This sweet potato casserole with pecan topping is a classic favorite Thanksgiving recipe that everyone will love. Buttery sweet potatoes are topped with a homemade salty sweet pecan crumble for an irresistible casserole!
No Thanksgiving table is complete without a sweet potato casserole.
This sweet potato casserole with pecan topping is NOTHING like the bland sweet potato casseroles of the past.
It is buttery, spiced perfectly, and topped with the most amazing salty sweet pecan topping that makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
It’s even naturally gluten free for anyone with allergies.
Everyone who tries it can’t get enough!
It’s a holiday recipe that is sure to impress.
Sweet potato casserole was a Thanksgiving favorite that I didn’t like growing up.
I couldn’t stand the bland sweet potatoes drowned in mini marshmallows and it was just too much sweet for me!
It was probably part of the reason why I never ate sweet potatoes as a child.
Years later as an adult, sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables!
How to make Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
First, you will need 5 cups of mashed cooked sweet potato.
Since I’m always finding ways to make Thanksgiving day faster, I often will boil my sweet potatoes the day before Thanksgiving and put them in the fridge.
You will need around 3 – 4 large sweet potatoes, depending on the size.
This makes the casserole a cinch to throw together!
Add the mashed sweet potato, butter, milk, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt to a bowl and stir to combine.
This sweet potato filling is buttery, sweet, and tastes heavenly!
Transfer the sweet potato casserole filling to a 9 by 13 baking dish and start making the pecan topping.
This recipe calls for pecan crumbs, which is basically just taking pecans and placing them in a blender until a flour like texture forms.
It only takes a few seconds to blend up.
I love using pecan crumbs in desserts for the holidays!
If you love pecans, be sure to check out my pecan pie bars, pecan pie brownies, or my dark chocolate pecan cookie bars for Thanksgiving dessert!
Add the pecan crumbs, butter, brown sugar, and salt to a bowl.
Use a rubber spatula to stir until combined.
The pecan crumble should resemble wet sand.
Spread the pecan topping evenly over the top of the sweet potatoes and bake for 30 minutes, until browned and bubbly!
When you have something sweet like the classic favorite sweet potato casserole, you absolutely need some salt in there to help counteract all the sweetness.
This is a mistake that a lot of sweet potato casseroles make.
While this is definitely sweet, it is contrasted by the saltiness of the topping and the flavors coincide perfectly in your mouth with each bite.
This is why so many of my favorite desserts have flaked sea salt on top!
Trust me, it takes the flavor to the next level.
Sweet potato casserole went from a no-thank-you to a non negotiable part of my Thanksgiving table each year!
It just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without this delicious sweet potato casserole on the table.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
- Funeral Potatoes
- Green Bean Casserole
- Easy vegan stuffing
- Creamed Corn
- Healthy cranberry sauce
- Best ever vegetarian gravy
- Skillet Corn Recipe
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Dark Chocolate Pecan Cookie Bars
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
- Cranberry Apple Crisp
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Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecan Topping
This sweet potato casserole with pecan topping is the BEST side for your Thanksgiving table! Melt in your mouth buttery sweet potatoes are topped with a salty sweet gluten free pecan topping.
Ingredients
- 5 cups mashed sweet potato (around 3-4 large sweet potatoes)
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/3 cup 2% milk
- 1/4 cup pure grade a maple syrup
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
For the Pecan Topping
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 1/4 cups pecan crumbs (see notes)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Peel and boil the sweet potatoes until they are soft and fall apart easily. You can do this the day before to save time on prep work.
- Measure the mashed sweet potato into a bowl
- To the sweet potatoes, add butter, milk, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt and stir well
- Transfer the sweet potato filling to a 9 by 13 casserole dish
- Add pecan crumbs, butter, brown sugar, and salt to a bowl and mix with a rubber spatula to combine. The crumble should resemble wet sand
- Spread the pecan topping evenly over the top of the sweet potatoes
- Bake the sweet potato casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until bubbly
Notes
Use a food processor or blender to grind up the pecans into flour texture
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
18Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 274Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 230mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 2gSugar: 24gProtein: 2g
Dark Chocolate Pecan Cookie Bars
Joy Shull
Tuesday 16th of October 2018
Delicious, we make it every year!