Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel Topping

I know the internet is flooded with sweet potato casseroles this time of year, but this is my favorite of all time! Not only is is special because it converted my sweet potato hating children into lifelong fans (at least most of them – ha!), but the pecan crumb topping is the stuff dreams are made of.

And I want to tell you about a kitchen tool called a ricer that will create the fluffiest sweet potatoes you’ve ever had. You can also use a ricer for regular mashed potatoes (but we’ll talk about that another time). Let’s get started!

Baking the Sweet Potatoes

The first thing you will want to do is line a large sheet pan with heavy duty aluminum foil to bake your sweet potatoes on. Sweet potatoes have lots of sugar in them and that creates a nice thick syrup that oozes out the crevices, while they bake. Take it from me, that’s the last thing you are going to want to scrape off the bottom of your oven!

See the grief you are saving yourself from! It’s so much easier to just lift the foil off the pan and throw it away. No clean up necessary. One of my favorite life hacks ever!

The Crumb Topping

While the sweet potatoes bake, prepare the crumb topping. But first, let’s talk about pecans for just a minute!

Pecans

Pecans are expensive and have a short shelf life before they turn rancid. The best ways I have found around these issues are:

* Buy nuts in bulk around the holidays, when they are on sale (if you live in near a Costco, it’s a great source).

* Store nuts in your freezer. I don’t have any special container to store nuts in, I just put the bag inside a freezer storage bag. There is no need to thaw before using, I chop them straight from the freezer.

*If you don’t like pecans, you can leave them out of the topping.

Back to the topping:

Combine the brown sugar, flour, pecans, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl and pour melted butter over the top, stir until combined and set aside. (Complete list of ingredients listed below.)

Once the sweet potatoes have finished baking (45 minutes for small potatoes and up to 90 minutes for large). Let them cool until cool enough to handle (this usually takes about 5-10 minutes). Tip: I use a kitchen towel to hold the warm sweet potatoes in my hand while I scoop out the flesh.

What is a ricer anyway?!

(And why are you using it on your sweet potatoes?)

A ricer is a tool that incorporates air into your potatoes while making them light, fluffy, and lump free! When looking for a good ricer to buy, look for a solid steel construction and a large hopper. I can fit a whole sweet potato in my ricer without the need to cut it in half first.

Press the sweet potato flesh through a ricer into a bowl. If you don’t have a ricer, that’s okay too… just use a potato masher or hand mixer on low speed. Add eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and melted butter. Fold until combined.

Pour the sweet potato mixture into the bottom of a greased baking pan.

Truth is, a lot of different sizes of pans will work here. It all depends on what you have left in you cupboards after you’ve grabbed everything you own already for your stuffing, green bean casserole, corn bread, etc. In this picture I used a 9 x 9″ pan, but I’ve used bigger as well. It’s super forgiving! 

Sprinkle crumb topping on top. You don’t have to use all of the crumb topping, just use the amount that looks right to you. This recipe makes a lot of topping and I will use it all if I use a 9 x 13″ pan. If I use a 9 x 9″ pan, I might have a little topping left over to each with a spoon 😉. Just use your discretion, there’s no wrong answer!

Bake for 30 minutes and dig in!

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel Topping

Sweet Potato Filling

6 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean and pierced with a fork 4-5 times

1/3 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons salted butter, melted

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of kosher salt

Streusel Topping

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup salted butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 c pecans, finely chopped*

Pinch of ginger

Pinch of kosher salt

Directions

1. Mix potatoes, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Combine topping mixture and evenly sprinkle over casserole. Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes, using a 9 x 13 pan. Recipe can also be halved using an 8 x 8 casserole dish.

2. Combine dry crumb topping ingredients and pour melted butter over top. Mix with a fork until combined.

3. Place potato mixture in the bottom of a 9 x 9 or 9 x 13 baking dish and sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake in a 350 F oven for 30 minutes until casserole is slightly puffed and the topping is golden brown.

*If you’re not a pecan fan, you can leave them out of the streusel topping.

MAKE AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS: This casserole can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. But wait until right before baking to add the crumb topping. Bake 350 F for 30 minutes.