Paula Deen Sweet Potato Casserole

Paula Deen's Sweet Potato Casserole is a decadent Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish with creamy sweet potatoes and a crispy, crunchy brown sugar pecan topping. Perfect side to accompany a savory turkey or ham holiday dinner. 

Jump to:

• Why You’re Going to Love This Recipe
• Ingredients
• How to Bake Sweet Potatoes for Sweet Potato Casserole
• Can I Substitute Canned Yams for Sweet Potatoes?
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Storage
• How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
• How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole Ahead of Time
• How to Freeze Sweet Potato Casserole
• How to Reheat Sweet Potato Casserole 
• Expert Tips
• Recipe FAQs
• More Holiday Side Dish Recipes
• Recipe Essentials
• Let's Stay in Touch
• Paula Deen Sweet Potato Casserole

If anyone knows how to whip up an indulgent holiday side dish, it’s Ms. Paula Deen. And her sweet potato casserole recipe does not disappoint.

It’s lusciously sweet and creamy and the brown sugar pecan topping is ridiculously crunchy and addictive. 

But if you’re more of a sweet potato casserole with marshmallows kind of person, there's a Paula Deen recipe for that right here.

Keep reading and I’ll explain how to make the most delicious sweet potato casserole with pecan topping EVER -- and how to swap out the topping for marshmallows!

More Holiday Side Dish Recipes

• Paula Deen’s Southern Green Bean Casserole
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
• Cream Cheese Corn Casserole with Bacon
• Chicken Stuffing Casserole

Why You’re Going to Love This Recipe

• Decadent family favorite holiday side dish everyone will devour
• Easy to make or freeze ahead of time
• Luscious creamy sweet potato bake with crunchy pecan topping

Ingredients

See recipe card for the full list of ingredients.

Cooked sweet potatoes. Boil, bake, roast, or microwave the sweet potatoes, let them cool, and mash them. You can also use canned yams, which don’t need to be cooked. If you do, I suggest adjusting the sugar down a tad since they come in sweetened syrup. 

Granulated sugar. White sugar amps up the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes. 

Butter. One stick of melted butter is divided between the filling and the pecan topping. 

Eggs. Two large eggs help hold the filling together and give it structure. 

Cinnamon and nutmeg. This sweet potato side dish has a pumpkin pie vibe with warm and cozy spices. 

Heavy cream, half and half or whole milk. Even more creaminess!

Brown sugar. Brown sugar adds rich molasses flavor to the crunchy topping. You can use dark or light brown sugar.

Pecans. Chopped pecans or walnuts bring crunchy nuttiness. Toast them for more nutty flavor.

Flour. A little bit of all-purpose flour holds the pecan topping together. 

How to Bake Sweet Potatoes for Sweet Potato Casserole

Oven.

• Preheat the oven to 400.
• Prick several holes in the sweet potatoes with a fork.
• Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake for 60 minutes or until you can easily pierce them with a fork. 
• Larger sweet potatoes may take longer than 60 minutes.

Microwave.

• Pierce the sweet potatoes several times with a fork and place them on a microwave safe plate.
• Microwave for 5 minutes for one sweet potato, adding  two minutes for each additional sweet potato. Turn the potatoes over halfway through.
• They’re done when you can easily pierce them with a fork.
• If they’re too firm, continue to cook in one-minute increments. 

Can I Substitute Canned Yams for Sweet Potatoes?

Fresh sweet potatoes will taste best, but you can use canned yams. They just won’t need to be cooked before adding to the filling. Since they come in sweetened syrup, adjust the sugar down a bit. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1

Cook and mash the sweet potatoes. Boil, bake, or roast the sweet potatoes. My favorite way is to bake them — sometimes in the oven, sometimes in the microwave.

• When baking whole sweet potatoes, keep the skins on and peel them off when they're cool enough to handle.
• Mash the potatoes with a food processor or hand mixer for smoother texture or with a fork or potato masher for a chunkier texture.
• Let the sweet potatoes cool before mixing them in with the rest of the ingredients, or the heat may cause the eggs to scramble. 

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 325 and spray a 1 ½ quart baking dish with cooking spray. 

Step 3

Place potatoes, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, 5 tablespoons of melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Mix on medium to medium-high speed with an electric mixer until combined and smooth. Add the cream or milk and mix to combine. 

Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Step 4

Make pecan topping. In a medium bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of melted butter, brown sugar, flour, and chopped pecans.

Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the sweet potato casserole.

Step 5

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center is set and the internal temperature is 165. If desired, turn the oven to broil for an additional 1-3 minutes to brown the topping a little more. Watch it closely so it doesn't burn.

Let the sweet potato casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. 

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze them for up to 3 months. 

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

You can easily adapt this recipe for sweet potato casserole with marshmallows instead of the pecan topping.

• Prepare the sweet potato filling as directed above.
• Bake without topping until it is set, about 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle ⅔ cup toasted pecans and 2-3 cups of mini marshmallows over the top of the casserole.
• Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the marshmallows are lightly browned and the internal temperature is 165.

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole Ahead of Time

Make Ahead: Prepare the filling a day ahead of time and spread it in a casserole dish, but do not bake it. Cover with foil and refrigerate. The next day, take it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for 30-60 minutes. Add the topping and bake as directed. 

How to Freeze Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potato casserole freezes well, so you can start prepping your holiday side dishes well in advance. For best results, freeze sweet potato casserole unbaked, as it always tastes best served freshly baked from the oven.

Freeze Unbaked: Prepare the filling and place it into a freezer-safe casserole dish. Wrap it tightly in two layers of foil. Prepare pecan topping and place it in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. 

Freeze Leftovers: Leftover sweet potato casserole is okay to freeze and reheat for lunches and quick weeknight dinners. Place it in an airtight container and freeze it for a month or two. 

How to Reheat Sweet Potato Casserole 

Frozen unbaked: Thaw the casserole in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Before baking, allow the casserole to come to room temperature for 30-60 minutes. There is no need to thaw the pecan crumble. Add the topping and bake as directed to 165 degrees.

You may need to add a few minutes of cooking time if the casserole is still cold when it is placed in the oven.

Frozen leftovers: Thaw leftover casserole in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Allow it to come to room temperature, cover it with foil and heat in a 350 degree oven until warmed through. Remove the foil for 5-10 minutes to crisp up the topping, if desired. You can also crisp the topping under the broiler for 1-3 minutes. Cook to an internal temperature of 165.

Expert Tips

If you bake or microwave the sweet potatoes whole, leave the skins on. The skins are really easy to peel off when cooked. 

If you like silky smooth sweet potatoes, mash them with a food processor or mixer. For a chunkier texture, mash them with a fork or potato masher.

Let the sweet potatoes cool before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients — especially the eggs. You don’t want scrambled eggs in your sweet potato casserole. 

Add a splash of orange juice, if desired, to the sweet potato filling. Paula Deen does sometimes!

Recipe FAQs

More Holiday Side Dish Recipes

Recipe Essentials

I use this little KitchenAid hand mixer for everything from mashing potatoes to whipping egg whites for macaroons. 

Full disclosure, I don’t have these baking dishes, but they are on my wish list. Staub ceramic baking dishes are freezer, broiler, and oven safe and come in fun colors that will look great on your holiday table.

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