Sweet Potato Casserole (Creamy, Cozy & Pecan-Topped)
The sweet potato casserole is always the star of the Thanksgiving table for me. I absolutely love sweet potatoes, and this version has everything I want — a creamy, lightly sweet base and a crunchy, buttery pecan topping that makes every bite feel like the holidays.
Roasting the sweet potatoes (instead of boiling) gives them a deeper flavor and richer texture. And since I live on a boat, I’m not wasting water or stove space — roasting is easier, cleaner, and tastes better anyway.
One more reason I love this dish: it’s perfect for make-ahead holiday prep. The sweet potato base can be refrigerated for up to two days, or frozen for up to three months. If you’re making it ahead, just pull it from the fridge an hour before baking, or add 10 minutes to the bake time to warm it through.
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel Topping
Ingredients
- 3-4 sweet potatoes
- 1 tbsp Avocado oil
- kosher salt
- 1/2 stick butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream Or one can sweet condensed milk.
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- few grinds pepper
- 2 eggs lightly whisked
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Topping
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 4 tbsp butter melted
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
Roast the Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.Rub the sweet potatoes with avocado oil and sprinkle with salt.Roast for 50–60 minutes, until completely soft.
Make the Topping
- In a small bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.Set aside. (The melted butter gets drizzled on later.)
Make the Casserole
- Lower oven temp to 350°F.When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and place the flesh in a large bowl. Let cool about 10 minutes so the eggs don’t scramble.Mash until smooth, then mix in the butter, cream (or condensed milk), brown sugar, vanilla, salt, pepper, and pumpkin pie spice.Stir in the whisked eggs until fully combined.Spread the mixture into a 2-quart baking dish or cast-iron skillet.
Add the Topping
- Sprinkle the dry topping mixture over the sweet potatoes.Drizzle the melted butter evenly across the top.
Bake
- Bake uncovered for 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden and crisp.Let cool slightly before serving.
Make-Ahead Instructions
- Refrigerate the sweet potato base (without topping) for up to 2 days.Add the topping right before baking.
Freezer Instructions
- Freeze the unbaked sweet potato portion only for up to 3 months, tightly covered.Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before baking and proceed as normal.