Sweet Potato Casserole (Two Ways)

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It’s sweet, it’s creamy, and it’s packed full of those fall flavors you’ve come to love. Keep reading to learn more about this delicious Sweet Potato Casserole…two ways!

The Perfect Thanksgiving Dinner Side Dishes

It’s almost Thanksgiving and we’ve been on a roll, coming up with side dishes to serve with our Perfect Smoked Turkey on the Grill. 

I don’t know about you, but for me, Thanksgiving is as much about the sides as the protein. And here in the south we know our sides. 

So, let’s talk about that.

Thanksgiving Side Dishes in the South

You can count on several things here in Texas. When you sit down at your Thanksgiving table you’re going to find turkey, traditional southern cornbread dressing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes (or sweet potato casserole), and (of course) that slippery, slimy concoction from a can known as cranberry jelly. 

I’m not a fan, but that’s a post for another day. 

We often throw in a few other favorites: cheesy corn casserole, yeast rolls, and a delicious pecan pie. 

To Sweet Potato. . .or Not to Sweet Potato

I didn’t always eat sweet potatoes, but when a good friend made some that were loaded with butter, brown sugar, and topped with a pecan streusel, I decided to give them a try. 

It was the BEST sweet potato casserole I had ever eaten. I was hooked! Those potatoes were unbelievably delicious. And the crunchy pecans on top were the star of the show. I couldn’t get enough of them!

That was fifteen years ago and I haven’t looked back. This sweet potato casserole now has a place of honor on our Thanksgiving table every year. Some would say it’s more like a dessert but I think it’s the perfect complement to turkey and ham.

I usually start with canned sweet potatoes, but you can use fresh sweet potatoes, if you like. Just make sure you chop and boil them until they’re tender before you begin. 

Speaking of sweet potato recipes, I feel like I need to address the elephant (er, potato) in the room. 

Is it a Yam or a Sweet Potato?

People often interchange the words “sweet potato” and “yam.”

So, are they the same? 

While they have similar taste and texture, they’re actually two different plants. Sweet potatoes are root vegetables, loaded with beta carotene, and rich in sweetness and flavor. They’re incredibly nutritious. 

Yams are from a different botanical family and are starchier. They’re not quite as sweet. They’ve got a rough, scaly skin and a drier interior than a sweet potato. Yams are not as widely available in the states as sweet potatoes, but they are interchangeable in this recipe, if you prefer them. 

We opted for sweet potatoes (we love the creaminess) but you can certainly use yams if you prefer them. 

Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients

These are simple ingredients you might already have in your kitchen. If not, you can pick them up at your favorite grocery store. You’ll find a full recipe card with measurements at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick look at what you’re going to need. 

FOR THE SWEET POTATO MIXTURE

• sweet potatoes, drained and patted dry
• melted butter
• whipping cream
• brown sugar
• eggs
• cinnamon

FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING

• brown sugar (light or dark brown sugar will work, your choice)
• all-purpose flour
• chopped pecans
• slightly softened butter
• vanilla extract

OPTIONAL

• mini marshmallows

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

This is such a simple process with a sweet and delicious outcome. 

Start by preheating your oven or grill to 350 degrees. We made ours on the grill. 

Prepare an 8×8 (or 9×9)-inch baking dish by rubbing it with butter or spraying with non-stick spray. Set aside. 

MAKE THE STREUSEL TOPPING

Place the butter, brown sugar, flour, and vanilla extract into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Beat until light and creamy.

Stir in one cup of chopped pecans. Cover and place in refrigerator to chill while you’re making the filling. 

MAKE THE SWEET POTATO FILLING

Start by draining the sweet potatoes. You don’t want any moisture in them at all. You can place the potatoes on a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. 

Place sweet potatoes into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Add the eggs and brown sugar.

Mix until creamy (if you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a food processor, potato masher, whisk or hand mixer).

Add melted butter, cream, and cinnamon and mix again until it all comes together. 

Scoop the sweet potato mixture into your prepared pan. 

Now comes the fun part. We decided to do a half and half approach, putting marshmallows as a topping on one half of the casserole and streusel on the other. 

Pinch the streusel on top in small clumps, getting good coverage. 

If you’re using marshmallows, place them on the opposite side of the dish, single layer. 

Baking Instructions:

If you’re baking in a regular oven you’ll want to cook this for 30 – 35 minutes or until golden. 

If you’re cooking this on the grill, let it cook a bit longer—probably 45 – 50 minutes. 

When marshmallows are golden brown, remove the casserole dish from the heat and place on a wire rack to cool. 

Choose from your favorite side! (We took a little of each, as you can see.) 

To store leftovers: let sweet potatoes cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and place in refrigerator. These sweet potatoes will stay good for several days, (4 – 5). They’re delicious warmed up in the microwave. 

What to Expect from this Sweet Casserole

We hate to brag but this is the best sweet potato casserole recipe out there, folks. . .and it’s so versatile, perfect for your Thanksgiving table or even Christmas dinner!

If you love pumpkin pie or sweet potato pie, you’re going to love this dish. It’s got that warm cinnamon flavor, merged with the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. The filling is delicious all on its own. 

But when you merge it with the pecan crumble and gooey marshmallows. Wow! Just. . .wow. You’ll feel like you’ve skipped the main course and gone straight to the desserts. 

In fact, you could make this as a dessert, but I’ll share more about that below! For now, just enjoy a big helping (or two) of this delicious side dish, perfect with your Thanksgiving turkey. 

Make it Your Own

There are so many ways to change this up. Let’s start with a couple of obvious choices: 

Yams instead of sweet potatoes: As I mentioned above, you could always use yams in place of sweet potatoes. Just do a 1:1 swap. 

Pumpkin: A friend of mine uses half sweet potatoes, half pumpkin in her casserole. If you love the flavor of pumpkin, this might work for you. 

Pumpkin Pie Spice: In addition to the cinnamon you can add a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the filling, if you like. Pumpkin pie spice is made up of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. (Nothing says holiday like pumpkin spice! Talk about the classic thanksgiving side dish!) 

Marshmallow topping: If you love mini marshmallows but don’t have any on hand, try some marshmallow fluff (canned marshmallow topping).

Maple Syrup: You can add a dash of maple syrup to your sweet potatoes in place of the brown sugar, if you like. Honey is another option.

Turn it into a pie: You can add this filling to a pie crust and bake it as you would a pumpkin or sweet potato pie. I would probably replace the butter, cream, and brown sugar with a can of sweetened condensed milk. Yum.

Thanksgiving Desserts:

We love a good chocolate pie after our holiday celebrations and Out of the Box Baking has a recipe for a great one. 

And what about this Sour Cream Spice Cake from Cindy’s Online Recipe Box. It sounds amazing.

Another fall option are these Cookie Butter Cupcakes, with warm fall flavors.  

Thanks for Stopping By!

That’s it for this post, friends! We hope you enjoy this easy sweet potato casserole recipe from Backyard Texas Grill. It has become a family favorite for us and it’s going to be perfect for your holiday table.

Why not pin a few pictures while you’re here?

See this recipe at:

Full Plate Thursday

Weekend Potluck

What’s For Dinner

About the Man Behind the Grill

Zach Morrow was born and raised in Texas and has always had a passion for great barbecue. He’s at home behind the grill and loves to feed his friends and family home-cooked favorites as often as he can. He especially loves trying new things and is excited to produce recipes like this one for Backyard Texas Grill.