Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole

This Old-Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole recipe is the perfect addition to any holiday meal. Made with simple ingredients like sweet potatoes, brown sugar, marshmallows, and butter, this side dish is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

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Whether you serve this at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other Holiday throughout the year, this easy sweet potato casserole is one that is a staple item at the table! With so many versions on the internet, you may already have a favorite, however, using a secret ingredient that most don’t, you may just fall in love with this recipe as much as my family! Also check out my Loaded Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, and Simple Gravy recipe for more Thanksgiving menu options!

Why You’ll Love this Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole

• Simple ingredients only– not only does this recipe come together using budget friendly ingredients, you’ll know each and every item added since it calls for simple, everyday ingredients.
• The perfect Holiday staple– this classic sweet potato casserole is a crowd pleaser and compliments any Holiday menu perfectly. The best salty sweet combination of flavors.
• Customizable– feel free to make this your own by increasing or decreasing spices, adding in pecans or chopped walnuts, omitting the topping, etc.
• Can be prepared ahead of time– one of my favorite things about this recipe is the fact you can prepare it the day before and simply pop into the oven when ready to cook!

Candied Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredient Notes

Below is a brief overview of each ingredient needed. To see printable recipe card, scroll to the bottom of this post.

SWEET POTATO FILLING

• Butter– unsalted butter or salted butter both work, if using unsalted butter, increase the addition of salt a bit.
• Sweet Potatoes– freshly peeled and diced is best..
• Brown Sugar– although I use light brown sugar in most recipes, for this casserole, I love using dark brown sugar due to the rich molasses flavor throughout.
• Water– this is used to boil the potatoes until soft.
• Salt/ Black Pepper– feel free to adjust to taste.

TOPPING

• Marshmallows– I love using mini marshmallow, however, you can also use large marshmallows that are sliced in half.
• Brown Sugar– this adds to the overall sweetness of the sweet topping.
• Egg White– this combines the topping and creates a glaze addition.
• Salt– feel free to increase, this helps create the salty sweet balance in the topping.
• Cumin– this is the secret  ingredient that everyone always questions, however, it is such a small, but mighty addition, just trust me on it!

How to make Sweet Potato Casserole

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt butter in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Dice and peel the sweet potatoes and add brown sugar, water, salt and pepper to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to medium low.
3. Cook, stirring often, until the sweet potatoes are fork tender, about 45-60 minutes.
4. When potatoes are tender, remove the lid and bring the sauce to a rapid simmer over medium high heat.
5. Continue to simmer until the brown sugar mixture has reduced to a glaze, about 5 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, mix together all the remaining ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
7. Pour the sweet potato mixture into a 9×13 prepared baking dish. Layer the topping over the potatoes and bake until marshmallows are golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.

Substitutions and Variations

If you’re looking for a few ways to make this your own or change it up to fit your tastes, here are some yummy suggestions:

• Spices: feel free to add in some ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice to increase the warm spice levels.
• Nuts: if you love a crunchy addition, try adding in 1 cup chopped pecans to the sweet potato mixture or marshmallow topping for a pecan topping that is so delicious.
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes: do you prefer a creamy, smooth potato? No problem, simply mash them with a potato masher once tender, rather than leaving them diced and slightly chunky.
• Fresh versus canned: although fresh sweet potatoes are best, if you like a great shortcut option, feel free to use canned sweet potatoes.
• Vanilla Extract: adding in 1-2 teaspoon to the marshmallow topping is a great addition and really enhances the flavor.

Storing Old Fashioned Southern Sweet Potato Casserole

• Leftovers: allow to fully cool before covering casserole dish with both plastic wrap and aluminum foil and placing in fridge for up to 5 days. You can also transfer leftovers to an airtight storage container. To freeze, place leftovers in freezer safe container up to 3 months.
• Reheating: place leftovers in a baking dish and reheat in oven at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. If frozen, you will want to thaw in refrigerator overnight. You can also reheat in microwave, however, oven gets it perfectly warm and helps the topping to crisp back up!
• Make Ahead: if you want to make the potato casserole ahead, prepare the sweet potatoes up to 24 hours in advance and store covered in the fridge. I do recommend keeping the sweet potato mixture and topping separate and assembling once ready to bake. If you prefer to assemble entirely, that works, just be sure to cover until oven ready. Add a few minutes to the cook time since the casserole will be chilled.

More Side Dish Recipes to try

Thanksgiving Jello– black cherry Jell-O with pineapple chunks throughout and an incredible cream cheese frosting! Perfect for Turkey day!

Texas Roadhouse Loaded Sweet Potatoes– loaded sweet potatoes with marshmallows, pecans, and cinnamon!

Loaded Cornbread– classic cornbread gets kicked up several notches in this Loaded Cornbread recipe by adding in cheese, bacon, corn, and more! The perfect side dish to go with any meal!

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese– outrageously cheesy, incredibly creamy, and topped with a crunchy breadcrumb topping, this mac and cheese recipe is definitely a keeper.

Jiffy Cornbread Casserole– an easy and delicious casserole recipe perfect for any occasion! Made with simple ingredients, it’s a crowd-pleasing dish that everyone will love!

Smoked Deviled Eggs– a show-stopping twist on an old classic recipe! Perfectly flavorful and the perfect appetizer or side dish to accompany any meal!