Description
Sweet potato casserole celebrates Southern comfort with creamy mashed potatoes and a crunchy pecan streusel. Warm spices and buttery topping make this side dish irresistible for holiday gatherings you’ll want to savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 5 pounds (2.27 kilograms) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups (360 milliliters) chopped toasted pecans
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) maple syrup
Sugar and Flour Components:
- 1/3 cup (67 grams) light brown sugar (for potatoes)
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar (for pecan streusel)
- 3 1/2 tablespoons (26 grams) all-purpose flour (for potatoes)
- 2 tablespoons (15 grams) all-purpose flour (for pecan streusel)
Spices and Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (for potatoes)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (for pecan streusel)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Instructions
- Submerge peeled and quartered sweet potatoes in a large pot of salted water, ensuring they are completely covered. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart.
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Thoroughly coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Drain the cooked potatoes and transfer them to the prepared baking dish. Evenly distribute brown sugar, flour, and salt across the potato surface. Drizzle maple syrup and heavy cream uniformly over the potatoes, creating a rich, glossy layer.
- Create the streusel topping by combining chopped pecans, brown sugar, flour, salt, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Cut cold butter into small cubes and work it into the dry ingredients using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse, crumbly texture.
- Generously scatter the pecan streusel across the entire potato surface, ensuring an even, thick coverage.
- Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 55-60 minutes. The dish is ready when the center bubbles and the streusel turns a deep golden brown, creating a crispy, caramelized topping.
Notes
- Avoid Overcooking Boil sweet potatoes just until tender to prevent turning them into mush, which can make the casserole watery and lose its delightful texture.
- Salt Water Wisely Adding salt to boiling water helps season the potatoes from within, creating a more flavorful base for the entire dish.
- Butter Technique Work the butter into the streusel mix using cold cubes and your fingertips, creating a crumbly texture that ensures a crispy, delectable topping.
- Dietary Modifications Swap heavy cream with coconut milk for a dairy-free version, and use gluten-free flour to make this recipe suitable for those with dietary restrictions.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg