This recipe for sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is mashed spiced sweet potatoes, topped with both a pecan streusel topping and plenty of mini marshmallows. A holiday classic that’s a family favorite!
Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans, how can you go wrong with that combination? This easy sweet potato casserole is THE BEST, it’s sure to become a tradition on your Thanksgiving table. Serve it alongside Southern cornbread dressing and bacon roasted brussels sprouts.
Thanksgiving, is one of my favorite holidays. Let me tell you, this sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is the best sweet potato casserole I’ve ever had. It’s a MUST for the holidays. To be honest, my kids ask for it year round.
This easy sweet potato casserole has the best of both worlds with a crunchy pecan streusel topping AND a generous amount of mini marshmallows. The mashed sweet potato mixture underneath all that topping is just lightly sweetened to create the perfect balance between savory and sweet. This Thanksgiving recipe goes perfectly with some of my favorite dishes like no bake pumpkin cheesecake, smoked turkey breast and instant pot cranberry sauce.
Table of Contents
- Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows Ingredients
- How To Cook Sweet Potatoes
- How Do You Make Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows?
- Tips For The Perfect Sweet Potato Casserole
- Quick Tip
- Recipe FAQs
- Flavor Variations
- More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows Video
- Love This Recipe?
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows Recipe
Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows Ingredients
To make sweet potato casserole with marshmallows you will need the following ingredients.
- Sweet Potatoes: Choose orange fleshed sweet potatoes such as the Garnet or Jewel varieties. Look for potatoes that are similar in size and shape so that they cook at the same rate.
- Butter: You can use either salted or unsalted butter, both work fine.
- Milk: Adding a little milk helps to make the casserole filling creamy. I typically use 1% or whole milk.
- Brown Sugar: While I prefer to use light brown sugar in this dish, dark brown sugar will also work well.
- Maple Syrup: Do not use imitiation maple flavor syrup (pancake syrup) in this recipe, it will not taste the same.
- Cinnamon: Add a sprinkle of cinnamon for a warm and complex flavor. Store your bottle of cinnamon in a cool, dark, place to maintain the potency of this spice.
- Egg: Using an egg helps to bind the sweet potato mixture as it bakes.
- Vanilla Extract: Choose 100% pure vanilla extract. Imitation vanilla is not a good substitute.
- Flour: All purpose flour is used to create the streusel topping. If you’re gluten free, you can use a gluten free flour blend.
- Pecans: Buy pre-chopped pecans to save on a little prep time!
- Marshmallows: Mini marshmallows are added during the last few minutes of the baking time so that they don’t burn.
How To Cook Sweet Potatoes
I recommend baking your potatoes for this dish. First, prick your sweet potatoes with a fork, then place them on a sheet pan or baking sheet. Bake them until the potatoes are fork tender. Let the yams cool, then peel them and cut the insides into chunks or scoop the insides out of the skins.
Another option is to boil your sweet potatoes. Peel the yams, then cut into 2 inch pieces. Boil for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes, then proceed with the recipe.
If you’d look to cook your sweet potatoes in the air fryer, you can prick them with a fork and air fry at 370 degrees F for 40 minutes. For Instant Pot sweet potatoes, prick with a fork, and add 1 cup of water to your pot. Place the potatoes on a trivet, and cook on manual high pressure for 30 minutes.
How Do You Make Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows?
Place cooked sweet potato in a large bowl with butter, milk, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, egg and vanilla. Mash everything together until smooth. Place the mashed sweet potatoes mixture in a baking dish. Make a streusel topping in a separate small bowl by stirring together brown sugar, flour, melted butter and pecans. Sprinkle the topping over the sweet potato filling and bake. Add miniature marshmallows the top of the casserole dish and bake a few more minutes. Serve the casserole and enjoy!
Tips For The Perfect Sweet Potato Casserole
- I like to roast my sweet potatoes, however, you can boil or steam cubed sweet potatoes if you would like.
- The marshmallows go on at the very end, otherwise the marshmallow topping could burn.
- I prefer to mash my sweet potatoes with a hand masher for a more rustic texture, but you can puree the sweet potatoes in a food processor if you prefer them to be on the smoother side. You could also beat them with an electric mixer until they’re light and fluffy.
- You can use any sweet potato that you like with red flesh or orange flesh including garnet or jewel yams.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if you’re looking to serve a large crowd.
- The recipe will work with canned sweet potatoes, but freshly cooked potatoes have a better flavor and texture. If you’re using canned sweet potatoes, make sure they don’t contain any sugar.
Quick Tip
You can peel your roasted sweet potatoes and slice them into chunks or scoop the potatoes out of their skins. Either way works!
Recipe FAQs
Can you make sweet potato casserole in advance?
Yes, you can assemble this casserole the day before you plan to bake it. Simply cook and mash the potatoes, then add the streusel topping, cover and refrigerate. You may need to add 7-10 minutes to the bake time if you’re starting with a cold casserole.
Why is my sweet potato casserole wet?
In order to avoid excess water in a sweet potato casserole, roast the sweet potatoes in an oven before using them in casserole. Roasting them evaporates some of the moisture.
How do you thicken a sweet potato casserole?
Sweet potato casserole thickens with sweet potatoes and an egg. If you want a thicker casserole you can add an additional egg.
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Flavor Variations
This sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is fantastic; however, you can change the flavors to suit your own tastes.
- No Marshmallows: Not a fan of marshmallows? You can leave them off entirely and still have a fabulous dish.
- Nuts: If you don’t like pecans, try chopped walnuts or almonds instead.
- Dark Brown Sugar: For a more intense molasses and caramel flavor try dark brown sugar.
- Marshmallows: You can use flavored marshmallows like maple marshmallows. Feel free to arrange your marshmallows in a decorative pattern or simply sprinkle them over the top.
- Filling: For more flavor you can add two teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Feel free to add up to 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt to the mashed potato mixture for a more sweet and savory flavor balance. Use heavy cream instead of milk for an even creamier dish.
This recipe has gotten countless rave reviews. It’s so delicious you could have it for dessert! Your family is sure to love it too!
