Beth’s Sweet Potato Casserole

5 from 4 votes

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Sweet and fluffy with a crumbly and crunchy streusel topping, Beth’s famous sweet potato casserole is a must-make dish for holiday meals!

tukery dinner with mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole and brussles sprouts.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and while it means we get to spend a day with our family and loved ones, embracing the things that fill our hearts and make us most grateful, it’s also a massive food holiday. It can easily become a stressful day with pans and pots flying in every direction and a never-ending amount of oven and cleanup time.

But I’m all about simplifying Thanksgiving by making some dishes ahead of time and allowing myself a little space to relax and enjoy the day when it arrives, and this sweet potato casserole lets me do just that. You will love enjoying this warming, hearty, sweet, and comforting dish around your kitchen table with your family and friends.

Sweet and fluffy sweet potatoes topped with a crunchy pecan streusel topping in blue and white dish.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Sweet potato casserole is a classic, hearty, sweet holiday dish that pairs perfectly with savory meats and sides.
  • It comes together quickly and easily, especially if you prep it ahead of time!
  • It’s a perfect make-ahead holiday dish that is satisfying in every way, from the fluffy sweet potato mash to the crumbly and sweet streusel topping.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Sweet potatoes
  • Sugar
  • Milk
  • Vanilla
  • Butter
  • Eggs

For the Streusel Topping:

  • Pecans
  • Brown Sugar
  • Flour – all-purpose
  • Cinnamon

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

turkey dinner with sweet potato casserole without marshmallows.

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

  1. Bake potatoes until tender and skip skins off.
  2. Mix potatoes and add salt, sugar, milk, vanilla, and butter until smooth.
  3. Beat in the eggs and place the sweet potato mixture in a baking dish.
  4. Add together the topping ingredients, sprinkle over sweet potatoes, and bake.

Recipe FAQs

How do you freeze sweet potato casserole?

If you want to freeze leftovers for a chilly day when you want something sweet and warming, make sure you let them cool completely, store them in an airtight container, and freeze them for up to three months.

How do you make sweet potato casserole ahead of time?

To make this dish ahead of time, prepare through step 8 of the recipe instructions (get the sweet potato layer ready and put it in the pan). Make the streusel, and keep it separate. Store both parts of the dish covered in the fridge until you are ready to bake, up to 2 days in advance. Let the dish come to room temperature before baking, add the topping, and bake as directed.

What meat goes good with sweet potato casserole?

Turkey, of course! But really, anything goes well with sweet potato casserole. It’s sweet yet pairs nicely with rich and savory meat. Ham and chicken also go nicely with it.

whipped sweet potatoes before a pecan topping has been added.

Expert Tips

  • Sweet potato casserole is seriously impossible to mess up—that’s the beauty of pretty much all casseroles! Bake 350 for about 35 minutes, until the streusel topping looks crispy.
  • To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake at 350 until heated, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  • You can bake the cold sweet potatoes for 15 minutes, add the topping, and bake for the rest of the 35 minutes.
topping with pecans before it has been baked.

More Thanksgiving Recipes to Consider

sweet potato casserole in a white and blue pan
5 from 4 votes

Beth’s Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet and fluffy with a crumbly and crunchy streusel topping, Beth’s famous sweet potato casserole is a must-make dish for holiday meals!
Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 16

Ingredients 

For the casserole:

  • 4 pounds sweet potatoes, about 4 medium
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs

For the streusel topping:

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup lightly chopped pecans
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
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Instructions 

  • Prepare the sweet potatoes by scrubbing them clean with water and a scrub brush.
  • Trim 1/2 inch off both ends of each sweet potato, and place them on a wire rack set inside of a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Bake at 400 degrees F for 40 to 50 minutes or until very tender. This step can be done 1 to 2 days in advance to save time on cooking day.
  • Let the sweet potatoes cool enough to handle. Cut each in half and slip their skins off.
  • Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat on high for 1 minute, stopping to scrap down the sides as needed.
  • Add the salt, sugar, milk, vanilla, and butter, and beat until the mixture is very smooth.
  • Add the eggs and beat until light, about 2 minutes.
  • Place the sweet potato mixture in the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
  • To make the streusel topping, mix the brown sugar, pecans, flour, cinnamon, and melted butter in a small bowl until it comes together like a loose dough.
  • Sprinkle the topping over the whipped sweet potatoes in the pan, forming an even layer.
  • Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes or until the topping has gotten a bit crispy.
  • Serve hot or warm.

Notes

  • It’s a good thing my brother married Beth. She’s brought many great things to our family, including this recipe! We also love her Famous Glazed Yeast Donuts and the most amazing Soft Gingerbread Cookie Recipe. Plus, she’s awesome, as are her recipes. We love you, Auntie Beth.
  • To make this dish ahead of time, prepare through step 8 (get the sweet potato layer ready and put it in the pan). Make the streusel, and keep it separate. Store both parts of the dish covered in the fridge until you are ready to bake, up to 2 days in advance. Let the dish come to room temperature before baking, add the topping, and bake as directed.
  • You can also bake the cold sweet potatoes for 15 minutes and then add the topping and bake for the rest of the 35 minutes.
  • If you’d like marshmallows on your sweet potato casserole, you can. When you make it, add 2 cups mini marshmallows to the topping and bake as directed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 16 servings, Calories: 325kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 50mg, Sodium: 300mg, Potassium: 453mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 25g, Vitamin A: 16433IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 67mg, Iron: 1mg
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About Melissa

5 from 4 votes

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Recipe Rating




6 Comments

  1. Brenda says:

    I was given sweet potato casserole to bring to family Christmas dinner 2022( my sister usually brings but wanted to change it up)This was definitely a winner and now I get to bring next year!!๐Ÿ˜‚ Absolutely delicious ๐Ÿ˜‹

  2. Christian says:

    5 stars
    So good a new family favorite

  3. Julie says:

    5 stars
    Made this as our new dish for Thanksgiving and hands down 10/10 requested it as a regular menu item! Thanks Melissa!

  4. Robbin Finnicum says:

    5 stars
    I make these a couple times a year. Always a hit, except I boil my potatoes like I would for mashed…And Always make extra topping!

  5. Beth says:

    5 stars
    I feel so special. It really is an awesome dish. I personally feel like marshmallows make it pretty, but that’s just me. I love this family that I chose.

    1. Melissa says:

      We love you Auntie Beth. Thank you for being my favorite sister in law!