Sweet potato casserole with orange juice and marshmallows

Comin’ atcha, with a brand new Easy Sweet Potato Casserole recipe that is totally comforting and classic tasting, but so easy to make entirely from scratch. Don’t worry it doesn’t have any marshmallows, just delicious candied pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter on top to make these ultra-creamy sweets irresistible on your Thanksgiving plate! And the best part is, it can be made a day ahead so it’s one less thing to worry about on Thanksgiving.

DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by The Spice Hunter .

Can we all agree that Thanksgiving is The Best Thing in Life?

If you’re hosting Thanksgiving this year, don’t let the pressure of being responsible for The Best Thing in Life get to you; I got your back, friend! Not only do I have your whole Thanksgiving Planner ready at your fingertips, but I have a super easy SOLUTION for your Turkey woes.

Brining

Which comes with a brining bag included. It’s a blend of salt (the key to brine) and a savory blend of fruit and rosemary. So you literally have everything you need to make a super flavorful (JUICY) bird right in a single bag! Here’s where you can buy it.

You know how I always talk about how brining is the KEY to the best turkey? (That and an instant-read thermometer and using a foil shield to prevent the turkey breast from over-browning.) Well, if the idea of brining has been too overwhelming (or messy) for you to try in the past, this is your year to brine a turkey my friends. That’s because The Spice Hunter makes brining your turkey so easy with their all-in-one turkey brine mix.

You can learn more about brining, and learn how to make herb roasted turkey in my detailed post.

That means you can focus your culinary sorcery on the SIDE DISHES (woot woot!) And by culinary sorcery, I mean cutting some stuff up and stirring it together. That’s pretty much all that you have to do to make this Easy Sweet Potato Casserole. But do not tell anyone because they’ll think it was mad hard to make when they taste it. They’ll be all “Oh my what is that flavor, this must be a family heirloom recipe!” Actually, it’s not, it’s brand new and there really is zero sorcery involved, but they don’t have to know that.

Why We Love The Easy Sweet Potato Casserole

Brighten up your Thanksgiving table with this comforting, delicious and easy sweet potato casserole! It’s incredibly soft and moist on the inside and, crunchy on the outside. It also includes seasonal ingredients such as cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar to make it even tastier and warming.

There are lots of great things about this dish. Firstly, it is really easy to prepare and makes a super filling side option. It can also be made ahead of time which makes it the Second Best Thing in Life! If you have time the day before Thanksgiving, I totally recommend adding this to your prep list. It will make the day of Thanksgiving so much smoother. And you’ll be so much calmer knowing that your sides are ready to pop in the oven when your (gorgeous, juicy, brined) turkey comes out.

Serve this sweet potato casserole on your Thanksgiving table along with dishes like Green Bean Casserole, Cornbread, Stuffing and more. There is sure to be something for everyone to enjoy!

Ingredients for this Recipe

Sweet potatoes

Of course, this dish would be nothing without the main ingredient sweet potatoes! Steam the sweet potatoes until they are soft and tender to make this sweet potato casserole irresistibly soft and delicious.

Orange Juice and Zest

I love the combination of orange with sweet potato, so I used both orange zest plus orange juice. It adds so much flavor you’ll never want sweet potatoes without orange again. Full stop.

Cinnamon and Nutmeg

There is no such thing as Thanksgiving without cinnamon and nutmeg and I make it my personal mission to add it to as many dishes as possible. I used a full two teaspoons of Cinnamon in the mashed sweet potatoes because they really soak up a lot of flavor and I added in some of Nutmeg, but in a much smaller amount, because it can be a bossy spice that can take over. Additionally, I found that ¼ teaspoon in the mashed sweets was plenty.

Butter and Brown Sugar

Since I was going for a traditional classic sweet potato casserole recipe, I went for it and added melted butter and brown sugar. This is the holidays after all. It makes these sweet potatoes creamier and sweeter, which means that they’ll be a total crowd-pleaser. Plus the flavors will pop against the other savory recipes like the Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes or the Gluten-free Quinoa Stuffing.

Note: If you prefer an unrefined sweetener, you can use granulated maple sugar.

Pecans

Fall calls for pecans! Top this casserole with pecans to add a delicious nutty flavor along with some crunch to the casserole.

Step By Step Instructions For This Easy Sweet Potato Casserole

This is the best sweet potato casserole recipe ever. It is easy to follow, can be prepped in just 20 minutes and tastes absolutely amazing. Seriously, this dish is definitely Thanksgiving side dish goals and it is sure to have everyone coming back for more!

Prepare Sweet Potatoes

•     First start off by prepping the sweet potatoes. Peel them entirely, and cut off the fibrous tips. Then cut them into 2-inch chunks.
•     Next steam the sweet potatoes until they are very tender. This takes about 20 minutes. You can test to see if they are done by pressing your fork into the sweet potato and if the fork slides in and then out easily you know they are completely soft. That will give you the creamiest result.

Mash The Sweet Potatoes By Hand Or In A Food Processor

1.     You can mash the sweet potatoes by hand with a potato masher, or you can puree them in a food processor. I actually prefer the ultra smooth texture when they’re pureed. But if you like a more rustic texture, you can mash them up by-hand in a minute flat.
2.     You’ll want to add the orange juice mixture as you mash.
3.     Note: my food processor is large so I was able to puree the entire batch of sweet potatoes (about 7 cups) in one go. However, if you have a smaller food processor, you’ll have to do it in two batches. Try your best to divide the orange juice mixture between the batches, and then stir them together well at the end.

Top the Sweet Potato Casserole with a Mixture of Pecans, Brown Sugar and Butter

Instead of topping this sweet potato casserole with sad and predictable marshmallows which could hardly qualify for worthy of “the Best Thing in Life” status this Sweet Potato Casserole has a super easy pecan topping made with brown sugar and butter and a hit of The Spice Hunter cinnamon and nutmeg. That alone will have your Thanksgiving guests weak in the knees as they smell it baking! I promise!

•     Chop Pecans: To make the topping, simply chop ¾ cup of raw unsalted pecans. (I like to buy them in bulk and then store them in my freezer. They keep longer that way.)
•     Add Butter and Brown Sugar: Then toss the pecans with a little melted butter, brown sugar (or you could use granulated maple sugar), Spice Hunter nutmeg and cinnamon.
•     Add The Topping: Top the mashed sweet potatoes mixture with the topping.
•     Bake Until Nuts Are Candied and Toasted: Let the topping candy in the oven. I tested this sweet potato casserole a lot of times and I can say with assurance that you want to let it bake long enough for the topping to really toast and candy. Something special happens. When you see the pecans start to brown, that means it’s ready. The brown sugar and butter mixture will coat the nuts and make them crispy in the best, most magical way possible.

How to Make it Start to Finish on Thanksgiving

If you have to work late on Wednesday or can’t prep it ahead for some other reason, no worries, you can also make this simple sweet potato casserole recipe from start to finish too. Once you add the nut topping, just pop it in the oven. It will bake much faster because it won’t be cold, so it will be ready in about 35 minutes. Again, set a timer and check on it after 30 minutes to make sure the nuts do not brown too much.

FAQs and Expert tips

What’s the Difference Between Yams and Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are native to Central and South America while yams are native to Africa. What makes things confusing is that traditional recipes, like candied yams with pecans, are actually made with sweet potatoes. And if you look on the can of store-bought candied yams, in small letters below it will specify that it’s not yams but indeed sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potatoes are higher in sugar and yams are starchier. Yams also have thick woody skin, and sweet potatoes’ skin is relatively thin by comparison. While there are a lot of hefty sweet potatoes at the market these days, some yams are huge (5 ft long!) You can read more about it here.

What is the difference between sweet potato pie and sweet potato casserole?

So here’s what you should know, sweet potato pie and sweet potato casserole are not the same dish. Sweet potato pie is a popular dessert that features a creamy sweet potato filling baked in pie crust. While, sweet potato casserole is a side dish made with sweet potato chunks and is topped with nuts or marshmallows.

How to prepare make-ahead sweet potato casserole?

To make sweet potato casserole ahead of time, prepare the sweet potato mash, and top it with the nut mixture, then cover it and stick it in the fridge for a day. Then when the turkey comes out, set the oven to 350 degrees, remove the cover from the casserole and bake it until the topping is showing the deliciously telltale signs of being roasty toasty and the brown sugar is turning to a crispy sugary candied coating. This takes about 50 minutes when the casserole goes in the cold. Just keep an eye on it, and when the nuts start to brown, you’ll know it’s ready.

How do you know when sweet potato casserole is done?

It is vital that sweet potato casserole is baked to perfection. Sweet potato casserole is done once the nut or marshmallow topping has browned and the center of the casserole is set and firm.

Additional Recipes To Try

•     Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole– this one can be made a day ahead too and is a creamy contrast to the other side dishes
•     Cranberry Sausage Stuffing with sage, Italian sausage and dried cranberries. This is a classic stuffing recipe I make over and over.
•     My Green Bean Casserole can be made a day ahead too. Just slide it into the oven next to the Sweet Potato Casserole and they’ll take about the same amount of time.
•     The pies can be made a day ahead as well. It’s hard to choose one, but I think my favorite is this Maple Cranberry Apple Pie.
•     Not everyone makes salad on Thanksgiving, but if you do, this Kale Salad with Delicata Squash is a good make ahead option. Build it and make the Maple Sherry Dressing the day before (if you have room in your fridge that is!)

Thanks so much for reading. If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my free weekly email newsletter where I share weeknight meal plans delivered right to your inbox. Or follow me on Instagram. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It is very appreciated. Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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Description

Sweet Potatoes mashed with Orange Juice, Butter, The Spice Hunter Cinnamon and Nutmeg. Topped with chopped nuts tossed with brown sugar, butter and more cinnamon and nutmeg. Instructions to include how to make ahead and reheat in the oven once the turkey comes out.

4 large sweet potatoes, about 3 ½ pounds

½ cup orange juice

8 tablespoons (1 stick) melted butter, divided

5 tablespoons brown sugar, divided

1 teaspoon orange zest

 ¾ teaspoon salt

2 ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, divided

½ teaspoons ground nutmeg, divided

¾ cup chopped pecans

1.     Bring 1 to 2 inches water to a boil in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Meanwhile, peel sweet potatoes and cut into 2-inch chunks. When water comes to a boil, place the sweet potatoes in the steamer basket, cover saucepan and let steam until the sweet potatoes are fork tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Using an oven mitt, lift the steamer out of the saucepan and slide the sweet potatoes out into a large bowl.
2.     Add orange juice, 6 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, salt, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Alternatively puree in a food processor (in two batches) for an ultra-smooth consistency. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a 3 quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray.
3.     Combine pecans in a small bowl with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and the remaining ¼ teaspoon each cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss to coat. Spread the spiced nut mixture over the sweet potatoes and cover. Refrigerate up to two days. See alternative instructions to bake immediately.
4.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove cover and transfer the casserole to the oven and bake until heated through and the nuts are toasted, candied and fragrant, about 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Tip: If baking immediately, do not cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees until hot all the way through and the nuts are toasted, about 30 to 35 minutes.

• Prep Time: 20
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Stove Top and Oven
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2/3 cup
• Calories: 202
• Sugar: 9 g
• Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Carbohydrates: 18 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 2 g

Keywords: sweet potato casserole, thanksgiving, side dish, make ahead, gluten free, vegetarian, sweet potatoes