This delicious Sweet Potato Casserole (No Marshmallows) has a crunchy pecan & brown sugar topping and is a staple for Thanksgiving dinner with my family! We have been making some version of this for years, and it's always a favorite. The best part is that you can prep it in advance to get a head start on your cooking.
As a dietitian, I totally appreciate a healthy vegetable side dish, but on Thanksgiving I love having a more indulgent option for the holiday table. And that's where this Sweet Potato Casserole comes in! I've made it with less sugar than classic sweet potato casserole but it still tastes just as amazing (if not better) with the brown sugar pecan topping!
Sweet potatoes and pecans provide important nutrients like vitamins A & C and dietary fiber for gut health. It's one of my favorite side dishes during the holiday season and I hope you enjoy it, too!
If you're looking for more side dishes for the holidays, try my Honey Thyme Carrots, Roasted Carrots and Cauliflower, or Baked Sweet Potato Rounds.
Jump to:
- Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with No Marshmallows
- Video of How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole No Marshmallows
- Dietitian Tip
- Substitutions
- Storage for Sweet Potato Casserole No Marshmallows
- Expert Tips
- FAQ
- Related
- Perfect for Pairing
- Want to Learn About Nutrition?
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
This Sweet Potato Casserole recipe is made with basic ingredients. Below are some notes. Be sure to check the recipe card for ingredient measurements.
- Sweet Potatoes - this recipe lets the sweetness of the sweet potatoes shine through so it's important to pick good ones! There are hundreds of kinds of sweet potatoes! I use a jewel variety of sweet potato which has orange flesh and is a go-to for baking or roasting. An easy way to select a good sweet potato at the grocery store is to choose ones that are firm. Store your sweet potatoes in a dry place. According to the US Sweet Potato Council, storing them in the fridge can give them an unpleasant taste.
- Unsalted Butter - to add flavor, moisture, and to help bind the pecans and sugar in the topping.
- Maple Syrup - we use maple syrup instead of sugar to sweeten the potato mixture and reserve the brown sugar for the topping only.
- Milk - you can use any milk here. Dairy milk, soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, or cashew milk for example. I do recommend using a milk with higher fat content. Skim milk or 1% milk won't add as much flavor.
- Eggs - a couple of large eggs add protein and fat-soluble vitamins. They also bind the sweet potatoes to give them structure and keep them moist. Use eggs at room temperature for the best results.
- Vanilla Extract - just a small bit of vanilla extract brings all the flavors together
- Cinnamon - a bit of cinnamon pairs wonderfully with sweet potatoes and maple.
- Salt - a pinch of salt brings out the inherent sweetness in the potatoes.
- Pecans - the base of the delicious topping!
- Brown Sugar -brown sugar pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the potatoes and the flavor of pecans. You can substitute it with coconut sugar if you prefer. Coconut sugar is similar to brown sugar in flavor, but it's made from the sap of a coconut tree that gets cooked down into brown syrup and crystalized.
- Flour - a bit of flour is used to help the topping brown in the oven.
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with No Marshmallows
Below are the instructions for how to make this easy sweet potato casserole recipe with visuals that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to
425℉ (218°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Prep the sweet potatoes by washing them and poking holes in them with a fork. Place the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, until the skin of the potatoes begins to puff up and they are easily pierced with a fork. Time will vary depending on the size of your potatoes and the oven.
- Step 2: Turn down the oven heat to
350℉ (177°C). Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray. Remove the skins from the sweet potato and add them to a large bowl and mash them. You can use a potato masher if you prefer a chunkier consistency or a hand mixer if you prefer creamy sweet potatoes. I use a masher and do it by hand. Add softened butter, maple syrup, milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix it well and give it a taste. Add more maple syrup or salt as needed.
- Step 3: Then add in the whisked eggs and mix another 1-2 minutes. Add the sweet potato filling to the prepared baking dish.
- Step 4: In a separate small bowl, make the topping by mixing the chopped pecans, flour, cooled melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Crumble the topping over the sweet potato base. Make sure it covers the whole casserole in an even layer. Bake at
350℉ (177°C) for 25-30 minutes in the oven until golden brown. Keep an eye on it the last 5 minutes because pecans can easily burn.
Hint: You can run through the pecans with a knife, but an even easier way to prep them for the streusel topping is to pulse them in the food processor.
Video of How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole No Marshmallows
Below is a video of how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful!
Dietitian Tip
During the holidays, food can be a source of stress for many people. My advice is if you don't feel comfortable eating something, just politely say no thank you and enjoy the foods that you do enjoy. Everyone is on their own health journey. But whether you are wanting to lose weight, cut back on sugars, or you're working on having a more positive relationship with your body and foods, I think it helps to really pause, breathe, and take in the moment with friends and family. Enjoy your favorite foods, whatever those are, and don't put guilt on yourself if you go overboard - just start the next day as a fresh start!
Substitutions
The best part about this Sweet Potato Casserole is you can customize to your taste! Below are some ideas, but feel free to get creative.
- Marshmallows - if you are a fan of marshmallow toppings, you can totally add some to the top! Just add them on top and cook only 25 minutes. Use mini marshmallows or the big ones!
- Vegan - you can make this recipe vegan by using a vegan butter and plant based milk.
- Lower Sugar - cut down on the sugar by only adding half the amount of sugar and pecans to the topping. It still tastes amazing!
Storage for Sweet Potato Casserole No Marshmallows
- Refrigerator - store leftover Sweet Potato Casserole in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
Expert Tips
- If making in advance, store the crumbles separate and add the topping just before serving.
- Use cooled melted butter for the topping or it will dissolve the sugar.
- For chunkier sweet potatoes, mix by hand. For creamier mix with a hand mixer.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this sweet potato casserole does contain a relatively large amount of butter which is high in calories and saturated fats. It also contains sugar. But relatively to other Sweet Potato Casseroles, this is a lower sugar option than most of the ones I've seed served with marshmallows on top!
Yes! One of my favorite parts about this recipe is that it can be prepped in advance. To do so, make the sweet potato mixture and the topping and store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge for 1-2 days. When you're ready to bake it, let the topping sit at room temperature for a few minutes to thaw and then crumble it on top of the sweet potato mixture and bake!
It's not, but can easily be made gluten-free! All you have to do is substitute the flour in the topping with GF flour.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Sweet Potato Casserole:
Want to Learn About Nutrition?
Here are some of my educational posts you may enjoy!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans (No Marshmallows)
Equipment
- 1 baking dish
- 1 potato masher or hand mixer
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potato Mixture
- 4 large Sweet Potatoes about 3 lbs
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
- ¼ cup milk of choice
- 2 eggs at room temperature if possible
For Brown Sugar Pecan Topping
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ¼ cup flour
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted and brought to room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ (218°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Prep the sweet potatoes by washing them and poking holes in them with a fork. Place the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, until the skin of the potatoes begins to puff up and they are easily pierced with a fork. Time will vary depending on the size of your potatoes and the oven.
- Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray. Turn down the oven heat to 350℉ (177°C). Remove the skins from the sweet potato and add them to a large bowl and mash them. You can use a potato masher if you prefer a chunkier consistency or a hand mixer if you prefer creamy sweet potatoes. I do it by hand. Add softened butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and milk. Mix it well and give it a taste. Add more maple syrup or salt as needed.
- Add in 2 whisked eggs and mix another 1-2 minutes. Add the sweet potato filling to the prepared baking dish and set aside.
- In a separate small bowl, make the topping by mixing the chopped pecans, flour, cooled melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Crumble the topping over the sweet potato base. Make sure it covers the whole casserole in an even layer. Bake at 350℉ (177°C) for 25-30 minutes in the oven until golden brown. Keep an eye on it the last 5 minutes because pecans can easily burn.Tip: melt the butter for the topping and let it come to room temperature before adding it.
- Hint: You can run through the pecans with a knife, but an even easier way to prep them for the streusel topping is to pulse them in the food processor.
Video
Notes
- If making in advance, store the crumbles separate and add the topping just before serving.
- Use cooled melted butter for the topping or it will dissolve the sugar.
- For chunkier sweet potatoes, mix by hand. For creamier mix with a hand mixer.
- Refrigerator - store leftover Sweet Potato Casserole in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
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