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Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans is a tasty staple at our house and one we couldn’t live without!
This Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is always on the Thanksgiving table, right next to the Green Bean Casserole Recipe and Best Mashed Potatoes.
A Holiday Staple we Love
Marshmallows and sweet potatoes go hand-in-hand. Who agrees?
- Sweet and Savory. Although it’s not quite to dessert level, like our tasty Sweet Potato Pie.
- Perfect Holiday Side Dish. It’s especially popular at Thanksgiving, but we’ve made it for many holidays (like Easter and Christmas) and it’s always loved by all. It’s definitely a holiday staple!
- Can be Made Ahead of Time. For busy holidays and a crazy cooking schedule, it’s great to have a few dishes that can be made early, and this is one of them!
Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes – This recipe calls for 4 cups cubed and peeled sweet potatoes and depending on the size of the potato, it’s about 4-6 of them.
- NOTE: Sweet potatoes and true yams are different. They bot have orange flesh, but be sure to use sweet potatoes).
- Sugar – Adds the perfect amount of sweetness, but consider using other spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger for added flavor.
- Eggs
- Salt – Omit if using salted butter.
- Butter – We use unsalted butter but salted works too!
- Milk – We recommend using at least 2% milk, but use whole milk or heavy cream for a richer texture.
- Vanilla Extract
- Brown Sugar – This enhances the sweetness and makes it more flavorful.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Chopped Pecans – This is what we prefer but you can also use chopped walnuts.
- Mini Marshmallows – The perfect addition to this side, but you can also try covering the dish with dollops of meringue and baking until browned.
How to Make Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows
- PREP. Preheat your oven to 325°F and grease the 9×13-inch baking dish.
- COOK & MASH. In a medium pot, cover the cubed sweet potatoes in water. Boil and cook over medium-high heat until tender. Once they are cooked, drain and mash with a potato masher.
- MIX. In a large bowl, mix together the mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk, and vanilla extract, until smooth. Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer. Pour into a greased baking dish.
- PECAN STREUSEL TOPPING. Mix the light brown sugar and flour in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in pecans, and sprinkle pecan topping over your sweet potato mixture.
- BAKE. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Then, take it out of the oven and sprinkle on the marshmallows and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes (or until lightly brown).
Note: You can always leave off the streusel and just do the marshmallows – still tasty!
Recipe Tips
Avoid a watery baked sweet potato casserole with these tried and true tips!
- Watery. Overcooking the sweet potatoes can cause them to absorb too much moisture, leaving it wet and soupy. To avoid this:
- Cut the sweet potatoes into equal-sized cubes so they cook at the same rate.
- Once you have microwaved them, a fork or knife should be able to slide through without any resistance.
- Drain and pat dry.
- After mashing, allow them to sit for a couple of minutes.
- Drain any excess liquid before combining them with the other ingredients.
storing info
- Make ahead of time. This can be made a couple days in advance.
- Make the sweet potato filling, and smooth it into your casserole dish.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the potato mixture, then cover the dish with foil.
- Prepare the streusel topping and marshmallows, and put them in separate bags or containers.
- Keep the casserole covered in the fridge for 1-2 days and when ready, sprinkle with topping and bake as directed.
- STORE any leftover casserole in the fridge in airtight containers. Reheat in the oven or microwave.
- FREEZE. To freeze sweet potato casserole, complete steps 1-4. Do not add the marshmallows. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the sweet potato mixture. Wrap the entire pan with plastic wrap, and again with aluminum foil. Label and keep in the freezer for 3-4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Remove all the foil and plastic. Bake as directed in step 5.
For more sides:
Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows Recipe
Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans is a tasty staple at our house and one we couldn't live without!
Ingredients
- 4 cups cubed sweet potatoes
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 eggs beaten
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons butter softened
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 2-3 cups mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- In a medium pot, cover sweet potatoes in water and cook over medium-high heat until tender; drain and mash.
- In a large bowl, mix together the mashed potatoes, sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk, and vanilla extract, until smooth. Pour in a greased 9×13" baking dish.
- Mix the brown sugar and flour in a medium bowl and cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in pecans, and sprinkle mixture over your sweet potato mixture.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle on marshmallows and bake an additional 10-15 minutes (or until lightly brown).ENJOY!
Video
Notes
STORE any leftover casserole in the fridge in airtight containers. Reheat in the oven or microwave.
FREEZE. To freeze sweet potato casserole, complete steps 1-4. Do not add the marshmallows. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the sweet potato mixture. Wrap the entire pan with plastic wrap, and again with aluminum foil. Label and keep in the freezer for 3-4 months.
Thaw in the fridge overnight. Remove all the foil and plastic. Bake as directed in step 5.
Nutrition
Calories: 259kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 46mg, Sodium: 205mg, Potassium: 209mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 25g, Vitamin A: 6553IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 42mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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i make sweet potatoes at least twice a month. so much fun doing different varieties. you don’t have to wait till a holiday comes around for me. i am the only one who eats it, 2 family household, so i get all the goodness. i do share just the sweet potato before i add all the goodies to it with my little chihuahua he loves it and so good for them too. thanks for the recipes love them