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Best Crowd-Pleasing Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel

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This sweet potato casserole features a creamy, spiced sweet potato base topped with a crunchy, buttery pecan streusel. It’s the perfect make-ahead side dish for holiday gatherings and potlucks, converting even sweet potato skeptics.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4–5 medium), peeled and cubed
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup pecan halves or pieces
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter or lightly spray your 9×13-inch baking dish.
  2. Boil the sweet potatoes: Place the peeled and cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water by about an inch. Add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain well in a colander and let them sit for a minute to steam dry.
  3. Mash the sweet potatoes: Return the drained potatoes to the pot. Mash them with a potato masher until they’re mostly smooth with a few small lumps for texture. If you want a super smooth filling, use a hand mixer on low speed. Be careful not to overmix.
  4. Mix the filling: To the mashed potatoes, add the melted butter, brown sugar, beaten eggs, milk or cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir everything together until well combined.
  5. Spread the filling: Pour the sweet potato mixture into your prepared baking dish. Use a spatula to spread it into an even layer.
  6. Make the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter. Gently stir in the toasted pecans.
  7. Top the casserole: Sprinkle the pecan streusel evenly over the sweet potato filling. Don’t press it down.
  8. Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. The filling should be set and slightly puffed around the edges, and the topping should be golden brown and fragrant. If the topping is browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil for the last 10 minutes.
  9. Cool and serve: Let the casserole cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Notes

For a make-ahead option, assemble the casserole completely (without baking), cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake as directed, adding about 10 minutes to the baking time. To freeze, assemble without baking, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking. The streusel may soften slightly upon reheating.

Nutrition

Keywords: sweet potato casserole, pecan streusel, Thanksgiving side dish, holiday side dish, crowd-pleasing, make-ahead, vegetarian

Find it online: https://ovenmila.com/best-crowd-pleasing-sweet-potato-casserole-with-pecan-streusel/