Chef John’s Sweet Potato Casserole
A creamy sweet potato base topped with a crunchy pecan streusel for a festive and delicious holiday side dish.
Ingredients
For the sweet potato base:
- 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
For the pecan topping:
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Boil sweet potatoes until tender, about 15–20 minutes. Drain and mash until smooth.
- Stir in butter, sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix well.
- Spread sweet potato mixture evenly into the baking dish.
- In a bowl, combine pecans, flour, brown sugar, and butter. Stir to form a crumbly topping.
- Sprinkle topping over sweet potatoes.
- Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes, until golden brown and set.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Adjust sugar to your taste for a less sweet version.
- Freshly baked sweet potatoes give richer flavour than boiling.
- Toast pecans lightly for extra crunch.
- This casserole reheats well the next day.
- Perfect alongside turkey, ham, or roasted meats.