never been a sweet potato dish fan but after making this, it is now my favorite dish. I also received sooooo many compliments on this and have been asked to share the recipe to all that joined us this Thanksgiving holiday.
The recipe is easy to follow. I did everything exactly as it asked for and wouldn’t change a thing.
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, Jessica!
kelly says
can you make the sweet potatoes a day before so less prep time?
Kelly says
Hi Kelly. Yes, both the sweet potatoes and the streusel topping can be made up to three days in advance then chilled separately in the fridge. Let rest at room temperature 30 minutes before baking, then add the topping and bake.
Natalie says
This recipe is SO good! Like others, I reduce the sugar, sometimes by half, or more, depending on the potatoes, and because the streusel adds sweetness (the best kind, haha!).
Question: I might run out of pecans this year but have plenty of chopped walnuts. Has anyone mixed pecan & walnut pieces, or used all walnuts in the streusel with success? Ever since I brought this to Thanksgiving dinner several years ago, I get asked to bring it every year! It's as much a staple as my mom's southern pecan pie. Thank you!
Barb Canterbury says
How can I half the recipe
Kelly says
Hi Barb. Halve the ingredients and bake in a 1 quart baking dish.
Katie says
Delicious recipe! I use it every year for Thanksgiving and there is never any left! The perfect side.
Kelly says
So happy you like it, Katie!
Audrey says
Loved this recipe! We have used this recipe for several thanksgivings now. I don't add the sugar to the sweet potato because I think they are sweet enough plus the crumble adds extra sweetness. Question though, could I freeze this and then reheat is later? Has anyone tried it? I need to make it for a work party a few weeks before plus also in Thanksgiving and would like to not dirty extra dishes unless absolutely necessary!
Kelly says
Hi Audrey, I added the make-ahead instructions above:
To freeze:
You can freeze the casserole before baking for up to 3 months — just leave the topping off and freeze it separately. Let the sweet-potato filling cool completely, then cover the dish well with plastic wrap and a layer of heavy-duty foil. Label and freeze. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, top with the pecan-streusel mixture, and bake as directed.
Freezing the topping separately:
The brown-sugar-pecan streusel also freezes beautifully on its own. Mix the topping, chill for 15–20 minutes, then freeze in a zip-top bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to use, sprinkle it straight from the freezer over the thawed casserole — no need to defrost.
Allie says
Very excited for this. Can I make it night before and cook the next day? Or should I do the strussel topping the next day and then cook?
Kelly says
Hi Allie! You can prepare the sweet potato filling and the streusel topping ahead of time and keep them separate. Then on the day of baking, you can add the streusel topping and bake.
Chloe says
We made this for our thanksgiving dinner this year. It was incredible. We did the topping recipe and then made an additional half of the topping recipe as well and it was absolutely PERFECT. Making this again next year for sure!
Kelly says
Extra topping sounds awesome! So happy you liked it, Chloe! Thanks so much!
Bianca says
Hi there! Can’t wait to make this! Can I use canned yams to save time? They’re really just cooked sweet potatoes in syrup. I would obviously drain and pat dry them. Appreciate your advice!
Kelly says
Hi Bianca! That should work just fine. Since they are in syrup, you may need to use less sugar. Just give it a taste as you’re adding the sugar.
Rachel H says
Haaaaave mercy! These were incredible!
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, Rachel! Thanks so much!
April says
I made this and doubled it. It’s being refrigerated overnight to bake in the morning. Should I bake twice as long?
Kelly says
Hi April, the baking time will depend on the size of the baking dish. It will take longer to bake, but not necessarily twice as long. Whatever the size of the dish, the inside temperature of the casserole should reach about 170° F.
Sandy says
Made this recipe last year and was a great hit. This year I'm going to add the orange juice and zest. Sounds even better. Thanks.
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, Sandy! Thanks so much!