Easy Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potato casserole is a classic recipe when it comes to Thanksgiving. With chunks of big sweet potato, a pecan streusel topping, and a quick caramel sauce, it’s a combination of both sweet and savory. Even for those who don’t love the traditional casserole, this will be a winner!

A super easy sweet potato casserole recipe you’ll love.

I grew up eating and enjoying sweet potatoes. Often, Mom would bake them, and we would eat them with butter, maybe brown sugar, and nothing else. A sweet potato does not need many ingredients added to be delicious. Sweet potatoes are, yes, sweet but also have a depth of flavor that is not always there with regular white potatoes. Once in a while, we indulge in making sweet potatoes into a casserole. The trick is to make sure the sugar added does not overpower the sweet potatoes, and the spice adds just enough warmth but allows the flavor of the potatoes to come through. This casserole is simple. Potatoes are cooked in pieces and added directly to a casserole dish. No mashing is required. Brown sugar, maple syrup, flour, and butter are sprinkled over the potatoes. Heavy cream is poured over the top, and a quick pecan streusel. No mixing, mashing, or combining is needed. After baking, a caramel-like sauce coats the potatoes, and the streusel becomes crisp. A perfect casserole.

Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.

• Sweet potatoes are easy to find, and while there are often questions about yams versus sweet potatoes, yams are to find in the United States. They are drier and have less flavor. Choose orange sweet potatoes for the best flavor and sweetness.
• Brown sugar adds a depth of flavor with a hint of molasses and helps create a caramel-like sauce.
• 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.
• Heavy cream gives the base to rich caramel sauce. The heavy cream can take the hot oven without curdling and will bind with the other ingredients to form a cohesive sauce.

Here’s how to make this recipe.

1. Prepare the sweet potatoes. Peel the sweet potatoes, slice off the ends and discard, and slice into ½-inch thick pieces. Take each resulting slice and cut it again into four additional pieces. Place all of the sliced sweet potatoes in a large stockpot, and add water until the potatoes are completely covered. Add the salt and place the stockpot over medium heat on the stove. Once fully cooked and a knife inserted meets only slight resistance, drain the sweet potatoes. 

2. Prepare the glaze. Add the drained sweet potatoes to a 9×13 baking dish. Spread them out into an even layer. Separately, in a bowl, add the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and salt. Mix these three ingredients together to break up the brown sugar. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the sweet potatoes in the baking dish. Also, pour on the maple syrup and heavy cream, making sure to evenly distribute each sauce over the potatoes. 

3. Prepare the streusel topping. Chop the roasted pecans into small pieces. Once chopped, add the pecans to a bowl and add the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Mix all of the ingredients together. Cut the butter into small chunks and add it to the pecan mixture, working it together with thumb and forefinger until the mixture holds together when made into a fist. Then sprinkle the mixture on top of the sweet potatoes in the baking dish.

4. Bake the sweet potato casserole. Place the sweet potato casserole in the 350°F oven and bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Once it is baked and browned, remove it from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

These pro tips will make this recipe a success.

• When cooking the sweet potatoes, start with cold water in the stockpot. This will ensure that the sweet potatoes cook evenly. If you start with hot water, even heating does not occur.
• Since the sweet potatoes will be cooked in the oven once they’re added to the baking dish, you do not need to cook them as long as you would for mashed potatoes. When a knife meets only slight resistance when inserted in the middle of the sweet potato, the sweet potatoes are ready to be removed from the heat and drained.
• While you do not need to be particular when adding the flour mixture, maple syrup, and heavy cream, do make sure to be somewhat even with the distribution. While the casserole is baking, the glaze will form and move around the bottom of the baking dish, but it’s always a good idea to start out with an even mixture.

You’ll love these other Thanksgiving recipes.

• Apple and sausage cornbread stuffing
• Stuffed acorn squash casserole
• Easy slow cooker stuffing
• Corn spoon bread
• Grandma Alice’s mashed potatoes
• Roasted carrots with dates and pistachios
• Spiced butternut squash with tahini sauce
• Herb and cheese popovers
• The best buttermilk biscuits
• Honey oat dinner rolls
• Butterhorns

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