My pecan sweet potato casserole with streusel topping has a silky sweet potato base flavored with vanilla, bourbon, and sweet spices topped with a crunchy brown sugar pecan crumble! This family favorite is easy to make from scratch and deserves a spot on your holiday table.
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my soulful sweet potato pecan pie and sweet potato bread pudding with praline sauce, too!
Jump to:
- What is sweet potato casserole?
- Why You'll Love this Recipe
- What You'll Need for this Recipe
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole
- Pro Tip #1
- Pro Tip #2
- Pro Tip #3
- Pro Tip #4
- Pro Tip #5
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What to Serve with Sweet Potato Casserole
- More Favorite Holiday Dinner Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
What is sweet potato casserole?
Sweet potato casserole is a sweet baked side dish or dessert typically served at holiday tables, especially in the American south. It's made with mashed or whipped sweet potato puree, flavorings, and usually some kind of topping.
Depending on where you live and how you make it, it might be called sweet potato pone or soufflé. Today's recipe is made in the Soul Food tradition, aka, a Black folks' sweet potato casserole.
Why You'll Love this Recipe
Classic Southern Flavor - This recipe uses my late grandmother's teachings, Kentucky bourbon, and Texas pecans for rich and soulful flavor. Not to toot my own horn but I've tasted Ruth's Chris sweet potato casserole and mine is actually better!
Easy to Make - There are essentially three major steps to this homemade sweet potato casserole with pecan topping. Roast the sweet potatoes, mix up the filling and pecan crumble topping, then bake. Dassit! Even if you're a holiday dinner beginner, you can pull off this impressive dish.
Like any good southern girl, I specialize in rich and indulgent side dishes so I have plenty more to share with you. Check out my three cheese bacon mac & cheese, praline sweet potato gratin, brussels sprouts rice casserole, and brown butter garlic green beans next!
What You'll Need for this Recipe
Sweet Potatoes - I recommend using Jewel or Garnet variety sweet potatoes for the best taste and texture. At this time of year, I recommend keeping roasted sweet potato puree in the fridge or freezer to make all your favorite holiday recipes easier.
Bourbon - We aren't using nearly enough alcohol in this recipe to cause intoxication but the quality matters so use a bourbon whiskey you'd enjoy sipping in a cocktail. If you prefer not to use alcohol, you can simply omit it.
Spices - Cinnamon and nutmeg add warming sweetness to the pecan sweet potato bake that play perfectly with the vanilla extract, bourbon, and other flavors that perfectly set everything off.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Brown Sugar - Use dark or light brown sugar in both the filling and the streusel for caramelized flavor and tender texture. You can also go half and half with granulated sugar or even coconut sugar.
Toppings - You can use walnuts instead of pecans if needed or even substitute with marshmallows if you need to make this dish nut free. Other delicious topping ideas include crumbled bacon and coconut flakes.
Vegan - Use plant-based butter, milk, and egg substitutes to make this casserole vegan friendly.
How to Make Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole
Roasted Sweet Potato Casserole Filling
- Step One: Prick the sweet potatoes all over and place in the oven to roast until the skin is wrinkled and the flesh is fork tender.
- Step Two: Peel and break down the sweet potatoes into a smooth puree. You can use a mixer, blender or food processor for this step.
Pro Tip #1
Place a sheet pan beneath the roasting sweet potatoes to catch any liquid drips.
Pro Tip #2
Can I mash sweet potatoes by hand? Yes, but if you want silky smooth sweet potato casserole with no strings, I recommend using a food processor to get the mashed sweet potato texture just right. I use the same technique to make the best bourbon sweet potato pie!
- Step Three: Add the remaining sweet potato filling ingredients to the food processor and pulse until a uniform custard forms.
- Step Four: Transfer the filling batter into a baking dish and spread so that the top is even.
Pro Tip #3
You can make the custard filling up to two days ahead of time and store it covered in the fridge.
Pro Tip #4
A ceramic oval casserole dish is the perfect vessel for both baking and serving sweet potato pecan casserole because it presents beautifully.
Crumble Topping for Sweet Potato Casserole
- Step Five: Combine the pecan streusel topping ingredients until a coarse, sandy looking meal forms.
- Step Six: Spoon the pecan topping over top of the sweet potato filling and gently press it into the filling to help it stick while baking.
- Step Seven: Place into the oven and bake until the middle of the filling is firm and the nut crumble topping is golden brown and crisp.
Pro Tip #5
Let the casserole set for about 45 minutes before serving so that the filling will hold together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Texture. Sweet potato casserole has a thicker, heavier texture whereas a soufflé is lighter and fluffier on the inside.
You can cut sweet potatoes into smaller pieces to roast them faster. Just note that whole roasted sweet potatoes are generally sweeter since the skin kind of holds in the flavor.
Yes, you can use canned sweet potatoes just don't cook them and be sure to reduce the amount of brown sugar and butter by about half since sweet potatoes from a can are already sweetened and moist.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to five days.
Yes! Double wrap baked sweet potato casserole (at room temperature) then freeze for up to three months.
What to Serve with Sweet Potato Casserole
For Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, serve this sweet potato casserole with butter pecan crumble topping next to some carved Cajun turkey breast and other sides like crispy maple brussels sprouts, bourbon cranberry sauce, and candied yams.
Don't forget the red velvet layer cake or sweet potato pecan pie for dessert and I must recommend you start with my Thanksgiving harvest salad so y'all don't wind up "all bound up," as the old folks say!
More Favorite Holiday Dinner Recipes
I hope you enjoy this old fashioned sweet potato casserole with pecan topping soon and very soon. And sharing is caring so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole with Streusel Topping
Equipment
- 1 mixing spoon
- 1 baking dish Roughly 2.25 qt capacity (like a medium-sized casserole dish or an 8 x 8 inch square baking dish)
Ingredients
Bourbon Spiced Sweet Potato Filling
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons bourbon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 tablespoons butter melted
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Pecan Streusel Topping
- 1 ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a fork or knife, pierce sweet potatoes several times then place in oven to roast for about 45 minutes or until tender. Carefully remove sweet potatoes from oven and place in fridge until cool enough to handle (about 20 minutes). Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees.
- Meanwhile, make pecan streusel topping. Combine chopped pecans, brown sugar, flour, and melted butter in a bowl and stir by hand until a kind of crumbly paste forms. Set aside.
- Remove skin from sweet potatoes and place into bowl of food processor. Add brown sugar, bourbon, vanilla extract, melted butter, heavy cream, egg, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt then process on medium speed until smooth. It may be necessary to pause and scrape down the sides of the bowl to get the mixture completely smooth.
- Spread mixture into baking dish. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to smooth out the top of the sweet potato mixture.
- Spoon pecan streusel over top and gently press it into the sweet potato mixture. Place dish into oven and bake for about 1 hour or until streusel topping is firm and golden brown.
- Allow sweet potato casserole to cool and set for about 45 minutes before serving.
M.Harris says
Made this for Thanksgiving this year and it was a hit, even the elders in my family approved and they never approve anything new. Will be adding this to the rotation.
Jazz says
Thanks so much for the feedback. Elder approval is such a high compliment!
Kevin Foodie says
I am not a fan of this kind of sweet potatoes. But the burbon and pecans were what got me. Love the simplicity of the recipe.
Chenée Lewis says
I could eat this for every meal! It's perfectly sweet and spiced, and the streusel topping gives it an amazing texture boost. Can't wait til Thanksgiving so I can make it again.
Tamara says
The bourbon in this casserole truly took it over the top! It was a huge hit! I can’t wait to make it again for Thanksgiving!
Capri says
I love the amount of Bourbon in this and the Pecan Streusel Topping! So delicious!
Eric & Shanna Jones says
Couldn't wait to make it for Thanksgiving so we made it in advance...lol! Loved the texture of the casserole and the pecan streusel topping was fantastic! Can't wait to make it for Thanksgiving!
Crystal says
Side, dessert, I’ll call it whatever you want! It was delicious and amazing! Can’t wait to make this again on Thanksgiving! Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
Crystal says
Side, dessert, I’ll call it whatever you want! It was delicious and amazing! Can’t wait to make this again on Thanksgiving! Thanks for sharing!
Marta says
I've been looking for a good sweet potato casserole, but my daughter HATES marshmallow topped ones. Thank God for your recipe Jazz. I t was hit!
Renia says
I loved this recipe. Sweet Potatoes are my jam and the addition of Bourbon just kicked this recipe up a notch!
Robin says
Almost nothing tastes better than these sweet potatoes topped with pecans.
Barry J. says
This looks like heaven and a great use of bourbon! I'll be making this for Sunday dinner tomorrow and am confident that it'll be made on Thanksgiving day to show off for my friends. Thanks for the recipe!
Britney says
I loved this recipe! The taste reminds me of the huge holiday dinners that we used to have at my grandmas house. This recipe was easy to make and just so delicious. I will be making this for our Christmas dinner and I know my family will love it!