Description
Creamy Southern sweet potato casserole delivers comforting holiday magic with marshmallow clouds and buttery pecan crunch. Hungry families gather around this classic dish, savoring familiar flavors that connect generations with delicious memories.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins and Produce:
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes or yams (peeled, cut into cubes, and cooked)
- 1 egg
Dairy and Sweeteners:
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine
- 1/4 cup milk (3.25%)
Seasonings and Flavor Enhancers:
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare a baking dish with a light coating of cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Thoroughly mash the cooked sweet potatoes until smooth and creamy, eliminating any large lumps.
- Incorporate brown sugar, softened butter, ground cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, beaten egg, whole milk, and a pinch of salt into the mashed sweet potatoes, stirring until the mixture is completely homogeneous.
- Carefully spread the sweet potato mixture into the prepared baking dish, ensuring an even surface.
- Create the crunchy topping by combining crushed cornflakes, roughly chopped pecans, melted butter, and additional brown sugar in a separate mixing bowl.
- Generously distribute the nutty, crispy topping evenly across the sweet potato base, covering the entire surface.
- Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake until the topping turns a rich golden brown and the edges begin to bubble slightly.
- Artfully arrange mini marshmallows across the top of the casserole in a decorative pattern.
- Return the dish to the oven for a brief final baking, watching carefully to achieve a perfectly toasted, lightly caramelized marshmallow topping.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving to let the flavors meld and the casserole set.
Notes
- Boost the nutritional value by leaving the sweet potato skin on, which contains extra fiber and nutrients.
- Swap traditional butter with coconut oil or vegan butter to make the recipe dairy-free and suitable for plant-based diets.
- Control the sweetness by adjusting brown sugar quantities or using alternative sweeteners like maple syrup or honey for a more complex flavor profile.
- Ensure even cooking by cutting sweet potatoes into uniform sizes before boiling or roasting to guarantee consistent texture throughout the casserole.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg