Easy Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

I’m sharing my Best Sweet Potato Casserole with a marshmallow topping and one surprising pantry ingredient that gives a fresh twist to the classic Thanksgiving side.

I grew up thinking sweet potato casserole was just a Thanksgiving thing, but this easy Sweet Potato Casserole flipped that idea for me. I mash sweet potatoes until they’re silky, then pile on sticky mini marshmallows that brown in seconds.

People always ask if mine’s from some bakery, I shrug and say it’s my Best Sweet Potato Casserole and they never believe me. I can’t promise it’s perfect, I still burn the edges sometimes, but it makes folks pause and reach for seconds, like it hides one tiny trick you kinda want to uncover.

Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes: creamy naturally sweet, full of fiber and vitamin A, savory or dessert friendly
• Butter: adds richness fat and silky texture helps bind the filling, not healthy if overused
• Brown sugar: gives caramel like sweetness and moisture, mostly simple carbs so use sparingly
• Eggs: give structure some protein and fat, help the casserole set while baking
• Mini marshmallows: pure sugary fluff that melts to a gooey top, no real nutrients
• Chopped pecans: crunchy, add healthy fats and protein, toasty flavor is great contrast
• Cinnamon and nutmeg: warm fragrant spices with tiny antioxidants, make the dish smell cozy

Ingredient Quantities

• 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup milk (whole or evaporated)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• optional streusel 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• optional streusel 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• optional streusel 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold
• optional streusel 1 cup chopped pecans

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Scrub and poke the sweet potatoes with a fork and roast on a rimmed baking sheet until very tender, about 45 to 60 minutes. If you’re short on time, microwave each potato 8 to 12 minutes (turn once) until soft, then let cool a few minutes.

2. When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and put the flesh in a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher or run through a ricer for extra smoothness, you want almost no big lumps.

3. Stir in 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/3 cup milk (whole or evaporated), 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until the mixture is smooth and homogenous. Don’t overmix or it can get gluey.

4. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into the dish. Smooth the top with a spatula.

5. If you want the optional streusel: in a small bowl combine 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, and 1 cup chopped pecans. Cut in 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly and clumps form.

6. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the sweet potato layer if using. If you prefer marshmallows only, skip this step.

7. Evenly top with 2 cups mini marshmallows. If you added the streusel you can put the marshmallows on top of the streusel for a double-texture finish, it looks nice and tastes great.

8. Lower oven to 350F and bake about 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is hot and marshmallows start to melt and puff.

9. For a golden top, switch the oven to broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching like a hawk so the marshmallows don’t burn. Pull it as soon as they’re golden brown.

10. Let the casserole rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving so the topping sets a bit. Tip: you can make the sweet potato filling a day ahead and refrigerate, then add streusel and marshmallows and bake right before guests arrive.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (or microwave if you want the shortcut)
2. Rimmed baking sheet
3. Vegetable peeler (or a paring knife)
4. Fork (to poke the potatoes)
5. Large mixing bowl
6. Potato masher or ricer
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. 9×13 inch baking dish (greased)
9. Rubber spatula (for spreading)

FAQ

Easy Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Sweet potatoes: swap with canned sweet potato puree (use equal weight), roasted butternut squash or pumpkin puree for similar texture and sweetness, or russet/Yukon potatoes if you want a less sweet casserole (you may want to cut the added sugar a little).
• Unsalted butter: use melted coconut oil 1:1 for a subtle coconut note, or use light olive oil (use about 3/4 the amount) for a savory twist, or stick margarine 1:1 if you need dairy free.
• Light brown sugar: replace with coconut sugar 1:1 for a similar caramel taste, or mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon molasses to mimic brown sugar, or use maple syrup/honey (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup) but reduce other liquids slightly.
• Eggs (2): make “flax eggs” with 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water (mix and let sit 5 min), or use 1/2 cup applesauce, or 1/2 cup pureed silken tofu for a neutral binder.

Pro Tips

1. Use a ricer or food mill for the smoothest filling, or mash while the potatoes are still warm and press through a fine sieve. If you mash by hand, don’t overwork it or you’ll end up with a gluey texture; let the mash cool a bit before adding eggs so they don’t scramble.

2. Keep the streusel butter very cold and toss quickly until you have big, coarse crumbs not floury dust. Toast the pecans in a dry skillet first until fragrant, it makes the nuts taste way better.

3. Brown the butter instead of just melting it if you want deeper, nutty flavor, but watch it closely because it goes from perfect to burned fast. And if you prefer control over browning the marshmallows, use a kitchen torch instead of the broiler.

4. Make the sweet potato filling a day ahead to save time, chill it, then add streusel and marshmallows and bake when guests arrive. Let the finished dish rest 5 to 10 minutes so the topping sets, otherwise it can ooze and be hard to plate.