Sweet, rich, buttery, and creamy, this simple sweet potato casserole is the perfect holiday side dish! Sweet and savory sweet potatoes are mashed with butter, brown sugar, and warming spices and topped with gooey marshmallows to make this delicious pie-like casserole.
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I find that sweet potato casserole is one of the most underrated holiday side dishes. Of course, I love green beans, stuffing, and mashed potatoes, but I would argue that sweet potato casserole might be a bit better than these more traditional sides.
Swirled with caramel-y brown sugar, rich butter, and aromatic cinnamon and cloves, starchy sweet potatoes are topped with a layer of gooey marshmallows and baked to perfection. Eating a serving of this sweet potato casserole is practically like enjoying a little dessert alongside your dinner!
Although this sweet potato casserole does take almost an hour to make, it’s truly a no-fuss dish. I find that it only takes about 20 minutes to completely prepare and assemble your casserole; the rest of the cooking time is spent waiting for your potatoes and marshmallows to brown in the oven.
This leaves you time to prepare other sides or your main dish—plus you’ll get to enjoy the warm and delicious smells of brown sugar, marshmallows, vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves wafting all through the house!
💖 Why You’ll Love This Side Dish
I know you’re going to love this sweet potato casserole because it:
- Is easy to make
- Is full of classic fall flavors
- Can be easily refrigerated and reheated
- Is a family favorite sure to evoke feelings of comfort and nostalgia
📝 Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sweet Potatoes—peeled and diced, these sweet tubers are the star of this creamy and buttery casserole.
- Salted Butter—when melted adds richness and enhances the naturally sweet flavors present in this dish.
- Brown Sugar—caramel ribbons of this molasses-heavy sugar are swirled throughout your mashed sweet potatoes.
- Mini Marshmallows—turn into a gooey, toasty brown topping for this sweet pie-like casserole.
- Spices & Seasonings—cinnamon, cloves, salt, and vanilla add warmth and tons of fall flavor to your sweet potato filling.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole
Begin making this sweet and caramelly casserole by placing your diced sweet potatoes into a large pot of water. Bring your potatoes to a boil over high heat and allow to cook for 15 minutes. Once your potatoes are fork-tender, remove them from the heat and drain off the water.
In a large bowl, mash together your cooked potatoes, brown sugar, softened butter, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and vanilla. Continue mashing until no large chunks remain.
Once relatively smooth, transfer your sweet potato mixture into a greased 8×8” baking dish. Top with mini marshmallows.
⏲️ Baking Time
Bake your assembled casserole in a 325°F oven for 35 minutes or until the marshmallows are slightly melted and golden brown. Serve your sweet potato casserole warm and enjoy!
🤷🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
I find that this dish tastes best when made with traditional sweet potatoes, but you can also use garnet yams or jewel yams instead.
Yes! To make this sweet potato casserole vegan, simply swap out the butter for a dairy-free alternative like coconut oil, and be sure to purchase a vegan variety of marshmallows.
Any leftover sweet potato casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend reheating your leftover casserole in the microwave.
🍽 What to Serve With Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potato casserole is a side dish that is very popular around the holidays. I find that this rich and sweet casserole pairs well with other traditional holiday sides such as green beans, stuffing, homemade bread, mashed potatoes, and of course a roasted ham or turkey!
If you feel like straying a bit from tradition, you can really enjoy this sweet side dish year-round! I like serving sweet potato casserole alongside simpler main dishes such as pot roast, baby back ribs, or roasted chicken. This sweet and delectable sweet potato casserole is sure to bring a sense of nostalgia and comfort to whatever meal you serve it with.
📌 Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Not a fan of marshmallows? Try topping your casserole with chopped candied pecans instead.
- Hate lumpy potatoes? Instead of mashing your boiled potatoes with a traditional potato masher, try running them through a ricer or popping them in your food processor to create an ultra-smooth and creamy mash.
- Trying to eat a bit healthier? Swap the butter for coconut oil and the brown sugar for coconut sugar. You can also omit or substitute the marshmallow topping.
- Got leftovers? Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Love the taste of Fall? Be sure to check out our recipe for Maple Donuts.
📖 Recipe
Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallow Topping
Equipment
- 8-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and diced
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups miniature marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° Fahrenheit and fil a medium or large pot with water.
- Place the diced sweet potatoes in the pot and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, allow the potatoes to simmer for 15 minutes to soften.
- Drain the potatoes and place them in a large mixing bowl. Combine the potatoes with the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and vanilla. Mash until no chunks of potatoes remain. (If there are a few small chunks left, the casserole will still be okay.)
- Pour the mashed potato mixture into an 8-inch baking dish and spread the marshmallows evenly over the top.
- Bake the casserole for 35 minutes or until the marshmallows are lightly brown on top. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
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Be sure to come back and tell us how your sweet potato casserole turned out!
