Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Streusel Topping

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Sweet potato casserole with praline streusel topping combines a smooth, cinnamon-vanilla filling with buttery brown sugar crumbs and chopped pecans. This holiday side starts with canned sweet potatoes and serves 12, making it a practical choice alongside turkey, ham or roast chicken. Allow 20 minutes for prep, 30 to 40 minutes for baking and about 10 minutes for the casserole to stand before serving.

Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole typically has a topping of toasted, melted marshmallow, but this recipe features a crunchy, sweet praline pecan topping that is out of this world!

When I was a kid, I hated sweet potatoes, even in a casserole. But as I've aged, I've come to love sweet potatoes - even plain ones!

The sweet praline topping and brown sugar make this humble side dish totally dessert worthy. It's a really nice compliment to all of the savory flavors on the holiday table.

What Makes This a Praline Sweet Potato Casserole?

The praline flavor comes from brown sugar, butter and pecans in a flour-based streusel topping. The topping bakes directly over the sweet potato filling, so there is no separate candy-making step. Underneath, heavy cream and eggs help create a smooth, rich filling with vanilla and a little cinnamon.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Canned sweet potatoes make the preparation straightforward, while the pecan streusel brings a crisp contrast to the creamy filling. A 9x13-inch dish gives you 12 servings for a holiday table. The sweetness fits especially well beside savory dishes such as Southern Cornbread Dressing.

Recipe at a Glance

Yield: 12 servings. Prep: 20 minutes. Bake: 30-40 minutes at 350°F. Rest: about 10 minutes. Pan: greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Flavor: sweet potatoes, vanilla, cinnamon and buttery pecans. Texture: smooth filling with coarse, toasted crumbs. Freezer: baked and cooled, up to 2 months.

Can You Make Sweet Potato Casserole Ahead?

The filling and topping can be prepared separately up to 2 days ahead, as described in the original recipe notes. Keep both covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the casserole.

• Make up to 2 days ahead: Follow the directions in the recipe and place the mashed sweet potato mixture into the prepared baking dish without the streusel topping.
• Reserve the praline streusel topping mixture, cover and store it in the refrigerator for the day of baking.  
• On the day of baking, top the filling with the reserved praline streusel. Follow your baking dish manufacturer's guidance for moving a chilled dish into a hot oven.
• Bake according to the recipe directions until the filling is heated through and the topping is golden brown and lightly toasted. A chilled casserole may need additional baking time; use the doneness cues rather than assuming the same finish time.

Ingredients You'll Need

canned sweet potatoes

butter

heavy cream

eggs

salt

white sugar

vanilla extract

ground cinnamon

 

for the topping:

butter

salt

brown sugar

all-purpose flour

chopped pecans

 

A Few Ingredient Notes

Use melted salted butter for the filling and softened salted butter for the streusel. Half-and-half can replace the heavy cream for a slightly lighter filling, and walnuts may replace the pecans. The tested recipe uses two 29-ounce cans of sweet potatoes, drained well.

CAN YOU USE FRESH SWEET POTATOES OR YAMS FOR THIS RECIPE?

Yes! Use 3 to 3 ½ pounds of sweet potatoes or yams in place of the canned yams.

• Place the peeled and cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and boil over medium-high heat until tender (about 8-10 minutes, depending on the size). 
• Drain well and return to the pot. 
• Follow the filling method below: butter, cream and cinnamon go in the filling; brown sugar goes in the topping. Measure salt separately for each mixture as listed in the recipe. Mash the cooked potatoes with an electric hand mixer until smooth before preparing the filling. 
• Use the measured ingredients in the recipe, including the eggs, granulated sugar and vanilla in the filling. 

Tools That Make It Easier

Use a 9x13-inch baking dish, an electric mixer, a large bowl for the filling and a medium bowl for the streusel. A colander helps drain the canned sweet potatoes, and a spatula makes it easy to spread the filling evenly.

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

Prepare the dish, mix the filling, add the streusel and bake until the topping is golden brown and lightly toasted.

1. Prepare the Pan and Sweet Potatoes

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Drain the sweet potatoes thoroughly to remove as much excess liquid as possible.

2. Mix and Spread the Filling

Add the drained sweet potatoes, melted butter, granulated sugar, heavy cream, eggs, salt, vanilla and cinnamon to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and evenly combined. Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.

3. Add the Praline Streusel

Combine the softened butter, salt, brown sugar and flour in a medium bowl. Mix until coarse, moist crumbs form, then stir in the chopped pecans. Scatter the streusel evenly over the sweet potato filling. The crumbs should stay irregular; there is no need to press them into a smooth layer.

4. Bake and Let It Stand

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the filling is heated through and the topping is golden brown and lightly toasted. Let the casserole stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Helpful Tips Before You Start

Drain the sweet potatoes before mixing the filling and have the two portions of butter at their intended temperatures. Keeping melted filling butter separate from softened topping butter makes assembly much easier. Smooth the filling before scattering the topping so each serving gets both layers.

A Few Easy Mistakes to Avoid

Leaving liquid in the canned sweet potatoes and melting the topping butter can work against the intended texture. Drain well and use softened butter for the crumbs. Check the topping during the stated bake window, and leave time for the 10-minute rest instead of serving straight from the oven.

Keeping Leftovers Fresh

Cover leftovers tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or warm the covered casserole in a 325°F oven until heated through. Uncover during the final few minutes of oven reheating to help the pecan topping crisp again.

Can You Freeze It?

Freeze the baked and cooled casserole tightly wrapped for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. For the crispest topping, freeze the filling without streusel, thaw it, add freshly prepared topping and bake as directed.

VARIATION TOPPINGS FOR SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE:

For a twist on the praline topping, prepare recipe as directed, except add any 1 or more of the following ingredients to the pecan praline topping before baking:

 

Bacon - Yum! Add a savory and salty flavor to the praline topping! Add 1 cup crisp-cooked and crumbled bacon, about 8 slices

 

Marshmallows - 2 cups mini marshmallows

 

Coconut - ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut

 

What to Serve with Sweet Potato Casserole

Serve this sweet side with roast turkey, glazed ham, pork loin or roasted chicken. Herb Butter Roasted Turkey in an Oven Bag, Green Bean Bundles and cornbread dressing make a natural holiday combination. Roasted Brussels sprouts and yeast rolls are other useful pairings.

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MORE SIDE DISH INSPIRATION! CHECK OUT THESE READER FAVORITE HOLIDAY SIDES:

Southern Cornbread Dressing

Bacon-Wrapped Green Bean Bundles with Brown Sugar

Creamed Spinach

Sweet Potato Apple Bake with Marshmallows

Creamed Spinach

Homestyle Mashed Potatoes with Evaporated Milk

Southern-Style Collard Greens

Creamed Corn

 

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