Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
on Nov 09, 2023, Updated Sep 12, 2024
Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is a must for any Thanksgiving table. This delicious family favorite features a crunchy pecan topping and marshmallows on top for irresistible flavor!
This is the best sweet potato casserole!
I don’t know about you, but I did not grow up loving sweet potato casserole. I always found it to be bland and overly sweet.
As an adult I decided that I wanted to create a sweet potato casserole recipe that my family would make for years to come.
Not only does my family love this recipe, but it has gone viral on Pinterest and has been made by thousands of readers like you!
This is a classic favorite dish to make for the holidays and it’s simply divine. You will definitely be back for seconds!
Sweet Potato Casserole is a holiday must make along with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, glazed carrots, and green bean casserole.
Mashed sweet potato filling is topped with a crunchy brown sugar pecan layer AND covered in mini marshmallows that are baked to golden brown perfection.
This combination of salty sweet pecans and sweet marshmallows is what makes this so good!
“This was absolutely the best Sweet Potato Casserole I’ve ever made/had! That layer of pecans was amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!” -Reader Nicole
Ingredients to make sweet potato casserole
- Sweet Potatoes: you will need fresh sweet potatoes for this recipe
- Brown Sugar
- Butter
- Spices: salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and nutmeg
- All Purpose Flour
- Pecan Pieces
- Mini Marshmallows
How to make marshmallow sweet potato casserole
Step 1: Prepare the sweet potatoes by peeling them and cutting them into large chunks. Doing this will allow them to cook faster when you boil them instead of leaving them whole.
Step 2: Place the sweet potato chunks in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook the sweet potatoes until they are fork tender and fall apart easily.
Step 3: Drain the sweet potatoes and add them back to the sauce pan. Mash them with a potato masher.
Add the rest of the casserole filling ingredients: butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and nutmeg and mix until well combined.
Step 4: In a separate bowl, make the pecan topping for the casserole. Stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, all purpose flour, salt, and pecan pieces until combined.
Step 5: Grease a 9 by 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Add the sweet potato filling and spread it out evenly in the dish.
Top the sweet potatoes with the pecan crumble in an even layer.
Step 6: Add the mini marshmallows over the pecan topping in an even layer, making sure to cover the entire top of the casserole.
Step 7: Bake the sweet potato casserole at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes, or until bubbly and the marshmallows are golden brown on top.
We are going for those perfect toasty brown marshmallows that make for the most delicious bite!
Joy’s Tip
Make sure to keep a close eye on the casserole towards the end to ensure you get a nice toasty brown top without burning. We want that topping to be nice and golden brown!
While I used to only be a sweet potato and pecan kinda gal, this recipe changed my mind!
The salty crunchy pecan topping with the sweetness of the golden brown marshmallows is simply out of this world delicious.
My kids love this recipe and think it’s so fun to eat marshmallows for a meal!
Storing Instructions
Storing: Leftover casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
How to Reheat: Leftover sweet potato casserole can be reheated in the oven at 350 degrees, or in the microwave until heated through
If you’re asked to bring sweet potato casserole to your family’s Thanksgiving table, bring this. You will wow them all with your incredible cooking skills!
Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows FAQs
Yes, you can prep this ahead of time. Make the sweet potato filling, and place in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Once you are ready to bake the casserole, add the pecan topping and marshmallows.
The day before Thanksgiving, I will at least boil and mash my sweet potatoes, or make it all ahead to assemble the next day. This dish is a great one to prep ahead of time.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
You can’t go wrong with this classic holiday side dish! It will bring back all the nostalgia of childhood and is sure to impress your friends and family.
Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
Ingredients
For the sweet potato filling
- 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks (around 9 cups worth)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
For the pecan topping
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups finely chopped pecan pieces
For the marshmallow layer
- 10 oz mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into large chunks and place them into a large sauce pan. Cover with water and bring it to a boil
- Boil until the sweet potatoes are fork tender and easily pierced with a fork. They should fall apart easily
- Drain the sweet potatoes and add them back to the sauce pan. Mash with a potato masher. Add the rest of the sweet potato filling ingredients: butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and nutmeg and mix until well combined
- In a separate bowl, make the pecan topping. Stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, all purpose flour, salt, and pecan pieces until combined
- Grease a 9 by 13 baking dish with cooking spray
- Add the sweet potato filling and spread out evenly
- Spread the pecan topping evenly over the top of the sweet potatoes
- Add the mini marshmallows over the top in an even layer
- Bake the sweet potato casserole at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes, or until bubbly and the marshmallows are golden brown on top. Watch closely towards the end to get the perfect golden brown without burning
This was absolutely the best Sweet Potato Casserole I’ve ever made/had! That layer of pecans was amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
So happy you enjoyed it!
This was awesome but we don’t like side dishes to be overly sweet so I made the sweet potato layer with only 1/4 cup butter and about 2T honey and it was the perfect sweet savory combo.
I need to bake a head of time and bring it to my families house. Could I bake it before with the nut topping and when I get to my sisters could I brown the marshmallows last minute?
Can you make this the day before and just not put the toppings on till the next day?
Yes! I do this often to save time
What about using a smaller, but taller dish?
Has anyone tried this with almond flour to replace the all purpose flour in the topping? Does it usually work for a crumble ?
Can this be made with canned sweet potatoes? I’d love to make this for Thanksgiving but have a big can of sweet potatoes that I would like to use up.
I have not tried it myself, if anyone else has please comment here!
@Patti Read, I have made sweet potato casserole with canned and you can’t really tell the difference.
Hi, how many people does this usually serve?
I would say at least 10-15 as a side easily. It makes a very large amount.
Hi! Planning on making this for thanks and prepping the day before. I see steps to keep it separate. Does that add extra cooking time since it will be cold from fridge?
Nope, it won’t add any cooking time! I would just prepare the sweet potato part ahead of time and refrigerate it. Once you’re ready to bake it, place the filling in a baking dish, then make the pecan topping real quick and top it with that and the marshmallows and bake!
@Joy Shull, just made for the first time hoping it comes out as good as it looks what a great recipe! I’m traveling can I add sweet potato filling to casserole dish w pecans and bake w marshmallows when I get there? Hour drive or to you think best to cook here first and reheat at my family’s? Sorry to bug your first time making traveling!