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Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel Recipe

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4.6 from 27 reviews

This Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel is a comforting and flavorful holiday side dish featuring creamy mashed sweet potatoes topped with a crunchy, cinnamon-spiced pecan streusel and optional toasted marshmallows. The sweet potatoes are roasted or boiled until tender, then mixed with butter, sugars, spices, and eggs for richness, baked to golden perfection, and served warm, making a perfect festive addition to any meal.

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Base

  • 3 lb sweet potatoes about 6 medium
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 0.33 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup milk or half-and-half
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp orange zest optional, for brightness

Pecan Streusel

  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp fine sea salt
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter cold, cubed
  • 1 cup pecans chopped

Optional Topping

  • 2 cup mini marshmallows

Instructions

  1. Cook the sweet potatoes: Heat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork, place them on a lined baking sheet, and roast for 60 minutes until very tender. Alternatively, peel and cube the potatoes, then simmer in salted water for 20 minutes until fork-tender, then drain thoroughly.
  2. Mash and mix the base: Let the potatoes cool until safe to handle, peel if roasted, and mash until you have about 4 cups. Stir in melted butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk or half-and-half, beaten eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, and optional orange zest until the mixture is creamy. Avoid overmixing to keep the texture smooth.
  3. Make the pecan streusel: In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and sea salt. Cut in the cold cubed butter with a pastry cutter or fingertips until the mixture becomes sandy with pea-sized clumps. Fold in the chopped pecans evenly.
  4. Assemble the casserole: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish lightly. Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly in the dish. Sprinkle the pecan streusel mixture evenly over the top of the sweet potatoes.
  5. Bake to golden perfection: Bake the casserole for 30 minutes until the edges are set and the streusel topping turns lightly golden. If using mini marshmallows, scatter them on top during the last 8 minutes of baking and watch carefully until they toast to your liking.
  6. Rest and serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes so it sets properly for clean scooping. Serve warm for the best flavor and texture.

Notes

  • Roasting the sweet potatoes instead of boiling enhances their natural sweetness and adds depth of flavor.
  • You can substitute half-and-half with whole milk or a non-dairy milk for a lighter or dairy-free option.
  • If you prefer crunchier topping, bake the streusel separately for a few minutes until crisp before adding it on top.
  • Adding orange zest brightens the sweet potato mixture and balances the sweetness, but it is optional.
  • Watch marshmallows closely during baking as they can burn quickly once toasted.
  • Use a potato masher or ricer for the smoothest mashed sweet potatoes.
  • For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour in the streusel with a gluten-free flour blend.

Find it online: https://sweetworldtastes.com/southern-sweet-potato-casserole-with-pecan-streusel-recipe/