This delicious make ahead sweet potato casserole with pecans is the perfect holiday side dish. Split the recipe into two 8x8-inch pans and serve one for Thanksgiving and freeze one to be served later at Christmas.
PREP TIME 20 minutesminutes
Additional Time 45 minutesminutes
COOK TIME 30 minutesminutes
TOTAL TIME 1 hourhour35 minutesminutes
YIELD 10servings
Ingredients
4whole sweet potatoes
1cupsugar
1cupmilk
2eggs
1tspvanilla
1tspsalt
6tbspbutter
1cupbrown sugar
1/2cupflour
1cuppecans
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside. Scrub the sweet potatoes and prick them with a fork over all sides, place them on the prepared sheet. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes or until they are fork-tender.
Slice the skin of the sweet potatoes and scoop out the flesh into a mixing bowl. You will likely find the peels easily lift away but you can also use a spoon to help.
Add the white sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt to the mixing bowl and mash the potatoes together.
Spread the sweet potato filling into 2 8x8-inch baking dishes or 1 9x13-inch dish and set aside.
Cut the butter into small cubes. In a medium mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, flour, and butter and mash it together with a fork. Break the pecans up into quarters and add them to the butter mixture. You may find pinching everything together with your fingers works best.
Sprinkle the butter pecan mixture over the top of the sweet potato filling.
To Bake:
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Bake room-temperature sweet potato casserole for 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.
To Freeze:
Wrap the dish in aluminum foil and freeze for up 6 months.
It is easiest to thaw the casserole overnight in the fridge and then bake as directed.
If you prefer to bake from frozen, keep the aluminum foil covering in place for 20 minutes, unwrap the casserole and continue to bake for another 20 - 30 minutes or until the filling is bubbling hot and the topping is golden brown.
Recipe Notes
Make Ahead Tips:If you want to make the sweet potato casserole ahead without freezing, you can assemble the entire dish the day before and keep in the fridge overnight, covered in aluminum foil.Bake just before serving.