Description
This Southern Sweet Potato Casserole is a classic, comforting dish perfect for holiday gatherings or any time you crave a rich, sweet, and nutty side. It features a creamy sweet potato base enhanced with vanilla and eggs, topped with a buttery, brown sugar, pecan crumble that bakes to a perfect golden crisp.
Ingredients
Scale
Casserole
- 29 ounce can sweet potatoes, drained
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted
- ⅓ cup milk
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, beaten
Topping
- 5 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat and mash sweet potatoes: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl, mash the drained sweet potatoes with a fork or potato masher until smooth.
- Mix casserole ingredients: To the mashed sweet potatoes, add the melted salted butter, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and beaten eggs. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined, creating a smooth mixture.
- Prepare baking dish: Pour the sweet potato mixture evenly into a 2-quart (8-inch square) baking dish, smoothing the top for an even layer.
- Make topping crumble: In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and chopped pecans. Using a fork or your fingers, mix until the mixture forms small, crumbly pieces.
- Sprinkle topping and bake: Evenly sprinkle the crumble topping over the sweet potato mixture in the baking dish. Place in the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and crisp.
- Cool before serving: Remove the casserole from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 15 to 20 minutes. This cooling step helps the casserole to set properly for clean serving.
Notes
- Make sure to drain the canned sweet potatoes well to avoid excess moisture.
- Letting the casserole cool is crucial to achieve the perfect texture.
- You can substitute walnuts for pecans if preferred.
- This dish can be prepared a day ahead; refrigerate after baking and reheat gently before serving.
- For a vegan version, replace butter with a plant-based alternative and eggs with a flaxseed egg substitute.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 of casserole
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
