Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel

This Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel is the perfect way to enjoy sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving (or any time!) We’ve got velvety smooth sweet potatoes highlighted with a little brown sugar, some salt, and butter. On top is the most decadent streusel studded with toasty pecans + cinnamon. The combo is divine!

If you’re looking for Thanksgiving sweet potato recipes, be sure to check out my dairy-free coconut whipped sweet potatoes with maple-pecan drizzle, creamy sweet potato soup, three-bean sweet potato salad, or for dessert, my vanilla bourbon sweet potato pie or moist and tender sweet potato cake with cream cheese frosting. 🍠

The Story Behind the Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe Ingredient Details

How to Make It

Making Sweet Potato Casserole Ahead of Time

More Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe

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The Story Behind the Recipe

Sweet potatoes are as much a part of the Thanksgiving spread as mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing, as far as I’m concerned! Growing up there was always a big casserole dish full of canned sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top. I’ll be honest, that wasn’t my jam. But I’ve since learned to appreciate sweet potatoes, just, prepared a little differently. Sorry, Gran! I still love you!!

I wanted to create a sweet potato casserole that fed a crowd yet still felt traditional. I feel like this version made with fresh whole sweet potatoes, mashed then topped with a crunchy streusel, feels like a classic but in the very best way. You get your sweet potatoes on the holiday table, and they also happen to be delicious!

I love that this sweet potato casserole is a hearty vegetarian Thanksgiving recipe. It’s perfect for anyone who’s eating meat-free on the big day, but, of course, is for everyone.

Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Casserole

Makes a big batch. In my experience this sweet potato casserole feeds at least 12 – perfect for a crowd.

Perfect make-ahead dish. Prep it all and refrigerate for up to 3 days before the holiday. Then it’s just a matter of popping it into the oven to bake it. You can freeze the filling ahead of time, too, which makes prep super quick on the big day.

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe Ingredient Details

Sweet potatoes – You’ll need a few sweet potatoes for this recipe, about 4 1/2 pounds worth. You’ll want to bake your sweet potatoes which helps retain all of the flavor (I don’t like to boil them in water because you lose so much flavor with the drained water!)

Butter

Milk – You can use dairy milk or plant-based milk, whichever you prefer.

Light brown sugar – For a touch of sweetness in both the sweet potatoes and the streusel topping.

Salt

Eggs

Oats – Rolled oats for a hearty streusel.

Flour – Just a little all-purpose flour to help hold the streusel together. If you prefer a gluten-free sweet potato casserole, I recommend processing 2/3 cup of dry rolled oats in the blender until finely ground, which works really well.

Pecans – For the topping.

Cinnamon – Also for the topping! It adds so much flavor; don’t leave it out!

How to Make It

First, bake your sweet potatoes, then scoop the cooked flesh into a large mixing bowl.

Melt the butter in and mash.

Once the sweet potatoes are room temp, add the milk, brown sugar, salt, and eggs.

Scoop the sweet potato mixture into a 9×13 baking dish and smooth the top.

Mix together the streusel ingredients and spread evenly over the top.

Bake until piping hot all of the way through and the streusel is golden brown.

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Making Sweet Potato Casserole Ahead of Time

You have a few options for prep-ahead:

Make filling ahead of time and freeze: Make the sweet potato mixture then scoop it into a gallon-size freezer bag. Seal, label, and freeze for up to 3 months ahead of time. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, spread in your 9×13 baking dish, make the streusel topping and sprinkle it over the top, and bake!

Partial prep: I find that even just baking the sweet potatoes ahead of time makes a big difference. You can bake them up to 3 days ahead of time then refrigerate either the whole sweet potatoes or mashed in an airtight container. When you’re ready to make it, pull them out and continue with the recipe.

I hope this Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel helps bring your Thanksgiving feast together! I love that it’s a popular traditional side but it’s also special enough for the occasion. Plus it really doesn’t take that many ingredients and is easy to make ahead of time. Winner winner Turkey day dinner!

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel

Velvety, piping hot mashed sweet potatoes topped with a golden cinnamon-scented streusel. A classic for a reason! With full make-ahead instructions (including freezing!)

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword sweet potato casserole, sweet potato casserole with streusel

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings

Calories 471kcal

Author Karen

Equipment

potato masher

9″x13″ baking dish

Ingredients

For the sweet potatoes

4.5 pounds sweet potatoes 5-6 medium sweet potatoes; 6 cups cooked & mashed4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted1/2 cup milk 2%, full-fat, or unsweetened plant-based all work great1/3 cup light brown sugar packed; dark brown sugar is fine if that’s what you have1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt2 large eggs

For the pecan streusel topping

1 cup rolled oats2/3 cup all-purpose flour can sub oat flour for GF version1 cup light brown sugar packed; dark brown sugar is fine1 cup chopped raw pecans1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/8 teaspoon kosher salt1 stick unsalted butter melted, 1/2 cup, 8 tablespoons

Instructions

Bake the sweet potatoes

Heat oven to 400°F. Scrub baked potatoes and prick each one 3-4 times with a fork. Place sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until soft all of the way through (test with a fork), 30-40 minutes. For larger potatoes, it could take more like 50 minutes.

Remove sweet potatoes from heat and set aside to cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Cut the sweet potatoes in half and let sit cut-side up to cool down to room temp, at least 20 minutes more or up to 3 days ahead of time (if baking more than a couple of hours ahead of time, refrigerate them until you’re ready to make the casserole.

Make the sweet potato mixture

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Scoop the cooked flesh of the sweet potatoes into a large mixing bowl. You should have about 6 cups of cooked mashed sweet potato. Discard the skins. If the sweet potatoes are still a little warm, you can add the butter in tablespoon-size pats then mix and the butter should melt. If the sweet potatoes are completely cool, you’ll want to melt your butter in the microwave or on the stovetop first, then add it to the sweet potatoes. Use a masher to make sure the potatoes are completely smooth, then add the milk, brown sugar, and salt. Give the mixture one last touch-test to make sure it’s room temperature so that when you add the egg, it’s doesn’t cook once it hits the sweet potato mix.

Beat the eggs in a small bowl then add to the sweet potatoes and mix well. Alternatively, I like to create a little “bowl” in the sweet potato mix, whisk the eggs until blended, then stir it in to the sweet potatoes from there. One less dish to clean!

Lightly scoop the sweet potatoes into the 9×13 baking dish, then lightly smooth the top but don’t press down.

Make the pecan streusel topping

To a medium bowl, add all of the topping ingredients except for the butter. Mix well. Drizzle the melted butter over the top then stir until the topping is combined. It will be quite crumbly.

Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the sweet potatoes in the pan.

Bake

Bake uncovered until piping hot all of the way through and the top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Make-Ahead

You have a few options for making this sweet potato casserole ahead of time:

Prep ahead and refrigerate: Assemble it completely, tightly cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days before baking. I suggest pulling it out about an hour before baking so that it can come to room temp – this will help the filling warm up completely before the streusel browns too much.
Prep ahead and freeze: Make the sweet potato mixture then scoop it into a gallon-size freezer bag. Label and freeze for up to 3 months ahead of time. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, spread in your 9×13 baking dish, make the streusel topping and sprinkle it over the top, and bake!
Partial prep: I find that even just baking the sweet potatoes ahead of time makes a big difference. You can bake them up to 3 days ahead of time then refrigerate either the whole sweet potatoes or mashed in an airtight container. When you’re ready to make it, pull them out and continue with the recipe.