Description
A comforting, crowd-pleasing side dish featuring creamy mashed sweet potatoes topped with a crunchy pecan-brown sugar crust, baked until bubbling and golden. Perfect for holiday tables or cozy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
Pecan Topping
- 1 cup pecans, crushed or chopped
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
<h4-Dairy & Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/4 cup milk
- to taste salt
Instructions
- Preheat and prep. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and lightly grease a medium baking dish.
- Cook the potatoes. Place the peeled and chopped sweet potatoes into a large pot, cover with salted water, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then simmer until tender (about 15 minutes).
- Mash. Drain the potatoes thoroughly and transfer to a mixing bowl. Mash until smooth, then stir in melted butter, a splash of milk, and a pinch of salt until well combined.
- Assemble. Spread the mashed sweet potatoes evenly in the prepared baking dish, smoothing the surface.
- Make topping. In a small bowl, mix crushed pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Add topping. Sprinkle the pecan topping evenly over the mashed sweet potato layer.
- Bake. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is golden and the casserole is bubbling at the edges.
- Rest and serve. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving to set slightly.
- Finish. Serve warm and enjoy the contrast of creamy potatoes with crunchy pecan topping and warm cinnamon aroma.
Notes
- For a lighter version, use half brown sugar and half maple syrup in the topping.
- To make ahead, assemble the casserole and refrigerate up to 1 day; bake directly from chilled for 35–40 minutes.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3–4 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Side Dish, Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: sweet potato casserole, pecan topping, baked side dish, holiday side, creamy mashed potatoes, cinnamon
