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Best Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole with Easy Pecan Streusel

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This make-ahead sweet potato casserole features a creamy, perfectly sweetened sweet potato filling topped with a buttery, crunchy pecan streusel. It’s the ultimate stress-free holiday side dish that can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium-large), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup milk (whole milk preferred, 2% is fine)
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Place in a large pot and cover with cold water by about an inch. Add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until very tender when pierced with a fork. Drain well and let sit for a minute or two to steam off excess moisture.
  2. Transfer the drained sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl. While still warm, add the melted butter and milk. Mash with a potato masher until mostly smooth, then use a hand mixer on low speed for about 30 seconds to get it creamy. Do not overmix.
  3. Add the brown sugar, beaten egg, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the mashed sweet potatoes. Mix on low speed or stir vigorously until fully combined. The mixture should be smooth, glossy, and slightly darker in color.
  4. Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Use a spatula to smooth the top.
  5. In a medium bowl, combine the chopped pecans, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir with a fork. Add the cold butter cubes. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse, crumbly sand with some pea-sized butter pieces.
  6. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the sweet potato filling. Do not press it down.
  7. If baking immediately, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is bubbly around the edges and the streusel is golden brown and fragrant. If the streusel browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the remaining time.
  8. If making ahead, cover the assembled unbaked casserole tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove from fridge and let sit on the counter for 20 minutes. Bake as directed, adding 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time.

Notes

For a gluten-free version, swap the all-purpose flour in the streusel with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. For dairy-free, use vegan butter and unsweetened non-dairy milk. The streusel can be made nut-free by omitting pecans and increasing flour and butter slightly. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: sweet potato casserole, pecan streusel, make-ahead, Thanksgiving side dish, holiday recipe

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