Pecan Topped Sweet Potato Casserole is always a welcome guest at the holiday table. People aren’t quite sure if it’s a vegetable or dessert!
We’ll be spending the holiday with the four kids and about 40 of Jim’s family in Utah. We volunteered to host dinner. Fortunately my lovely niece is letting me use her house and kitchen! I also have some amazing sister in laws and my mother in law who have volunteered to help!
Today’s recipe is one that was shared with me about 25 years ago by Jim’s Aunt Dawn. When the boys were little we spent Thanksgiving with them one year and she served this delicious sweet potato casserole. I love family recipes. Not only are they usually some of the best recipes but I love using them and thinking about the family member who shared it with me. Several of my favorite recipes have come from Aunt Dawn. And although we don’t see her often, I think of her each time I make one of her recipes.
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. Make it a day or two ahead of time and just keep it in your refrigerator. Then warm it in the oven and you will have a perfectly delicious sweet potato casserole.
This sweet potato casserole recipe uses canned sweet potatoes. After you drain them, you can mash them to your desired consistency. Leave them lumpy if you like lumpy and smooth if you like smooth! The addition of cinnamon, orange juice and brown sugar make for a nice sweet sweet potato!
After filling your 1 1/2 to 2 qt. dish arrange a pretty layer of pecans on the top.
And then some more brown sugar and butter on top – yum!
Then bake away. The butter and sugar form a nice sweet, crunchy topping.
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!?!?!
Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
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 C brown sugar
- 1/4 C butter melted
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 C orange juice I used reconsituted
Topping:
- 1 C pecan halves
- 1/2 C brown sugar
- 1/4 C 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.
Nutrition
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Ceramic covered casserole dish!
i would like to win the Hand Anodized Fry Pans (set of 3)
I would love the Martha Stewart covered ceramic dish. Thank you for this great blog – I read it every day!
OHGoodness…..I would just love to have the Stainless Steel 15” Roaster with Roasting Rack.
My hubby would love that sweet potato dish, but I would only eat the nuts! 🙂 I am really loving the stainless steel roaster as I have always wanted one that was made from stainless steel!
Would love the three Fry Pans!
I would like to win the fry pans. Thank you.
I’d like to win the fry pans. I would put them to good use! I can’t wait to try that recipe either.
Stainless steel roaster please as I do not own one of these yet! The recipe looks delish by the way!!
The Sweet Potato Casserole looks fabulous !! Might try this one ! I would love to win the Hand Anodized Fry Pans. Thank you for the opportunity and the great recipe ~~ 🙂
My mom makes sweet potatoes with a pecan topping, and it is almost like eating pecan pie. So Delicious! I would love the ceramic covered casserole dish. Thanks, and I love visiting your site!
I would like to win the fry pans.
I really could use the pans more, but I’d love to have the casserole dish.
I’m not a huge sweet potatoe fan but who can resist brown sugar and pecans? It’s like pre-dessert 🙂 I love the casserole dish.
I would love to win the casserole dish!
littlegray88 at yahoo dot com
I would love the ceramic dish!
I’m always on the hunt for a good set of frying pans!
The casserole dish is so cute and functional. I would pick that.
the fry pans!
This dish looks awesome! I would love to have the fry pans.
The casserole dish looks great.
I would love the fry pans!
Sweet potatoes look especially yummy with the pecans. Would love to be able to use the stainless steel roaster for the upcoming holidays. Have a fun Thanksgiving with family.
I would love the ceramic casserole dish. I love sweet potatoes and can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hand Anodized Fry Pans (set of 3)
I would LOVE to win the roasting rack! Thanks for the great giveaway 🙂
Ceramic Covered Casserole Dish!
yum, I would love the fry pans !!!
Would love that ceramic covered casserole. I am in short supply of those!
I would love the ceramic covered casserole dish….love the color!
I would love the frying pans. I have a spendy set I received as a wedding gift over a decade ago, but they’re so worn they’re not very good any more. A new set would be fantastic.
Thanks for sharing your recipes! I’m always looking for new, time-tested ideas.
The set of three fry pans. You can never have enough frying pans.
I was wondering what I will be cooking our Thanksgiving turkey in this year… the Stainless Steel 15” Roaster with Roasting Rack would be perfect!
That recipe looks like a winner – even if I don’t win this giveaway so thank you for that! I would love to win the roaster.
Those sweet potatoes look too good to eat. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
I would love to win the set of pans.
I would love to win the fry pans!
Yummy!!! We all love sweet potatoes and looks like your Aunt’s recipe will be made at our house this year! I love the ceramic covered casserole dish in red!
YUM! My old roaster is very tired. This would be a great addition.
Thanks for the recipe
I would love to win the set of fry pans.
I would want the covered casserole dish. sooooo pretty! and thank you very much for following me on pinterest!
Lorene
I would love the ceramic dish to try this wonderful looking dish.
Thank you for the opportunity.
I’d love the Roaster Pan — but cleaning that would stink….. so probably the casserole dish!
The fry pans!!
I would love to win the ceramic casserole dish. Thank you.
I can’t wait to try this recipe it looks delicious! I can appreciate a good make ahead dish and it looks like a classic! Thank you for sharing! I could really use the Hand Anodized Fry Pans! Non-stick and stovetop to oven-who wouldn’t want to win them!
Hand Anodized Fry Pans (set of 3) would be my choice!
Would love the 3 fry pans! Sweet potatoes are a tradition at my Thanksgiving dinner!!
I would LOVE the roasting pan!! Would be so perfect for my Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years dinners!!
I would love to win the fry pans. This sweet potato recipe looks great. I have never had sweet potatoes cooked with orange juice and it sounds really good. Thank you.
I don’t own a Roaster so that would be fabulous!
Always love your recipes. I would love to win the roasting pan and rack – that would be great for the holidays! Thank you.
I would love a stainless steel roaster, for I do not own a roaster!
The Hard Anodized Fry Pans.
I would love the roaster pan.
All of those prizes sound amazing, but I would love to win the Stainless Steel 15” Roaster with Roasting Rack! Even just the thought of replacing that with our cheapy one, or no longer using a Pyrex dish would be AMAZING! Awesome giveaway!
Hard Anodized Fry Pans………………..my pans are horrible.
Fry Pans
The casserole dish, please!
I need fry pans and those would be just right!
I’d love the fry pans. This recipe looks so yummy! Aunt Dawn is a wonderful cook.
The sweet potatoes look delicious.
I’d like a new fry pan set.
I like the ceramic covered casserole dish. Thanks for the chance to enter.
The sweet potato casserole looks yummy!!! I would like the fry pans.
I would love to have that roaster! Thank you for the giveaway!
I would LOVE the stainless steel roaster! I don’t own one and wow it would be fun to have! 🙂
The sweet potato dish looks AMAZING! Pecans RULE in Texas! I would love the casserole dish, please!
Considering my love for casseroles and for red cookware I would certainly choose the ceramic casserole dish!
Thank you for doing this and for sharing your family recipes! 🙂
I love the casserole dish!
I would love the frying pans! 🙂
I would like to win the frying pans
I could really use some new pans. I would love the hand anodized fry pans.
Hi LeighAnne…just a quick question. I first wanted to confirm that you use sweet potatoes and not yams. It’s hard to tell from the photos what color they are, so I thought I’d check. Also, have you ever used fresh sweet potatoes/yams? Thank you!
I’d love that gorgeous red cassarole dish!
Yes they are canned sweet potatoes.
Any would be grt to win of course, but my pick would be Stainless Steel 15” Roaster with Roasting Rack.
I’d love to win the Stainless Steel 15″ Roaster with Roasting Rack. I’ve wanted a roaster for a long time.
Wish I could have pecans! I would also love to have the ceramic covered dish!!
I am all about a casserole, so I would love the casserole dish.
Thanks a bunch!
Fry pans, please. 🙂
I’m in need of some new fry pans…actually asked my husband for some this Christmas!
I need to replace a frying pan, so that would be my choice.
I think I would pick the fry pans.
Also, if I were to actually eat sweet potatoes, these would probably be the ones I’d try. 😀
I would love the set of fry pans. My husband has been hinting he would like a new set!
I would love the Hard Anodized Fry Pans. I’m in need of a new set! The sweet potatoes look so yummy!!
I would love the pans!
Ooohhh, the covered casserole dish. It would be perfect for this recipe. I am going to make this recipe this year. Thank you!
I really appreciate a recipe to make ahead of time, I will be hosting Thanksgiving this year for our family and my parents. My time will be a concern as two days before Thanksgiving one of my daughters will be having surgery. So any recipes made early will help.
You rock!!!!
I would love to win the Stainless Steel 15” Roaster with Roasting Rack.
I would love the set of fry pans!!
The fry pans could replace my 30 year old ones that desperately need replacing. . . . and my mouth waters when I read all your wonderful receipes.
Thanks for all your great offers – just wish I could win.
nancy
I love the ceramic covered casserole dish!
I am having visions of me making that pecan dish for Thanksgiving this year in a brand spanking new ceramic casserole dish. I am ALL for for the make ahead dishes… pretty please post some more. Oh, I so hope I win!!! Happy Thanksgiving!
Carrie
They all sound wonderful, but I would love the fry pans.
Love the color of the casserole dish. That would be awesome on my table for my first ever thanksgiving feast in the first home we have ever bought! 🙂
That casserole dish and cover would be great! Thanks!
Wow, your sweet potato recipe looks really good! I’ve been brainstorming this week to figure out what kind of side dish I’ll be bringing to Thanksgiving dinner this year, and this is perfect. That pecan topping sounds amazing. Thank you!
As for the giveaway, I’d love the roaster with roasting rack! I don’t have one, so maybe if I win, I can start to practice roasting turkeys and have a Thanksgiving dinner at my house! I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
What a fun giveaway! I have never had a decent roaster so winning that would be a little slice of heaven. By the way, the sweet potatoes look YUMMY!
The sweet potato recipe looks fantastic. I would love to have the skillet set.
Would love to win the Stainless Steel 15″ roaster with roasting rack.
Would love the casserole dish! Thanks
Hi Leigh Ann! I cant wait to try the sweet potatoe recipe!! I would love to win the set of 3 pans- mine are old and I fear we are often ingesting too much teflon- it would probably make my food taste better too!
Thanks for your fabulous blog!!
Heidi in Mn
The casserole dish would be perfect!
I would love the casserole dish. I just don’t have a nice one and that would be so great. Wonderful recipe. Thanks for sharing! Cathy
I would love the roaster and rack. Thanks for the great giveaway and the recipe.
I would love the casserole dish. Pretty and functional!
What a great recipe! And the giveaway is so cool! I would love to win the stainless steel roaster and rack…very nice!!! Thanks for offering this!
I would love the frying pans! You can never have too many!
The roaster and rack would wonderful. I usually do not like sweet potatoes but this recipe is delish! Thanks Dawn!
Ceramic Covered Casserole Dish is what I would chose if I win.
recipe sounds good. love the fry pans. linda gerig
I would love the frying pans…I’ve been married 38 years and still have hand me downs!
I would use the shiny roaster.
I could sure use that roasting pan. Every year I have to figure out what to cook the turkey in.
I would love and use the roasting pan the most.
The ceramic casserole dish is something I would use often. From the very first time I found your blog, I have enjoyed reading and following it. 🙂
LOVE the red ceramic casserole dish! I try to use red whenever I can! Enjoying your holiday recipes.
I’d love to win the Covered Casserole Dish. It would come in so handy with our large family meals. Happy Thanksgiving!
I would love the covered casserole dish. Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
The recipe sounds delicious! I would love to win the frying pans… I have been needing a new set!
Casserole Dish please! It would match all of my red kitchen stuff 🙂
Casserole Dish Please. Love your blog…
The covered casserole dish is simply wonderful. I am making Green Bean Casserole for Thanksgiving this year and the casserole would look stunning against the green.
This recipe is very similar to mine! I have been baking Sweet Potato Casserole for every holiday for our family for years! I am going to try your variation this Thanksgiving. The O.J. sounds yummy!
I would love to have the covered casserole dish!
I have a family recipe that we make each year that is similar, but no OJ. Sounds interesting to try! I would LOVE to finally have a roasting pan 🙂
Ceramic covered Casserole!!
New frying pans would be awesome! I need to swap out the old.
The recipe looks delicious! I would enjoy using the roasting pan! Thanks a bunch!
I could REALLY use the roaster and rack!! Thanks for the giveaway!
I would love the roaster and rack!
I would love the fry pans! I’m in the market for some new ones 🙂
A roaster would be amazing. I realized I didn’t have one last time I tried to cook a turkey. It was a little rough to say the least.
Ceramic Covered Casserole Dish
vlbelk(at)Hotmail.com
tough choice… but the covered casserole is beautiful! and my kitchen is red and yellow. thank you.
Would love the pans!!! The recipe sounds divine. Definately trying it!!
You are so sweet to mention Uncle Glenn and me. We still have this side dish every Thanksgiving. Tell everyone “Hi” at Thanksgiving!”
The roaster and rack would be a great addition to my pots and pans. What a fun giveaway!
Definitely the casserole dish…I’ve been wanting one for awhile.
I’d love the Covered Ceramic Casserole Dish. Thank you so much for the generous giveaway.
My girlies love a good sweet potato casserole…thanks for the recipe! I’d pick the frying pans, if I win:)
The Hand Anodized Fry Pans is just what I need. My pans are still looking good but these pans are just so charming. Thank for the giveaway and the amazing recipe. You have been so generous.
I would love the ceramic covered casserole dish! this is something that needs to make an appearance in my kitchen. please pick me!
I would love the covered casserole dish.
oooohhhh……new pans would be just in time for me to throw out my current set into the recycling bin!
I would love the casserole dish!
New casserole dishes? I would be in Heaven!
My wife wants the casserole dishes because they are pretty (she is an amazing cook too). I would enjoy the frying pans. Ours are falling apart. I can make a mean omelet, and would surprise her with breakfast in bed.
Oh lovely! I’d get a lot of use out of the covered ceramic casserole dish.
The RED 🙂 Ceramic Casserole Dish would so inspire me !! Have a most wonderful Thanksgiving.
Ceramic dish! Would love to upgrade my old stuff with something so pretty!!
I would love to win the ceramic casseole…mine broke a few months back and I have not had a chance to replace it
Loving that steel roaster pan!
I would love the roaster and rack – I’ve never had one and I need one! Have fun in Utah!
The casserole dish would be great! I have always wanted one. Then i could make yor pecan topped sweet potatoes in it! Love the website
I would love the covered casserole dish! I have never had one and would love it!
I love this recipe! We do this one every year as well.
I would love the red casserole dish!
I would love to win the ceramic covered casserole dish! It looks like I could use it for so many things!
I would love the covered casserole dish. Earlier this year, my sweet little daughter accidentally dropped mine and it shattered into a million pieces! I have yet to replace it and a new one would come in quite handy this time of year.
This recipe looks so yummy! I would love the casserole dish.
Yum! I would love to have the frying pans! I haven’t had new ones since I got married 🙂
Yum, yum, YUMMY! I have been scouting out new recipes to try this year, and this one just may fit the bill.
I’d love the frying pans if I win.
Just made your version this morning and had to sneak a bite before tomorrow. Oh my goodness! I love it! Not quite as sweet as my recipe but so much more flavorful. Love the orange juice and cinnamon in it! Happy Thanksgiving!
Kay
So glad you enjoyed them – they were a bit hit at our Thanksgiving dinner.
Found this Thanksgiving morning.
It was delicious! The oj was brilliant! Thank you.
That looks soooooooooooooooo good! I’m definitely giving this a try soon!
HI, I’d love to win the covered casserole dish!
Thanks for sharing a yummy recipe too!
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!
I have never tried it but it’s worth a try! Let me know how it works.
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!
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!
No worries!
What is reconstituted orange juice?
Frozen orange juice that water has been added to, as if you were going to drink it