Description

Terry’s Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping is a classic holiday side dish featuring sweet potatoes mixed with warm spices and topped with a crunchy pecan streusel. This comforting casserole blends the rich flavors of cinnamon and vanilla with a sweet, nutty topping for a perfect balance of textures and tastes that will delight your family and guests.

Ingredients

Scale

Sweet Potato Mixture

2 cans cut sweet potatoes in syrup (40 oz each, sometimes called yams), rinsed and drained
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Pecan Topping

1 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup pecans, chopped
5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

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Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) to prepare for baking the casserole.
Prepare Sweet Potato Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine the rinsed and drained sweet potatoes with sugar, salt, beaten eggs, melted butter, milk, ground cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Mash thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and evenly blended.
Transfer to Baking Dish: Pour the sweet potato mixture into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish, spreading it evenly to create a smooth layer.
Make Pecan Topping: In a separate bowl, mix together the light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and chopped pecans. Stir in the melted butter until the topping mixture becomes crumbly and well combined.
Add Topping to Casserole: Evenly sprinkle the pecan topping over the sweet potato layer in the baking dish.
Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the casserole is heated through.
Cool and Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld and the topping set.

Notes

For a lighter version, reduce sugar or use a sugar substitute.
You can substitute fresh cooked sweet potatoes for canned if preferred.
Chop pecans to your desired size for a coarser or finer topping.
This dish can be prepared ahead of time and baked just before serving.
Make sure to drain the canned sweet potatoes well to avoid a soggy casserole.