This Thanksgiving, serve the most amazing Sweet Potato Casserole by topping it with cinnamon marshmallows and a pepita streusel. Everyone will be asking for seconds!
So, have you started looking towards Thanksgiving yet? I certainly have as I like to plan out my menu, shopping list and cooking schedule weeks in advance to make sure the day goes as smoothly as possible.
There are some recipe favorites that I know will always appear on our table alongside our brined turkey. One of those is sweet potato casserole. You will typically find recipes for sweet potato casserole with pecan topping, but we do ours a little differently and top it with cinnamon marshmallows and a pepita streusel!
I think Mathlete would eat sweet potatoes just about any way you could serve them but he really loves them when they are combined with delicious brown sugar and marshmallows. I like the little crunch that the pepita streusel offers for texture to this recipe.
This sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is always a hit at our Thanksgiving feast and I love making something a little different from the normal candied yams or other sweet potato casseroles.
Plus, this way, we get the best of both worlds: a little crunch for me and marshmallow goodness for Mathlete.
What are you serving for Thanksgiving this year? Do you have any family favorites?
If you loved this easy Sweet Potato Casserole, check out these other great side dish recipes:
Essential items for this recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole:
- Baking dish
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Foil
- Potato masher
- Mixing bowl
- Ziploc bag
Sweet Potato Casserole
Course:Side Dish
Cuisine:Side Dish
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 3lbsSweet Potatoes
- 3/4cupPacked Brown Sugar
- 1/4cupButter
- 2tspSalt
- 1/2tspVanilla
Cinnamon Marshmallows:
- 1cupMini Marshmallows
- 1tspCinnamon
Pepita Streusel:
- 3/4cupAll Purpose Flour
- 1/2cupPacked Brown Sugar
- 1tspSalt
- 8tbspButtersoftened
- 1/2cupUnsalted Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds)coarsely chopped
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Clean the sweet potatoes to remove any dirt on the outside. Pierce with the fork about 4 times on each side. Wrap in foil. Place the sweet potatoes in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until soft. Remove the sweet potatoes and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Carefully remove the foil and then remove the skins from the sweet potatoes. Add the sweet potato pulp to a large bowl and mash lightly. Stir in 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Mix well.
In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp salt and chopped pepitas to bowl. Using your hands or a pastry tool, blend in 8 Tbsp of butter.
Combine marshmallows and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Seal bag and shake to coat the marshmallows in cinnamon.
Cover the sweet potato mixture with marshmallows and streusel. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
Sweet Potato Casserole with Cinnamon Marshmallows and Pepita Streusel
2014-10-28 01:22:42
Ingredients
- 3 lbs of sweet potatoes
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Cinnamon Marshmallows
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Pepita Streusel
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 Tbsp butter, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), coarsely chopped
Let's Make It
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Clean the sweet potatoes to remove any dirt on the outside. Pierce with the fork about 4 times on each side. Wrap in foil. Place the sweet potatoes in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until soft. Remove the sweet potatoes and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
- Carefully remove the foil and then remove the skins from the sweet potatoes. Add the sweet potato pulp to a large bowl and mash lightly. Stir in 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Mix well.
- In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp salt and chopped pepitas to bowl. Using your hands or a pastry tool, blend in 8 Tbsp of butter.
- Combine marshmallows and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Seal bag and shake to coat the marshmallows in cinnamon.
- Cover the sweet potato mixture with marshmallows and streusel. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
By Shannah @ Just Us Four
My Suburban Kitchen https://www.mysuburbankitchen.com/
FAQs
Eggs and cream help stabilize the dish and prevent it from becoming too runny (a common complaint with many sweet potato casserole recipes). Make it as smooth or chunky as you like!
Why do you put eggs in sweet potato casserole? ›
A really good sweet potato casserole filling should be light and moist, not dense. If it's dense, then you may not have added an often overlooked ingredient—an egg. An egg adds lift, structure and volume and makes the filling more custard-like.
How do you thicken sweet potato casserole? ›
How do you thicken a sweet potato casserole? If you are not adding eggs, you can thicken your sweet potato casserole by adding a bit of flour or cornstarch. You will need about 2-3 tablespoons of flour and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
Why do you soak sweet potatoes before baking? ›
The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy. That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.
How do you make a casserole less runny? ›
Make a cornstarch slurry for a fast and easy thickener.
A few minutes before your casserole is done, add it a little at a time until you are happy with the thickness. Then, let the casserole finish baking. You can also substitute chickpea flour for cornstarch. Chickpea flour is an excellent thickener for savory dishes.
How to tell when sweet potato casserole is done? ›
Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture, then pop it into the oven and let it bake for 40 to 45 minutes. You will know it's done when the topping is lightly browned and the center of your casserole is set and firm.
Can diabetic eat sweet potatoes? ›
You can still eat sweet potatoes if you have diabetes, assures Huff. The fiber content in sweet potatoes, especially if you consume them with the skin on, can help reduce spikes in your blood sugar. Plus, how you cook your sweet potatoes can also help reduce the extent to which your blood sugar rises.
How many sweet potatoes is 4 cups? ›
For cooking purposes, 1 pound of sweet potatoes equals about three medium whole, 2 cups mashed or 3½ to 4 cups chopped.
What's the difference between sweet potato pie and sweet potato casserole? ›
The difference is that sweet potato casserole can either have a toasted marshmallow top or a crunchy brown sugar/nut top and is made with brown sugar in the casserole. Sweet potato pie is made with white sugar, has nothing on top, but can be served with whipped topping.
What makes a casserole thicker? ›
The three main thickening agents for gravies are flour, cornflour and arrowroot. The first two are normally used in savoury dishes while arrowroot tends to be used in sweet dishes – that said, arrowroot will work in a savoury dish as it has no flavour.
Unfortunately, yes! If your sweet potatoes cook too long in the oven they can overbake and become dry. The insides will become mushy. Moving your sweet potato cubes around and checking them periodically can help avoid overcooking.
How long can sweet potato casserole sit out? ›
Storing Cooked Sweet Potatoes
"Cooked food should not sit at room temperature more than two hours before putting it in the refrigerator or freezer (or one hour when the temperature is above 90°F)," she notes.
Why do you put oil on sweet potatoes before baking? ›
Extra-virgin olive oil – It adds a little richness and helps the potatoes soften and brown in the oven. And salt and pepper – They contrast wonderfully with the potatoes' natural sweetness, making the roasted sweet potatoes deliciously sweet and savory.
Do sweet potatoes taste better baked or boiled? ›
Baking whole sweet potatoes in the oven or cutting them into cubes and roasting them caramelizes the potatoes' starchy flesh, making it sweeter and giving it a silky smooth texture. Even if you are making mashed sweet potatoes, they will taste better with oven-cooked potatoes.
Should you rinse sweet potatoes before cooking? ›
Skipping the Scrub-and-Wash Step
Sweet potatoes grow in the ground, and skipping the cleaning step means dirt or grit can end up in your sweet potato casserole. Before cooking or cutting sweet potatoes, wash the skins and give them a scrub with a clean vegetable brush.
How do you keep sweet potato mash from getting watery? ›
Add some instant mashed potato flakes to the hot mashed potatoes, stir in well, and cover, the consistency should firm up.
What do I do if my potato bake is too runny? ›
Try letting the dish rest for 10 minutes or so to let the water get absorbed and let the sauce thicken. Try cooking your recipe longer.
Is sweet potato casserole supposed to be jiggly? ›
Bake the casserole for 35 to 45 minutes, until the filling is hot, does not jiggle when you shake the dish, and the topping has browned.
