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Sweet Potato Casserole is always a welcome guest at the holiday table. People aren’t quite sure if it’s a vegetable or dessert!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe!
Today’s recipe is one that was shared with me about 30 years ago by my husband’s Aunt Dawn. When the boys were little we spent Thanksgiving with them one year and she served this delicious sweet potato dish. I didn’t think I liked sweet potatoes until I tasted this sweet potato casserole. I wasn’t sure if it was a side dish or dessert it was so delicious. The pecan streusel like topping on this dish is so much better than the traditional marshmallow topping.
Family recipes are the best recipes. I love using them and thinking about the family member who shared it with me.
Ingredients Needed
- Canned sweet potatoes
- Eggs
- Brown sugar
- Butter
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Orange juice. I used bottled orange juice but you could also use fresh.
- Pecans
Make Ahead Tip
- Not only is this recipe delicious but it is a great make ahead of time dish which helps cut down on the work and stress of the actual day.
- Make it a day or two ahead of time and just keep it covered in your refrigerator.
- Warm it in the oven when ready to serve and you will have a perfectly delicious sweet potato casserole.
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole
- Drain the canned sweet potatoes.
- Mash them to your desired consistency. Either mash by hand or if you want them really smooth, put them in a stand mixer, you can also use a hand mixer. Leave them lumpy if you like lumpy or if you prefer smooth mash them up more. smooth!
- Add in cinnamon, orange juice and brown sugar for a nice sweet sweet potato!
- Fill a 1 1/2 to 2 qt. casserole dish with sweet potato mixture and arrange a pretty layer of pecans on the top.
- Add more brown sugar and butter on top – yum!
- Bake at 375 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until heated through.
Can I Use Fresh Sweet Potatoes Instead of Canned?
You can cook your own sweet potatoes for this casserole by baking them or boiling them.
Baking: Preheat the oven to 425 ?. Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes. Poke the potatoes several times with a knife or fork. Bake for 40 50 minutes or until they are fork tender and the fork slides easily into the potato. Allow potato to cool until you can handle it and then slice open the potato and remove the soft inside
Boiling: Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes and peel. Cut into large 2 inch chunks. Place potato into a large pot of boiling water. Cook until the potatoes are soft and break apart easily with a fork. Drain and smash with a potato masher or fork.
Even if you think you don’t like sweet potatoes give this recipe a try. What’s not to like about butter, brown sugar and pecans!?!?!
Frequently Asked Questions
Sweet potatoes are an orange colored root vegetable and are often called a yam but are in fact sweet potatoes. An actual yam is starchier and more potato like than a yam and it is not very sweet.
You can assemble up to the point of adding the pecans. Freeze in an airtight container without the pecans, butter, brown sugar topping. Add the topping when you are ready to bake and serve. It will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Try these other delicious Thanksgiving recipes try:
Pecan Topped Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 44.5 oz canned sweet potatoes 1 large can (29 oz) and 1 small can (15.5 oz), already peeled
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup orange juice I used reconsituted
Topping:
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Instructions
- Drain and mash canned sweet potatoes to your desired consistency.
- Into mashed sweet potatoes beat in eggs, brown sugar, butter, salt and cinnamon.
- Add orange juice until mixture is moist and fluffy.
- Put in 1 1/2 – 2 qt. baking dish.
- If making ahead you can refrigerate at this point.
- Before baking arrange pecan halves on top, sprinkle with brown sugar and drizzle butter over top. Bake uncovered in 375 oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.
Tips & Notes:
- Not only is this recipe delicious but it is a great make ahead dish which helps cut down on the work and stress of the actual day.Â
- Make it a day or two ahead of time and just keep it covered in your refrigerator.Â
- Warm it in the oven when ready to serve and you will have a perfectly delicious sweet potato casserole.
Nutrition Facts:
Jessica says
What is reconstituted orange juice?
Leigh Anne says
Frozen orange juice that water has been added to, as if you were going to drink it
Naureen says
My Lord, I just went through the recipe again and noticed that it says RIGHT UP TOP that it’s a good make ahead recipe. I’m sorry for the trouble!
Leigh Anne says
No worries!
Naureen says
Hi!
Is this a good make-ahead recipe? Or is there any part of this recipe that could be made ahead?
Thank you so much!
Meghan says
Would this recipe still work with butternut squash? My uncle makes the sweet potatoes every year and no one would mess with his recipe! 🙂 Id like to bring something besides sweet potatoes, and this just looks too good to pass up!
Leigh Anne says
I have never tried it but it’s worth a try! Let me know how it works.
LINDA says
HI, I’d love to win the covered casserole dish!
Thanks for sharing a yummy recipe too!