This casserole is a proper Deep South jolt of sweetness from the two cooks who wrote the book on Southern cooking, but with an elegance in textures that the marshmallowy version (all due respect) lacks: a thick layer of craggy pecans and brown sugar on top of smooth, whipped sweet potatoes. Adapted slightly from The Gift of Southern Cooking by Edna Lewis & Scott Peacock. —Food52
Featured in: Our Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes. This is a classic sweet potato casserole recipe that will soon become a permanent part of your Thanksgiving table...Thanksgiving, the holidays, and whenever you're entertaining a group you want to impress. It's a showstopper of a side that will have all your guests asking for the recipe. You won't find golden-browned marshmallows topping this sweet potato casserole, but don't worry—this recipe calls for a layer of sugar-crusted pecans over smooth, whipped sweet potatoes that's just as satisfying (if not better). The topping is a simple mixture of flour, brown sugar, spices, butter, and pecans, which is very easy to make and really puts this casserole over the top flavor-wise.
The sweet potatoes, though, of course, are the star in this dish. They're roasted for about an hour and a half in the oven, then peeled and mixed with the rest of the ingredients. After topping, the casserole bakes in the oven for about an hour, so most of the cook time is hands-off. You can also make the sweet potatoes and topping separately and store in the refrigerator for up to a day if you need to plan ahead before dinner. With the sweetness of both granulated sugar and brown sugar (you can also opt to use just brown sugar too if you don't want to use both kinds), plus a touch of honey, and a combination of spices like fresh nutmeg and ground cinnamon, you and your guests won't be able to get enough of this savory casserole. —The Editors
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