Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
Buttery mashed sweet potatoes with a hint of vanilla, baked under a crumbly brown sugar pecan topping. Use all-purpose flour or a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour in the topping.
Servings: 10 servings
Equipment
- 1 9x9-inch baking dish or 2-quart oval dish
- 1 potato masher
- 1 instant-read thermometer
- 1 electric hand mixer (optional)
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Mixture
- 3 to 3 ¼ pounds sweet potatoes weighed after peeling, cubed
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened and cubed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup whole milk plus 1 to 2 tablespoons to thin if needed
- 2 large eggs
Brown Sugar Pecan Topping
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour or measure-for-measure gluten-free 1:1 flour
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x9-inch baking dish or a 2-quart oval dish with nonstick spray or butter.
- Add the cubed sweet potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender. Drain well.
- Return the sweet potatoes to the pot and mash until mostly smooth. Add the butter, sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt. Taste and adjust the sweetness. Let the mash cool for about 5 minutes, then add the eggs and stir until well combined. For an extra-smooth filling, use an electric hand mixer. Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted, cooled butter and stir with a fork until crumbly. Fold in the chopped pecans. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center reaches 160°F and the topping is golden brown. Let the casserole rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Weigh the sweet potatoes after peeling. Aim for 3 to 3 ¼ pounds.
- For a less sweet casserole, use ¼ cup sugar.
- Coconut sugar is a one-to-one swap for the granulated sugar.
- Gluten-free: use a measure-for-measure flour labeled 1:1. It contains xanthan gum, and that makes a difference in the topping.
- If the topping browns before the center reaches 160°F, cover it with foil and keep baking.
- Make ahead: Prepare the filling and topping up to 1 day ahead. Refrigerate them separately. Add the topping just before baking. The cold filling may need a little extra time to reach 160°F.
- Leftovers: Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F until heated through.
- 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled
- ½ cup melted ghee
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup coconut sugar or natural sweetener of choice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cups chopped pecans
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup melted ghee
- ½ cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons tapioca or arrowroot flour
- Pinch of salt
- Cook the sweet potatoes until soft. I peel and boil mine until fork-tender.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray (I use coconut oil spray).
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked sweet potatoes, coconut sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs, and melted ghee. Beat with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes, until fluffy and smooth. Pour into the prepared dish.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- While it bakes, combine the coconut sugar, tapioca or arrowroot flour, almond flour, chopped pecans, salt, and melted ghee in a small bowl. Mix with a fork until crumbly.
- Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle the topping over the sweet potatoes. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until the topping is lightly browned.