Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
This heritage recipe for Southern Sweet Potato Casserole features a cooked sweet potato layer topped with a simple pecan streusel.
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour15 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour20 minutesminutes
Servings 6servings
Ingredients
3medium sweet potatoes
¼cupsoftened butter
¼cuplight brown sugar
¼cupmilk
1egg
½teaspoonvanilla extract
For the topping:
¼cuplight brown sugar
¼cupchopped pecans
1tablespoonall-purpose flour
1tablespoonsoftened butter
Instructions
Rinse the sweet potatoes to remove any residual dirt. Place them in a deep pot with enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a high simmer and cook for 40-45 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender.
Remove the sweet potatoes from the water and allow them to cool enough to handle. (Slice them open to hurry the cooling process.)
While the sweet potatoes cool, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and generously butter a baking dish.
Peel the sweet potatoes, place them in a mixing bowl, and mash using a potato masher or large fork.
Add the softened butter, light brown sugar, milk, egg, and vanilla.
Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
Spread the sweet potato mixture into the prepared baking dish.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the topping. Use a fork to mix well.
Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes in the 350 degree preheated oven.
Notes
The recipe easily doubles to serve a larger crowd.
If your sweet potatoes are still quite warm, wait until you've beaten them for a minute or so before you add the egg. This will help lower the temperature and stop the egg from cooking in the heat of the sweet potatoes.
To make ahead, cook and mash the sweet potatoes and add them to the baking dish. Mix the pecan streusel and store it in a zip-top bag. When ready to cook, bring the potatoes to room temperature, add the topping, and bake.
Store, covered in the refrigerator for up to four days.
The cooked casserole can be cooled and frozen. Cover well and freeze for up to three months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and serving.