I buy sweet potatoes by the bushel. Seriously, I have recently purchased my second nearly bushel box of sweet potatoes. I think apples and oatmeal are the only other foods that we purchase in as large or larger quantities on a regular basis. I will tell you about the oatmeal sometime…it requires a separate post. 🙂 Most of the time, I try and make healthy dishes like Grilled Baked Sweet Potatoes, Sweet Potato, and Lentil Hash, or Maple Glazed Roasted Sweet Potatoes. However, I love to splurge every once in a while and make sweet potatoes into a side dish that could easily be called a dessert. Today I made one of those decadently delicious sides, Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping.
It is a classic sweet potato dish that my mom did not make. I have had a similar version, which I helped make, at my sister’s house last year. I have also had versions of this dish at church potlucks. After running across a couple of recipes for it in a compilation cookbook, I decided to give it a try on my own…with a few changes. I love cinnamon and neither recipe called for cinnamon. I also decided to experiment with a few of the listed ingredients. The result is a divinely decadent side dish that is very similar to other versions.
I am inclined to describe this dish as a sweet potato souffle with a praline topping.
Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecan Topping
Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes
- 3 c. mashed sweet potatoes
- 1/2 c. unsalted butter
- 1/2 c. brown sugar
- 1/2 c. granulated white sugar OR honey OR a scant 1/2 c. maple syrup
- 1 - 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 c. cream, half and half, or evaporated milk (if using maple syrup or honey reduce to 3/4 c.)
Topping
- 1 c. brown sugar
- 4 - 6 Tbsp. butter, softened
- 1/2 to 2/3 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 c. roughly chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
- Beat sweet potatoes and butter with an electric or stand mixer until rather smooth.
- Stir in sugars, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla.
- Slowly pour in cream or milk blending until everything is well incorporated.
- In a small bowl: add brown sugar, flour, pecans, and 4 Tbps. butter. Blend together, adding more butter as desired/needed, to form a course crumb texture.
- Place the sweet potato mixture in a 9 X 13-ish baking dish that has been buttered or sprayed with oil or non-stick cooking spray.
- Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly over the baking dish.
- Cover the top with the nutty brown sugar mixture.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the outside edge is bubbly and browned. The center should be mostly set and just have the lightest jiggle; it will set up further after removing it from the oven.
- Serve warm.