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Easy Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel

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A creamy sweet potato casserole topped with a crunchy, caramelized pecan streusel. This make-ahead side dish is perfect for holidays and family gatherings, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and texture.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4–5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Peel and cube sweet potatoes into 1-inch chunks. Place in a large pot, cover with cold water by about an inch, and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes until fork-tender. Drain in a colander and let steam off excess moisture.
  2. Transfer drained sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mash until smooth (use a potato masher for chunkier texture or a hand mixer for silky smooth). Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.
  3. In a small bowl, combine chopped pecans, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized butter pieces. Refrigerate for 10 minutes if butter softens.
  4. Spread mashed sweet potato mixture evenly into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle pecan streusel evenly over the top without pressing down. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, or bake immediately.
  5. If refrigerated, let casserole sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while preheating oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until streusel is golden brown and sweet potato mixture is bubbling around edges. Tent with foil if browning too quickly. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

For best results, use cold butter for the streusel and let the casserole rest before serving. To restore crunch to leftovers, reheat under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. The casserole can be frozen unbaked for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: sweet potato casserole, pecan streusel, make-ahead, holiday side dish, Thanksgiving, Christmas, comfort food

Find it online: https://lyrafeast.com/easy-make-ahead-sweet-potato-casserole-with-pecan-streusel/