Classic Sweet Potato Casserole
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
This classic sweet potato casserole is topped with mini marshmallows and made with only 6 ingredients. It’s creamy, delicious and the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving.
Sweet potato casserole has always been my favorite dish! My mom made it at least three times a year growing up and I was always a huge fan. Her version has a brown sugar pecan topping, which I recreated with my healthy sweet potato casserole, but Isaac grew up with traditional sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top.
Without fail, every year Isaac requests the classic version so I finally decided to give it a go and… whoa, it turned out to be so delicious! I am honestly kind of surprised at how much I liked this sweet potato casserole recipe. Usually I’m all about the crunch of the pecan topping. That said, the marshmallows actually get a little crisp with this version so maybe that’s why I’m a fan.
Table of Contents
“Soooo yummy! Made this today along with the healthy sweet potato casserole to decide which to make for Thanksgiving. The kids LOVED this one! Perfect balance of sweet and savory and pretty easy to put together. Highly recommend this one!”
Why I Love This Sweet Potato Casserole
- Easy to make – With just 6 simple ingredients, this recipe is straightforward and hassle-free, perfect for those looking for a quick and easy holiday side dish.
- Delicious – The combo of creamy sweet potatoes with a gooey marshmallow topping = chef’s kiss!
- Crowd-pleaser – This is a classic holiday side dish that is loved by both adults and kids!
- Make in advance – You can prepare this recipe up to 3 days in advance.
Ingredients Needed
- sweet potatoes – the star ingredient, providing natural sweetness and a creamy texture. When shopping for sweet potatoes, look for firm, unwrinkled skins with deep orange flesh. I usually buy Beauregard, Jewel or Garnet sweet potatoes just because those varieties are typically available at my local grocery stores. That said, Beauregard sweet potatoes tend to be stringier so when given the option I go for Jewel or Garnet.
- coconut sugar or brown sugar – the perfect sweetener adding a rich depth of flavor to the sweet potatoes and a nice molasses flavor.
- unsalted butter – helps to keep this casserole moist while binding the sweet potato filling together.
- vanilla extract – the perfect flavor enhancer. Be sure to use pure vanilla extract and not imitation vanilla for the best results.
- mini marshmallows – adds sweetness and a delicious gooey topping. Miniature marshmallows work best for this recipe, but you can use large marshmallows if that’s all you have on hand. You’ll just want cut them into smaller pieces before using.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Recipe Substitutions
- Make it vegan: Since this recipe doesn’t have any eggs, milk or heavy cream you can easily make it vegan by using vegan butter and vegan marshmallows like these Dandies mini marshmallows.
- Add pecans: If you’re like me and love pecans, you can sprinkle 1/4 cup pecans on top of the sweet potato mixture with the marshmallows.
- Add cinnamon: For some spice and added warmth sprinkle some ground cinnamon on top of the casserole.
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole
Step 1: Pierce the sweet potato 4-6 times with a fork. Place potato on a baking sheet and bake at 400ºF for about 45-65 minutes.
Step 2: Once your sweet potatoes are fork-tender peel and transfer the flesh to a large bowl. Use a fork or potato masher to mash the sweet potatoes until smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Add sugar, butter, salt and vanilla to the potatoes and stir to combine.
Step 4: Transfer mixture to a baking dish, top with marshmallows and bake for 20-25 minutes at 375ºF .
Brittany’s Tips!
- Browning the marshmallows: If you want to brown your marshmallows more you can broil for a few minutes at the end of baking. Just keep a close eye on the dish to prevent the marshmallows from burning!
- Double the recipe: To serve a larger crowd you can easily double this recipe and bake it in a 9×13 baking dish.
How to Store Leftovers
If you find yourself with leftovers, this casserole stores well in the refrigerator. Simply cover the dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, simply place the baking dish back into the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
Note! The marshmallows will slowly melt into the sweet potatoes as they sit in the fridge. The dish will still taste delicious and you can always add more marshmallows on top before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t normally freeze leftovers because we get through them so quickly, but you can certainly freeze this sweet potato casserole if you want. I would just recommend that you only prepare the sweet potato filling to freeze.
Bake it according to the directions without the mini marshmallows on top, then let it cool completely, cover with foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, let the casserole thaw in the fridge overnight then top it with marshmallows and reheat in the oven until marshmallows are golden and the casserole is warm.
The method used to cook your sweet potatoes is totally a personal preference. I love the flavor baked sweet potatoes add to this dish, but I’ve also boiled them before and both have turned out awesome. You can also cook your potatoes in an Instant Pot or in the microwave if you’re short on time!
Many grocery stores use the terms “yam” and “sweet potato” interchangeably, but the two are actually quite different. Real yams have rough brown skin, starchy white flesh and a long, cylinder shape. Sweet potatoes usually have smooth, thin orange skin with orange, white or purple flesh. They’re shorter and wider than yams and have a much sweeter taste.
Even if you buy a “yam” at the grocery store you’re more than likely actually buying a sweet potato as yams aren’t widely available at grocery stores throughout the U.S.
More Sweet Potato Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Classic Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 cups mashed sweet potatoes, about 4 large sweet potatoes
- ½ cup coconut sugar, or brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups miniature marshmallows
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400°F. Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork several times. Place sweet potatoes on baking sheet. Roast 1 hour or until tender. Let cool and remove skin from the sweet potatoes and discard.
- Place flesh into large bowl, mash with a fork or potato masher and measure 6 cups. Save any extra for another use. Reduce oven temperature to 375° F.
- Add sugar, softened butter, salt and vanilla to the sweet potatoes. Stir to combine. You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this if you'd like.
- Transfer sweet potato mixture to a 9 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Use a spoon to make sure the mixture is evenly distributed. Top with marshmallows.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until marshmallows are golden. Serve warm.
Notes
- Boil sweet potatoes – If you prefer to boil them, peel and cube the potatoes, cover with water and simmer until tender. Drain, mash and use in the recipe.
- To store – Let the casserole cool, cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Reheat at 350°F until warm.
- To freeze – Bake without the marshmallows, let cool, cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, add marshmallows and bake until warm and golden.
- Make ahead – Assemble up to 2 days in advance, cover and refrigerate. Let it sit out for about 10 minutes, add marshmallows and bake until warm and golden.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
It was so easy to make. My boys and husband were skeptical because they usually don’t like sweet potatoes. But it was a hit. They came for second and thirds :). I was asked to add to the list of all our holidays meals !
Great recipe. I made it for Thanksgiving for a large crowd and it was a crowd pleaser, not a morsel left.
Ah yay! So happy to hear this recipe was a hit over Thanksgiving, Brigitte! Thanks so much for making it and coming back to leave a review. It means so much to me!
Made this for Thanksgiving and everyone absolutely loved it, especially me. Sweet potato casserole is always a highlight for me and I’m happy I found your page and tried this one out!
Yay!! This makes me so happy to hear. So thrilled this sweet potato casserole was a success, Lindsay. Thanks so much for the review!
We added pecans instead of marshmallows and a touch of baking powder to make the potatoes fluffy and it was deeeelicious! Thanks!
Ah yay! So happy to hear this sweet potato casserole was a success, Misty! Thanks so much for letting me know how it turned out. I really appreciate the feedback!
Soooo yummy! Made this today along with the healthy sweet potato casserole to decide which to make for thanksgiving. The kids LOVED this one! Perfect balance of sweet and savory and pretty easy to put together. Highly recommend this one!
I am making your Classic Sweet Potato Casserole for Thanksgiving along with your quinoa stuffing (will let you know!). I have made your Crunchy Asian Chopped Salad and Blueberry Corn Chicken Salad from your salad download and my family is raving!
Ahh yay, I love hearing that! Definitely let me know how the sweet potato casserole + stuffing turns out. 🙂
This was surprising easy and very tasty dish to make. Made it for the family as I had bought too many sweet potatoes last week and needed to use them. IT turned out perfect.
So glad this dish was a hit, Anita! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I appreciate it. 🙂