Print

Perfect Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble

make-ahead sweet potato casserole - featured image
Print Recipe

This make-ahead sweet potato casserole features roasted sweet potatoes with a perfectly balanced sweetness and a buttery pecan crumble topping. It’s the ideal holiday side dish that can be assembled the day before, saving you time and stress on the big day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium-large potatoes)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
  • 1 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Scrub sweet potatoes clean and prick them several times with a fork. Place directly on oven rack or on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast for 45-60 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a knife.
  2. Let sweet potatoes cool until comfortable to handle, about 15-20 minutes. Slice open, scoop flesh into a large mixing bowl, and discard skins. You should have about 4 cups of mashed sweet potato.
  3. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). To the bowl with sweet potato, add softened butter, brown sugar, eggs, heavy cream, vanilla, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mash with a potato masher until mostly smooth, or use an electric hand mixer on low for a silkier texture. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add cold butter cubes and chopped pecans. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces. Refrigerate crumble while assembling casserole.
  5. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray. Spread sweet potato mixture evenly into dish, smoothing the top. Sprinkle pecan crumble evenly over the top without pressing down.
  6. If baking immediately: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-35 minutes until filling is hot and bubbling around edges and topping is golden brown. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
  7. If making ahead: Cover assembled casserole tightly with foil and refrigerate up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove from fridge while oven preheats (about 20 minutes). Bake covered with foil for 25 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes until topping is golden and filling is bubbly.

Notes

Don’t boil sweet potatoes – roasting concentrates flavor and prevents watery texture. Room temperature eggs are important to prevent lumpy mixture. Let casserole rest 10 minutes before serving to allow it to set. For a dairy-free version, use melted coconut oil or vegan butter and full-fat coconut cream. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. For nut-free, replace pecans with pepitas or double the crumble without nuts.

Nutrition

Keywords: sweet potato casserole, make-ahead, pecan crumble, Thanksgiving side dish, holiday side dish, roasted sweet potatoes

Find it online: https://tinastirs.com/perfect-make-ahead-sweet-potato-casserole-with-pecan-crumble/