Description
This quintessential holiday side dish features perfectly tender mashed sweet potatoes topped with a decadent, buttery pecan and brown sugar streusel. The combination of natural earthy sweetness and a crunchy, golden crust provides a sophisticated texture that defines comfort food. It is the perfect centerpiece for festive gatherings, balancing depth and simplicity to please every guest at your table.
Ingredients
4 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces
1 cup brown sugar, packed (divided)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted for base, cubed for topping)
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
Boil the cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot of salted water for 15 minutes until tender.
Drain the potatoes thoroughly using a colander to ensure the casserole does not become watery.
Mash the potatoes in a large bowl until uniform and creamy.
Stir in half of the brown sugar, the melted butter, and the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
Transfer the sweet potato mixture into the prepared baking dish.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining brown sugar, chopped pecans, flour, and cold cubed butter to create the streusel topping.
Sprinkle the pecan mixture evenly over the top of the sweet potato base.
Bake for 25 minutes until the topping is golden brown and bubbling.
Notes
Ensure the potatoes are drained well before mashing to avoid a gummy texture.
Use cold, cubed butter for the topping to achieve the best crumbly crust.
This dish can be prepared ahead of time and kept refrigerated before baking, though you may need to add 5-10 minutes to the total bake time.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 30mg