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I love this sweet potato casserole and make it every year! The sweet potatoes are baked instead of boiled, so there’s no peeling or chopping, and it’s topped with homemade marshmallow fluff that I toast with a kitchen torch. Growing up, my family always topped ours with marshmallows, and I still love them, but toasted fluff is my favorite. It looks gorgeous and tastes even better! I’ve been making this casserole (and my sweet potato pie) for years, and it’s always the first dish to disappear.
It’s the perfect side next to my easy stuffing, cheesy scalloped potatoes and cranberry orange relish. And for dessert, you can’t go wrong with my homemade pumpkin pie!
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- What Makes This Sweet Potato Casserole So Easy
- Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients
- How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole
- Eden’s Tips for Sweet Potato Casserole
- Sweet Potato Casserole Toppings and Variations
- Make-Ahead, Storage and Freezing Tips for Sweet Potato Casserole
- What to Serve with Sweet Potato Casserole
- Sweet Potato Casserole FAQs
- More Thanksgiving Recipes
- Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
What Makes This Sweet Potato Casserole So Easy
- The sweet potatoes bake whole, so there’s no peeling, chopping or boiling.
- There are no eggs, so it stays soft and creamy, like really good mashed sweet potatoes.
- The filling is just butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt.
- You can top it with toasted marshmallow fluff or regular marshmallows.
- You can make it up to two days ahead, perfect for Thanksgiving.
“This was a hit! We loved the toasted marshmallow fluff on top.” Journa, Sugar and Charm reader
Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes: Use large sweet potatoes that are about the same size so they bake evenly. Just rinse them, pat them dry and put them right in the oven, skin and all! Sweet potatoes are sometimes labeled as yams at the store, so look for the ones that are orange inside.
Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar both work.
Butter: Unsalted butter adds so much flavor. Use a good-quality butter if you can.
Heavy Cream: A little bit makes the sweet potatoes nice and creamy.
Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla for the best flavor.
Salt: Just a little brings out all the flavors.
Marshmallow Topping: I use my homemade marshmallow fluff. I’ve been making it for over 20 years, and it’s in my cookbook, Entertaining with Charm! You can also use store-bought marshmallows, and if you want to make your own, here’s my homemade marshmallow recipe.
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole
1. Bake the sweet potatoes. Place them on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake until they’re super soft.
2. Mash the sweet potatoes. Cut them open, scoop the inside into a bowl, and throw away the skins. While they’re hot, mash them with the butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt.
3. Add them to your dish. Spread the mashed sweet potatoes into a 9×13 casserole dish, or use a smaller one if you like a thicker layer.
4. Add the topping. Spread the marshmallow fluff over the top and toast it with a kitchen torch until it’s golden. If you’re using marshmallows, turn the oven down, add them on top and bake until they’re golden and gooey.
5. All the measurements and baking times are in the recipe card below.
Eden’s Tips for Sweet Potato Casserole
I’ve been developing recipes for Sugar and Charm for over 16 years (and I have a degree in Home Economics!), and these are my best tips for this casserole:
- Bake the sweet potatoes instead of boiling them. You don’t have to peel or chop anything, and they don’t get watery.
- Mash them while they’re hot. The butter melts right in, and they’re so much easier to mash. I like to leave a little texture, but if you want them really smooth, use an electric mixer or food processor.
- Make the marshmallow fluff ahead of time. It keeps well, so I make it a few days early. If you have extra, it’s so good on top of my pumpkin hot chocolate!
- Keep the torch moving. The fluff toasts fast, so move the torch around and stop once it’s golden.
- Toast it at the table! If you’re comfortable using a kitchen torch, toast the top in front of your guests. Everyone loves watching it, and it makes for a really pretty photo.
Sweet Potato Casserole Toppings and Variations
This sweet potato casserole is perfect as is, but there are lots of easy ways to change it up. Add chopped pecans or walnuts on top for some crunch, or add a streusel topping.
A splash of bourbon in the sweet potatoes is so good, and you can add cinnamon, nutmeg or about 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom for more fall flavor. For a little citrus, add a tablespoon of orange juice or zest, and use the rest of the orange in my homemade cranberry sauce!
Make-Ahead, Storage and Freezing Tips for Sweet Potato Casserole
Make Ahead: This is a great make-ahead side for Thanksgiving! Spread the mashed sweet potatoes into your dish, cover it and keep it in the fridge for up to two days.
Leave the topping off. When you’re ready to serve, warm the casserole in a 325°F oven, covering it with aluminum foil and baking it for 15 to 25 minutes until it’s hot all the way through. Then add the fluff and toast it, or add marshmallows and bake until golden. Making dishes ahead is one of my favorite tips for Thanksgiving dinner prep.
Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat them in the microwave or oven.
Freezing: Sweet potato casserole freezes well for up to two months. Freeze it before adding the topping. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before adding the topping and reheating in the oven.
What to Serve with Sweet Potato Casserole
I like to keep my Thanksgiving menu simple with a few favorites. This casserole goes perfectly with a roast turkey, sauteed Brussels sprouts, and pumpkin dinner rolls or cranberry cornbread. Put out a Thanksgiving cheese board when guests arrive, and serve apple cider Moscow mules or my Thanksgiving mocktail. And don’t forget a pretty fall Thanksgiving table!
Sweet Potato Casserole FAQs
Yes! You can make it up to two days ahead. Leave the topping off and keep it covered in the fridge. Warm it up until it’s hot all the way through, then add the fluff or marshmallows right before serving.
A lot of recipes use eggs, but mine doesn’t! It’s soft and creamy like mashed sweet potatoes, which makes it easy to make ahead and reheat.
I always bake them. There’s no peeling or chopping, they taste even sweeter, and they don’t get watery.
Both are so good! Marshmallows give you that classic gooey top. Marshmallow fluff is softer and creamier, and it toasts up so pretty with a kitchen torch. Here’s how to make marshmallow fluff.
No, they’re different. Yams are starchier and not as sweet. A lot of stores label sweet potatoes as yams, though, so just look for the ones that are orange inside.
Sweet potato pie is baked in a crust and cut into slices. Sweet potato casserole is a creamy side dish you scoop. I love both! Here’s my sweet potato pie, and my buttery pie crust is perfect for it.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
Thanksgiving
How to Cook a Turkey in The Oven
Thanksgiving
Easy Stuffing Recipe
Recipes
Cranberry Cornbread
You can find all of my favorite recipes, drinks, and table ideas in my Thanksgiving collection, and don’t forget to check out my fall desserts!
If you make this sweet potato casserole, please leave a 5-star rating and a comment below. I love hearing from you, and it helps other people find the recipe!
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Sweet Potato Casserole
Equipment
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 Kitchen Torch
- 1 9×13-inch casserole dish
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Casserole
- 5 large sweet potatoes , washed and patted dry
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping (choose one)
Marshmallow Fluff
- 10 large marshmallows, OR homemade marshmallow fluff
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Place the 5 large sweet potatoes on the baking sheet and bake until extra soft, about 1 hour.
- Cut them open and scoop the sweet potato into a large bowl, leaving the skins behind.
- While hot, mash with 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 tbsp heavy cream until smooth or the texture you like. An electric mixer or blender makes it extra smooth.
- Spread the mashed sweet potatoes into a 9×13-inch casserole dish (a smaller dish works too; the layer will just be thicker).
- For the fluff topping: spread homemade marshmallow fluff over the hot casserole and toast it with a kitchen torch until golden.
- For the marshmallow topping: reduce the oven to 350°F, cover the casserole with 10 large marshmallows and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, watching closely, until puffed and golden.
Notes
- Make-ahead: Leave the topping off, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 325°F oven, covered with aluminum foil, for 15 to 25 minutes.
- Marshmallow fluff: Make it a few days ahead. The recipe is here.
- Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven.
- Freezing: Sweet potato casserole freezes well for up to two months. Freeze it before adding the topping. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before adding the topping and reheating in the oven.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
wonderful taste
Sooo good!! Just made this casserole the other night and it was a HUGE hit!! Can’t wait to make again!!
This recipe is really amazing! Perfect for any occasion! Thanks a bunch for this very tasty sweet potato casserole recipe! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!
This was a hit! We loved the toasted marshmallow fluff on top. Thanks for this highly recommended recipe Eden!
I’m not finding the recipe for the homemade marshmallow fluff!
Never mind…I found it!
Oh. My. Gosh! This is gorgeous! The result looks so powerful. I’m a fan of the marshmallow topping but I’ve never even thought of the combination of sweet potatoes with marshmallows. I believe the taste of this sweet potato casserole is just phenomenal. I’m so inspired. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this brilliant idea and all of your useful recommendations. Such treasure. This made my day. I’m so lucky to have discovered your wonderful blog. Gonna browse it to explore more amazing recipes.
Best wishes,
Ann