Sweet Potato Casserole with Candied Pecans + Marshmallows
Easy-to-make sweet potato casserole made by boiling peeled, chopped sweet potatoes then mixing it with brown sugar, butter, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla and topping them with candied pecans and toasted marshmallows. The perfect holiday side dish that you'll want to enjoy all year long!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (6-8 medium sweet potatoes or ~8 cups chopped)
- 1/2 cup cold water (just enough to create steam; no need to fill the entire pot)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened (sub for vegan butter to make dairy-free)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup candied pecans divided, optional or add more to taste (omit if you have a nut allergy or only using marshmallows)
- 2 cups mini marshmallows optional (or sub for vegan marshmallows)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Spray a casserole dish or deep baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place the sweet potatoes in a pot with the cold water. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat. The sweet potatoes will become fork-tender with the steam. Simmer for 15-25 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender enough to mash. Drain. Let cool slightly.
- Transfer tender sweet potatoes to a large bowl. Mash sweet potato mixture with a potato masher or using two forks.
- Add brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and 1/4 cup of pecans (save the rest for later). Mix until all is well combined.
- Add the sweet potato mixture evenly into the casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining pecans (or more!) and mini marshmallows, if using, in an even layer.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until marshmallows are toasted. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn. Remove from the oven. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Feel free to omit candied pecans to make nut-free and/or replace regular marshmallows with vegan marshmallows. You can also omit marshmallows entirely and just use pecans or walnuts.
MAKE AHEAD TIP: You can make the sweet potato mixture 1 day in advance, place it in a baking dish, cover the top with foil then refrigerate until the next day. Before serving, bring the sweet potato mixture to room temperature, top with pecans/marshmallows then place in the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes at 375ºF.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 servingCalories: 217 kcalCarbohydrates: 23.5 gProtein: 2.7 gFat: 13.5 gSaturated Fat: 2.7 gCholesterol: 8 mgSodium: 111 mgPotassium: 342 mgFiber: 3.3 gSugar: 12.9 gCalcium: 20 mgIron: 2.5 mg
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