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This Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows is a bite of satisfying deliciousness. The casserole is creamy, velvety, and loaded with cinnamon and pecans.
Here are more sides that are packed with flavor to serve alongside this dish: Homemade Cranberry Sauce, 5-minute Turkey Gravy, Southern Green Beans, Garlic Mash Potatoes, Southern Baked Mac and Cheese, Collard Greens, and Black-Eyed Peas.
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I remember the first time I ever made a sweet potato casserole. It was the second week on the job with a new client, and we were talking about the menu over the next couple of days, and she decided she wanted Thanksgiving in July!
Well, I'm a firm believer that holiday food should be enjoyed at all times of the year because it's that good! So, after whipping up a recipe, the client was impressed and looked at me like she was ready for marriage.
You read that right! Do not make this recipe unless you're ready to be loved for a long time. I know there's a big debate over pecans or no pecans, but a true sweet potato casserole has a pecan topping. The marshmallows are the thing I believe can stay or go.
What is Sweet Potato Casserole?
Sweet potato casserole is a popular side dish during Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is made with mashed sweet potatoes, butter, sugar, eggs, milk, and cinnamon. The mixture is then placed in a baking dish and topped with pecans and marshmallows. Then bake until the marshmallows are golden brown.
Key Ingredients
Before you start whipping up this sweet potato casserole, look at this list of ingredients to make sure you have everything you need for some delicious sweet potato casserole with marshmallows.
Fresh Sweet Potatoes
Never buy a fresh sweet potato with strings dangling from it. This is a sign that the sweet potato is old.
Dark Brown Sugar
I love the deep maple molasses flavor of dark brown sugar. However, you can use light brown sugar.
Eggs
The eggs will help the casserole firm up while it bakes.
Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
Flour helps the topping bind. Feel free to use gluten-free flour as a 1:1 swap.
Evaporated Milk
I like the extra sweetness that evaporated milk adds. You can taste the subtle difference in the final product. You can use any milk you have on hand.
Marshmallow Fluff
I wanted to try something different, so I used marshmallow fluff which gives the final product a creamier mouth feel that I’m a big fan of.
Pecans
It’s not a sweet potato casserole if there are no pecans. For a time, buy pre-chopped pecans, but if you’re like me and have them on hand, give them a quick chop.
How To Make Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
I want my sweet potato casserole with marshmallows to be fun to make, bursting with flavor, and a crowd-pleaser.
Sweet Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the oven rack on the second highest level. Add peeled and chopped sweet potatoes to a medium pot and cover with water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil; cook sweet potatoes for 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain, mash, and measure out 3 cups of sweet potatoes into a large bowl.
Pecan Topping: Add brown sugar, unsalted butter, salt, and cinnamon, and mix them together. Add eggs, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Transfer to a butter 9 x 13 casserole dish.
Assemble Casserole: In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, butter, and pecans. Evenly spread sweet potato mixture in the dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the marshmallows are slightly brown and the casserole is bubbling. Cool for 10 minutes. Turn oven on low broiler before serving hot.
Spread marshmallow fluff over sweet potato casserole, place on the top rack, and cook until fluff is brown; rotate pan if needed. Serve immediately.
Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
Here are the best practices, techniques, substitutes, and flavor builders you'll need for the best sweet potato casserole.
- If you’re short on time, use canned sweet potatoes, you will need (2) 29 oz. cans of sweet potatoes to make sure you have enough casserole.
- Feel free to use gluten-free flour in place of unbleached all-purpose flour.
- You can mash sweet potatoes with a fork or potato masher.
- Baked sweet potatoes have more flavor than boiled, but it also takes 45 minutes longer.
- The casserole is fully cooked once you notice that it has firmed up.
- You can use traditional marshmallows or mini marshmallows instead of marshmallow fluff. Just add after you add the toppings.
- I chose to use marshmallow fluff because traditional marshmallows are made with pork.
- If you’re not a fan of pecans, a great substitute are oats, walnuts, or hazelnuts.
- Using light brown sugar or granulated sugar instead of dark brown sugar will still produce a delicious final product.
FAQs
Here are the top questions readers have about sweet potato casserole with marshmallows.
Yes! Adding eggs to your sweet potato casserole gives the dish a thicker structure, similar to sweet potato pie. Make sure your sweet potatoes are not steaming hot when adding the eggs to the dish because it will scramble the eggs.
Sweet potatoes take on flavors very well. Adding cinnamon, nutmeg, or ground ginger and the right amount of salt to spice up your sweet potatoes.
No, that’s an unnecessary step. Use a fork to pierce the sweet potato evenly before baking. This helps the potato to release steam as it bakes, which allows the sweet potato's sugar to cook throughout the whole potato.
Boiling sweet potatoes is a faster cooking process than baking. However, a flavor test will show that baked sweet potatoes have a better flavor. Steaming them is also another great option.
Yes. I like to use oats, walnuts, or hazelnuts as a swap for pecans.
I believe a marshmallow topping is added to sweet potatoes because when they're cooked, the gooey marshmallows add a creamy taste and texture to the sweet potatoes.
Yes! You can bake the whole sweet potato casserole two days before you’re ready to serve. You can also make the sweet potato filling and toppings in advance. Keep them separate until you’re ready to bake.
Sweet potato casserole is best 2 days after baking but will be fresh for 7 days in an airtight container in the fridge. I wouldn’t recommend freezing it, but you can freeze it by placing it in a freezer-safe container for 3 months.
Reheat the casserole in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes or until hot.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
If you love sweet potatoes as much as I do, then I know you'll love these recipes too!
- Sweet Potato Pound Cake with Orange Icing
- Sweet Potato Pie
- Sweet Potato Cheesecake Bars
- Sweet Potato Pecan Ice Cream
- Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls
- Fried Sweet Potato Pie
- Southern Candied Yams
Before You Begin
Here are my steps for getting organized and moving fast in the kitchen.
Step 1: Get all ingredients for the sweet potato casserole on the counter.
Step 2: Measure everything out.
Step 3: Start following the recipe and get ready for the best sweet potato casserole with marshmallows you’ve ever enjoyed.
I hope you enjoy this sweet potato casserole with marshmallows recipe as much as my family. It’s the perfect dish to bring to a potluck or serve at your next family gathering. Be sure to leave me a comment and star rating below if you try it. Happy cooking!
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📖 Recipe
Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes:
- 2 lbs. medium sweet potatoes peeled and chopped
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 stick melted unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup evaporated milk
Pecan Topping:
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 7 oz. marshmallow fluff
Instructions
Sweet Potatoes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and place oven rack on the second highest level. Add sweet potatoes to a medium pot and cover with water; place over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain, mash, and measure out 3 cups of sweet potatoes into a large bowl.
- Add brown sugar, butter, salt, and cinnamon, to the sweet potatoes and mix together. Add eggs, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Transfer to a butter 9 x 13 casserole dish.
Pecan Topping:
- In a medium bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, butter, and pecans. Evenly spread over the sweet potatoes in the dish. Scoop marshmallow fluff over sweet potato casserole. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the marshmallow fluff is brown and the casserole is firm; rotate the pan if needed.
- If the fluff is not as brown as you like, place the casserole on the top rack and turn the broiler on low for 2-3 minutes. You may need to rotate the pan for even browning. Cool for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you’re short on time, use canned sweet potatoes, you will need (2) 29 oz. can of sweet potatoes to make sure you have enough casserole.
- Feel free to use gluten-free flour in place of unbleached all-purpose flour.
- ou can mash sweet potatoes with a fork or potato masher.
- Baked sweet potatoes have more flavor than boiled, but it also takes 45 minutes longer.
- The casserole is fully cooked once you notice that it has firmed up.
- You can use traditional marshmallows or mini marshmallows instead of the marshmallows fluff. Just add after you add the toppings.
- I chose to use marshmallow fluff because traditional marshmallows are made with pork.
- If you’re not a fan of pecans, a great substitute are oats, walnuts, or hazelnuts.
- sing light brown sugar or granulated sugar instead of dark brown sugar will still produce a delicious final product.
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