With a hint of warm spices, just the right amount of brown sugar, creamy sweet potatoes, and crunchy oat and pecan streusel topping, this classic Southern Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe is a crowd-pleasing gluten free side dish! Don’t wait for the holidays to make it, whip it up to serve with a Sunday roast chicken or steak.
The wonderful thing about this classic Southern Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe is that it can double as a side dish or dessert. It’s traditionally served as a side dish for holiday meals, but I think it’s sweet enough to enjoy instead of pie!
And if you’re serving this up as a side dish there’s no reason to save it for the holidays only! This side dish pairs well with roast chicken, steak, or roast beef. It’s gluten free, so if you’re looking for gluten free side dish options, look no further.
Plus this Sweet Potato Casserole is easy to make and you can make it ahead of time. And let’s be honest, it’s a pretty delicious way to get in a serving of vegetables, right?!
What Everyone Loves About Sweet Potato Casserole
Aromatic spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of cloves add depth of flavor.
Just a touch of brown sugar is the perfect pairing with the natural sweetness of sweet potato.
A crunchy oatmeal and pecan topping is the perfect way to offset the creamy texture of the potatoes.
The marshmallows get all toasty on top and make this casserole even more delicious!
Are Sweet Potatoes and Yams the Same?
No! Yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing. However, it can get confusing because grocery stores sometimes cross-label these items. And what makes it more confusing is that there are multiple varieties of sweet potatoes!
To make this Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe, look for tubers that have reddish or coppery-colored skin and deep orange-hued flesh.
You can read more about the difference between sweet potatoes and yams on The Kitchn, Bon Appetit, and The Spruce Eats.
Sweet Potato Casserole Tips and FAQs
Should I Boil or Bake the Sweet Potatoes for This Southern Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe?
You can either boil or bake the sweet potatoes to make this Southern style Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe. I’ve made this casserole both ways, and I slightly prefer it with roasted sweet potatoes. I find that it has a slightly richer and deeper sweet potato flavor.
If you prefer to boil the sweet potatoes to make this recipe, I give instructions on how to do that in the Notes section of the recipe below.
Pro Tip: If you boil the sweet potatoes to make this, there’s no need to peel them first. Instead, you can boil them whole and then scoop the flesh out of the skin after they’re cooked.
Should Sweet Potato Casserole be Runny?
No, this casserole shouldn’t be watery. If you follow this recipe as directed, you should end up with rich and creamy sweet potatoes.
Pro Tip: If you decide to boil your sweet potatoes instead of roasting them for this recipe, make sure only to boil them until they’re tender and then drain them well so they don’t get waterlogged.
Why Are There Eggs in Sweet Potato Casserole?
The egg in Sweet Potato Casserole acts as a binder and gives the casserole just the right amount of structure.
Does Sweet Potato Casserole Freeze Well?
Yes! Sweet Potato Casserole freezes very well, which makes it a great side dish option for holiday meals, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas. You can make it ahead of time and stash it in the freezer until you want to serve it!
To Freeze Sweet Potato Casserole:
- Make the casserole as described in the recipe, except don’t do the final 15 to 20 minute bake.
- Once the casserole is cooled to room temperature, lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the oatmeal pecan topping and then wrap it with foil.
- Label the casserole with the date and contents.
- Freeze it for up to 3 months.
To Reheat Frozen Sweet Potato Casserole:
- Let the Sweet Potato Casserole thaw. I usually put it on a baking tray (to catch any water) and thaw it at room temperature overnight.
- Remove the foil and the plastic wrap on top of the casserole.
- Bake at 400F (uncovered) until the topping is golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and carefully sprinkle the marshmallows on top.
- Return to the oven and bake (uncovered) until the marshmallows are golden, about 5 minutes.
How to Make This Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe from Scratch
Get out all the ingredients to make Sweet Potato Casserole.
The first step to make this casserole is to cook the sweet potatoes. I like to roast them because I find that it results in a deeper sweet potato flavor.
To roast the sweet potatoes, rinse them and pat them dry. Carefully poke each potato a couple times with a sharp paring knife to allow the steam to escape. Place the potatoes on a foil-lined baking tray.
Roast the sweet potatoes at 400F until tender, about 1 hour. When they’re done, a sharp paring knife inserted into the center should slide right out.
Let the potatoes cool until you can handle them. Slice each potato in half and scoop out the flesh, discarding the skins.
Mash the sweet potato and the butter.
Mash in the brown sugar, milk, egg, and spices.
If you want no lumps, you can puree the mixture in a food processor until completely smooth. I like a few lumps for texture, so I just use a potato masher.
Get out all the ingredients for the streusel topping.
Add the oats, pecans, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt to a bowl.
And use a fork to combine them.
Spread the sweet potato mixture into a casserole dish.
Sprinkle the oat pecan streusel on top.
Bake at 400F until the topping is golden.
Top with the marshmallows.
Bake again until the marshmallows are toasted!
What Goes Well with Sweet Potato Casserole?
- A classic roast chicken is a perfect pairing
- Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast
- Reverse Seared Ribeye Steak
- Instant Pot Beef Ribs
- Beef Brisket
More Sweet Potato Recipes to Try:
- Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pumpkin Soup
- Easy Sweet Potato Hash
- Fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies
- Chai Spiced Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Jerk Roasted Chicken Thighs and Sweet Potato Dinner
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below because I love hearing from you! You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media. To stay up-to-date FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Xoxo, Faith
Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
Sweet Potato:
- 1 3/4 pounds sweet potatoes
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/4 cup brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/16 teaspoon ground cloves
Oatmeal Pecan Topping:
- 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/4 cup pecans coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar lightly packed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted slightly
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Other:
- Coconut oil spray
- 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
Instructions
For the Sweet Potato Layer:
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a small baking tray with foil.
- Rinse and dry the sweet potatoes. Poke a few holes in each.
- Place the potatoes on the prepared tray and roast until a paring knife inserted in the center of the largest potato slides right out, about 1 hour.
- Cool the potatoes until they’re not too hot to touch.
- Slice open each potato; scoop out the flesh into a large bowl and discard the potato skins.
- Mash the sweet potato with the butter, and then mash in the brown sugar, milk, egg, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
For the Oatmeal Pecan Topping:
- Use a fork to combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.
To Assemble and Bake the Casserole:
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Spray the inside of a 1.5-quart casserole dish with coconut oil spray.
- Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into the prepared casserole dish.
- Sprinkle the oatmeal pecan topping evenly on top.
- Bake (uncovered) until the topping is golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and carefully sprinkle the marshmallows on top.
- Return to the oven and bake (uncovered) until the marshmallows are golden, about 5 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Faith's Tips
- Instead of baking the sweet potatoes, you can boil them whole until tender, which usually takes about 45 minutes.
- The marshmallows are optional; to reduce the sugar, feel free to omit them.
- You can make this dish up to 5 days ahead of time. To reheat it, make sure it’s in an oven-safe dish, cover it with foil, and heat it in a 350F oven until warm.
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links to products I believe in, which means that even though it doesn’t cost you anything extra, I will receive a small amount of money from the sale of these items. Thank you for helping to support An Edible Mosaic!
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
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