This Canned Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping has a creamy, buttery sweet potato filling topped with a crunchy brown sugar pecan streusel. This family recipe uses canned sweet potatoes or yams to save on prep time, making this an easy Southern side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Jump to:
- 🔍 Quick Look: Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
- Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Steps
- Watch how to Make
- Can you use yams?
- Can you use fresh sweet potatoes?
- What size pan should you use for sweet potato casserole?
- Can you make sweet potato casserole ahead of time?
- How do you store leftovers?
- Can you freeze sweet potato casserole?
- What do you serve with sweet potato casserole?
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
🔍 Quick Look: Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
👩🍳 Bake Time: 25-30 minutes
👥 Servings: 10
🍠 Main Ingredients: Canned sweet potatoes or yams, butter, sugar, eggs, pecans, brown sugar, flour
📆 Make ahead: Assemble, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake
🍽️ Pan Size: 9x13-inch for thinner, 8x8-inch for thicker, double in 9x13-inch pan and add 5-10 minutes baking time
❤️ You'll Love It Because: Easy holiday prep, crunchy pecan topping, and a tried-and-true Southern family recipe
About the Recipe
This Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping is my mother-in-law Patricia's family recipe. She makes it every Thanksgiving, and it always disappears quickly! That creamy, buttery sweet potato filling topped with a crunchy brown sugar pecan streusel is one of the dishes I look forward to each year. I love it so much, I also serve it at dinner parties and potlucks all throughout the fall season.
Patricia is every bit as sweet as her sweet potato casserole. My children absolutely adore her, and I am so lucky to have such a loving and thoughtful mother-in-law. I also have her Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole recipe featured on my site. It is a reader favorite. It brings me so much joy to share one of her beloved recipes here, knowing my children will always have it to make in their own homes one day. I hope you love it as much as we do. Enjoy! Xoxo -Katie.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
For this recipe, you need the following simple ingredients to make Southern sweet potato casserole.
- Canned sweet potatoes or yams - Using canned sweet potatoes is my favorite shortcut for this recipe because they are already cooked and ready to use. Drain them well before making the filling. Canned yams can also be used since they are often what you'll find labeled at the grocery store.
- Eggs - Binds the ingredients together and gives the sweet potato filling structure as it bakes.
- Granulated white sugar - Sweetens the filling. This is a sweet Southern-style casserole, so make it with the full amount of sugar just as Patricia's recipe is written.
- Butter - Adds richness to both the sweet potato filling and the pecan topping. Salted or unsalted butter will work.
- Vanilla extract - Adds a little warmth and extra flavor to the filling.
- Pecans - Chopped pecans give the topping its signature crunch. I prefer roughly chopped pecans over finely chopped.
- Brown sugar - Creates sweet caramel-like flavor in the pecan topping.
- Flour - Combines the brown sugar, chopped pecans, and melted butter to create the crunchy streusel topping.
(*Full recipe with ingredient measurements is located at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.)
Steps
Follow these easy steps to make this sweet potato casserole recipe.
- In a large mixing bowl, blend sweet potatoes, eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla until smooth with no lumps.
- Add sweet potato mixture to a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix pecans, flour, and brown sugar. Add the melted butter and stir until the pecans are completely covered in flour mixture.
- Add pecan topping to sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
Watch how to Make
Can you use yams?
Canned sweet potatoes are often labeled as yams in the grocery store. Therefore, you can use either. Although they are actually different vegetables, they can be used intertcanegebly.
Can you use fresh sweet potatoes?
You can substitute cooked fresh sweet potatoes for canned. Roast or bake sweet potatoes until completely soft before making the filling. For an easy hands-off option, try my slow cooker baked sweet potatoes method.
What size pan should you use for sweet potato casserole?
My mother-in-law has always made this recipe in a 9x13-inch baking dish, which creates a thinner sweet potato casserole. If you prefer a thicker casserole, bake the recipe in an 8x8-inch baking dish instead.
You can also double the recipe and bake it in a 9x13-inch dish for a thicker casserole. If doubling the recipe, add about 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.
Can you make sweet potato casserole ahead of time?
Yes! To make this sweet potato casserole ahead of time, assemble the sweet potato filling and pecan topping according to the recipe. Cover the casserole tightly and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Before baking, remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Then bake according to the recipe directions.
How do you store leftovers?
Cover the baking dish or transfer leftover sweet potato casserole to an airtight container, then refrigerate for up to 4 days.
For the best results, reheat in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave, but the pecan topping will be softer and less crunchy.
Can you freeze sweet potato casserole?
You can freeze sweet potato casserole. Follow these steps:
- Make sweet potato casserole according to directions, but do not add the topping.
- Wrap the casserole dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil to keep the freshness, then freeze.
- Completely thaw out casserole before baking.
- Prepare the crunchy pecan crust topping when ready to bake and continue baking according to directions.
What do you serve with sweet potato casserole?
Sweet potato casserole is a classic holiday side dish that pairs beautifully with turkey, ham, or prime rib. For a Southern holiday dinner, serve it alongside collard greens, green bean casserole, and cornbread dressing.
Sweet potato casserole is a classic holiday side dish that pairs beautifully with turkey, ham, or prime rib. For a Southern holiday dinner, serve it alongside collard greens, green bean casserole, and cornbread dressing.
For more Southern casserole side dishes, try:
When you make this baked sweet potato casserole, tell me what you think in the comment section! I would love to hear back! My readers will too.
Also post your picture of your sweet potato casserole on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale and use #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
📖 Recipe
Canned Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
Ingredients
- 29 ounces canned sweet potatoes or yams drained
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pecan Topping
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- ⅓ cup flour
- ⅓ cup butter melted
Instructions
Sweet Potato Filling
- Drain canned sweet potatoes well. In a large mixing bowl, blend sweet potatoes or yams, eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla extract until smooth with no lumps.29 ounces canned sweet potatoes or yams, 2 eggs, 1 cup sugar, ½ cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour into to a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Pecan topping
- In a mixing bowl, mix pecans, flour, and brown sugar. Add the melted butter and stir until the pecans are completely covered in flour mixture.1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup pecans, ⅓ cup flour, ⅓ cup butter
- Evenly add pecan topping to casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
SUSAN MILTON says
I love this sweet potato casserole..I'm going to double it..how much longer do you cook it..double the time???
Katie Crenshaw says
It should cook the same amount of time. You might need to add 5 to 10 minutes because of the thickness, but no more.
Chelsey says
This sweet potato casserole looks so yummy! My family loves sweet potatoes so I know this would be a hit at my house. Definitely a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner!
Nikole Berg says
Girl, you had me at Southern! Wouldn't be Thanksgiving without this classic!
Anna says
I love the simplicity of this sweet potato casserole. Adding the crunchy pecan topping gives it that special holiday touch!
Alexis says
This recipe looks amazing! I'm going to add this to our Thanksgiving meal plan.
Beth Neels says
Sweet potatoes are my all time favorite vege! I love this pecan topping!
Alexandra Shunk says
Wow this looks awesome! I just love every ingredients in this dish! I must give it a try!!!
Catherine Brown says
THIS sweet potato casserole looks delicious! So happy it's not drowning in marshmallows!