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This easy Sweet Potato Casserole recipe is creamy, fluffy and just sweet enough, with roasted sweet potatoes, brown sugar, warm spices and my secret addition—crushed pineapple. A buttery cornflake pecan topping bakes up golden and crunchy for the perfect contrast. It’s an easy make-ahead side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas and just about every holiday dinner in between.
Table of Contents
- Kellie’s Note A Holiday Tradition
- Why You’ll Love My Sweet Potato Casserole
- Ingredients for Sweet Potato Casserole
- How To Make Sweet Potato Casserole
- Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Casserole
- Sweet Potato Casserole Variations
- What to Serve With Sweet Potato Casserole
- Make Ahead, Storage and Freezing
- Why It’s The Best Sweet Potato Casserole
- Are Yams the same as Sweet Potatoes?
- More Easy Holiday Side Dish Ideas
- More Sweet Potato Recipes
- Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
Kellie’s Note
A Holiday Tradition
I look forward to Thanksgiving dinner every year because there are recipes I save just for this day, like my favorite Mashed Potatoes that are so sinfully delicious that they HAVE to be saved for special occasions and, of course, this Easy Sweet Potato Casserole.
It pairs perfectly alongside this sausage stuffing recipe, and the most amazingly easy roast turkey recipe, which stays moist and tender no matter how much you screw it up, everyone who makes it raves about its flawlessness.
I know a lot of you are die hard lovers of the mini marshmallows on top of sweet potato casserole but I’m not one of them. I made a version of my Southern Candied Yams with marshmallows but it’s just a sprinkle and that’s where I land on the sweets for my side dish.
This recipe was “inspired” by both my mother-in-law and our favorite steakhouse. So, in a nutshell, it’s very much like the Ruth’s Chris Sweet Potato Casserole recipe if you were ever so lucky to try it.
Why You’ll Love My Sweet Potato Casserole
- Extra crunchy topping: Cornflakes, pecans, brown sugar and butter give this casserole a topping that’s crispier than a traditional streusel.
- Creamy and fluffy: An egg and a splash of half-and-half give the sweet potato filling an almost soufflé-like texture.
- My secret ingredient: Crushed pineapple adds just enough sweetness and brightness without overpowering the sweet potatoes.
- Made with fresh sweet potatoes: Roasting gives them deeper flavor without adding extra water.
- Make-ahead friendly: Prepare the filling ahead of time and keep the topping separate until you’re ready to bake.
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Casserole
The ingredient list is simple, but a few things make this version a little different from the classic.
- Sweet potatoes: Use orange-fleshed sweet potatoes for the best flavor and color. They’re sometimes labeled “yams” at the grocery store.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted works. If using unsalted, season the filling to taste.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar both work and give the filling a warm caramel flavor.
- Egg: Helps bind the filling and gives it a lighter, fluffier texture.
- Half-and-half: Adds creaminess. Whole milk or heavy cream can be substituted.
- Crushed pineapple: Drain it really well before adding it to the filling. This is my secret ingredient for a little extra sweetness and brightness.
- Warm spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger add cozy holiday flavor.
- Cornflakes: The secret to the extra-crunchy topping.
- Pecans: Add buttery crunch. Walnuts work, too, or simply leave the nuts out.
How To Make Sweet Potato Casserole
This easy Sweet Potato Casserole recipe is simple to make and you can even make it in advance! I love the cornflake topping but you could also top your’s with marshmallows if you prefer.
- Prepare the sweet potato filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cooked, peeled yams, room temperature butter and brown sugar. You can, also, mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher or hand mixer in a large bowl. Mix on low to combine. Add the egg, half and half, pineapple, cinnamon and nutmeg mixing to combine.
- Assemble the casserole. Pour the sweet potato mixture into a greased oven safe casserole dish and set aside.
- Make the topping. In a small bowl, mix together the cornflakes, butter, pecans and light brown sugar.Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the casserole
- Bake the casserole. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Rest. Allow the casserole to rest for 10-20 minutes before serving.
You can modify this recipe any way you like. Sometimes I like to add a splash of vanilla extract, dried cranberries or a brown sugar streusel instead of the pecan topping.
Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Casserole
- Roast the sweet potatoes instead of boiling them for deeper flavor and less excess moisture.
- Drain the crushed pineapple very well so the filling stays light and fluffy.
- A hand mixer gives the sweet potatoes a smoother texture, but a potato masher works if you prefer a little texture.
- Don’t pulverize the cornflakes, you want some crunchy pieces left in the topping.
- If making the casserole ahead, refrigerate the filling and topping separately.
- Let the casserole rest for 10–15 minutes before serving. The filling will set slightly as it cools.
Sweet Potato Casserole Variations
- Marshmallow topping: Not on Team Cornflake? Skip the crunchy topping and use mini marshmallows instead. Add them toward the end of baking and cook until puffed and golden.
- Half and half: Top half the casserole with the cornflake-pecan mixture and half with marshmallows, Thanksgiving peace treaty accomplished.
- Nut-free: Leave the pecans out. The buttery cornflakes still give the casserole plenty of crunch.
- Walnuts: Swap chopped walnuts for the pecans.
- Classic streusel: Use a brown sugar streusel in place of the cornflake topping.
- More flavor: Add a splash of vanilla extract or a handful of dried cranberries to the filling.
What to Serve With Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet Potato Casserole is practically made for a holiday table. I serve it alongside roast turkey, sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and plenty of Parker House rolls. It’s just as good with beef tenderloin or prime rib for Christmas dinner.
Make Ahead, Storage and Freezing
- Make ahead: Assemble the sweet potato filling and spread it into the casserole dish. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Keep the cornflake topping in a separate airtight container and add it just before baking.
- Store: Cover leftover Sweet Potato Casserole and refrigerate in an airtight container.
- Reheat: Microwave individual portions until warmed through, or cover the casserole and reheat it in the oven. Uncover for the final few minutes to help the topping crisp again.
- Freeze: Assemble the casserole without the topping, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Keep the topping separate so it stays crunchy.
- Bake from frozen: Follow your existing 325°F frozen-baking instructions, adding the topping partway through baking, and continue until the casserole is heated through and the topping is golden.
Why It’s The Best Sweet Potato Casserole
Southern Sweet Potato Casserole is like dessert masquerading as a side dish. A proper vegetable side dish with the perfect amount of sweet that you can get the most veggie hating kid to eat the whole casserole dish.
I made a sweet potato souffle, which is actually yams, I know, but tell that to my grandmother who created the recipe. It was amazing. Like a crustless pie with a praline topping.
And then I tried a sweet potato casserole at my in-laws house one Thanksgiving that I absolutely loved but was never able to get the recipe. My mother in-law used the praline topping, if I recall correctly, and I’m pretty sure it had pineapple in it.
And so, the very best Sweet Potato Casserole recipe was born.
I borrowed the cornflake topping idea from my hash brown casserole recipe and came up with something a little different with a ton of crunch, a great contrast to the soft, pureed sweet potatoes.
Are Yams the same as Sweet Potatoes?
Contrary to popular believe, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing. Real yams are an entirely different root vegetable with starchy, bland flesh and thick, bumpy skin that’s similar in appearance to tree bark.
Sweet Potatoes, on the other hand, have a dark, reddish brown skin that’s thinner and a little smoother. While there are several versions of sweet potatoes at the grocery store, the most commonly found sweet potato is the orange sweet potato. A lot of people will say these are yams, but, technically, real yams are hard to find in the United States.
You can also find white sweet potatoes which are less sweet than the orange but you can totally use them interchangeably. You just won’t have the vibrant color that an orange sweet potato gives to this casserole.
More Easy Holiday Side Dish Ideas
More Sweet Potato Recipes
- Stuffed Sweet Potatoes…aka The Hot Mess
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Marshmallow Meringue Frosting
- Brown Butter Mascarpone Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Sweet Potato Gnocchi
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Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9×13 inch baking dish
- 1 hand mixer
- measuring cup
- measuring spoon
- silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 4 orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, approximately 3 pounds, roasted and peeled (roast for approximately 30-40 minutes or until fork tender.)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 1/2 cups crushed cornflakes
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the yams, butter and brown sugar. Mix on med-low speed to combine. Add the egg, half-and-half, pineapple, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the mixture into a greased oven-safe casserole dish and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together the cornflakes, butter, pecans and light brown sugar.
- Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the casserole. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the casserole is heated through and the topping is golden brown.
- Let the casserole rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Make Ahead: Assemble the filling in the baking dish and refrigerate covered. Store the topping separately and add just before baking.
- Freezing: Freeze the assembled casserole without the topping for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly to prevent freezer burn.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container.
- Reheating: Reheat until warmed through. For the best texture, uncover during the final few minutes so the topping can crisp.
- Marshmallow Option: Omit the cornflake-pecan topping and finish the casserole with mini marshmallows instead.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Good effort overall! This made my day a little easier.
Great! I love to hear that!
I currently have a non-working oven so can I make this delish sounding dish in my crockpot?
The recipe is exactly what I need for my dinner, but
I am wondering if there is any sub for cornflakes for the topping?
You could use Panko Bread crumbs if you don’t want to use cornflakes.
I don’t know if you’ll even see this before I make them tomorrow but this is my question: If I leave out the pecans (sadly, but my neice is allergic!), do I make any other adjustments to the topping ingredients? Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!
Oops! Niece!! ♀️
Hi Devi! No, you can proceed without the nuts and it will still be so very tasty! No modifications needed. Happy Thanksgiving!
hello, do you think this could be made ahead of time and put in the freezer? would you cook it then freeze?
Honestly, I’ve never tried to freeze it but if I were to attempt to, I’d freeze before I baked it. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then cover with foil before freezing to prevent freezer burn.
Yum, this looks amazing. We are still eating pumpkin and sweetpotatoe pies, however, once they are gone, we will have this dish on our dinner table. Thanks
Kellie,
What size casserole dish did you use for your 12 servings recipe? By the way, your baking dishes are beautiful.
Thank you!
This was a 9×13 baking dish. And thank you! It’s by Spode.
What is this part of the recipe – “1/2 cup half and half” of what?
Please let me know
Cheers
Mary
It’s 1/2 cup Half and Half….Half and Half is a dairy product, you can buy it with the milk and heavy cream. Essentially, it’s half milk, half heavy cream.