Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family, express gratitude, and share a delightful meal! While conversations often center around thankfulness and family, the food on the table is always a highlight. Among the traditional dishes, this sweet potato casserole with a pecan crumble topping will be a memorable addition to your holiday spread!

Planning and preparing side dishes ahead of time can make Thanksgiving Day more manageable, especially with the time-intensive process of preparing the turkey. This sweet potato casserole is perfect for preparing the day before, so you can focus on enjoying the company of loved ones. With its creamy, fluffy mashed sweet potatoes and a crumbly, sweet pecan topping, this dish is both savory and satisfyingly crunchy. The brown sugar caramelizes with the butter, giving the topping an irresistible buttery pecan crunch that truly sets this casserole apart.

At Assisting Hands Home Care – Cave Creek, our caregivers can make holiday meal preparation even easier for you. They’re here to assist with grocery shopping, preparing ingredients, and handling the steps to make your holiday side dishes — including this sweet potato casserole! With a caregiver’s support, you can create a delicious spread while enjoying more time and less stress during the holidays.

To simplify Thanksgiving Day further, you can fully assemble the casserole the night before. Prepare the sweet potato filling, top it with the pecan crumble, cover with foil, and refrigerate it overnight. On Thanksgiving, just pop it in the oven straight from the fridge, allowing an additional 10-15 minutes to warm it through, and you’ll have a delicious side ready to enjoy!

Ingredients

Filling:

• 4 pounds raw sweet potatoes, diced into large chunks and boiled
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup milk (can substitute with dairy-free option)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, optional

Topping:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 cup pecan halves

Directions

Make the Filling:

• Add the sweet potato chunks to a large stockpot, cover with water, and boil. Cook over high heat until sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
• Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 2.5 to a 3-quart baking dish or a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
• To the large bowl with the sweet potatoes, add the eggs, butter, milk, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt, optional nutmeg, and optional cinnamon. Beat with a handheld electric mixer on medium-high speed until combined and fluffy.
• Pour into a baking dish, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula, and set aside.

Make the Topping:

• Add the butter and heat on high power to a large microwave-safe bowl to melt for about 1 minute.
• Add the brown sugar, flour, and salt. Then toss with a fork or your fingers until moist crumbs form.
• Add the pecans, toss to incorporate, and evenly pour the topping over the filling.
• Bake the sweet potato casserole for about 45-55 minutes (or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours if prepping it in advance). The top should be lightly golden browned, set on the edges, and mostly set in the center. Baking time will vary based on the pan used (glass or ceramic baking dishes will bake for longer than metal pans), oven, climate, ingredient variances, etc. Start checking at 30 minutes, and repeat every 10 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

Now that the sweet potato casserole has been prepped, cooked, and served, what’s next? Obviously, Thanksgiving dinner is one of those meals where the food is typically left out for a couple of hours, giving people the opportunity to get seconds, or maybe even third servings. But if there are still leftovers, this casserole can be stored for the next day or put in the freezer for safekeeping for up to three months. It is best to reheat the dish if serving it up again! Cover the dish with foil and place in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

This sweet, savory, delicious side dish will surely be a hit at any Thanksgiving dinner. The easy preparation, plus the ability to assemble it ahead of time, make this casserole a perfect option for the holiday meal. Not to mention, who doesn’t love leftovers? Hopefully, there is room in the refrigerator!

Written by: Sara Frost