A sweet potato casserole is a classic side dish for Thanksgiving! It’s made with creamy sweet potatoes, a streusel topping, and toasted marshmallows!
This sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is a cross between a side dish and a dessert and there are gluten and dairy-free options!!
The holidays are not complete without this delicious side dish!
What side dishes does almost everyone eat on the holidays? Sweet potatoes are one in our house.
And I LOVE that this dish is so easy and can be made AHEAD! Because we all need less stress and an easier schedule on the holidays, right? Yes!
How to make homemade sweet potato puree:
There are several other recipes on the site for homemade sweet potatoes, but for this recipe, cooked sweet potatoes are where you start.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash the sweet potatoes (for this recipe 5) and prick with a knife or fork.
- Place the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet and bake for 30-60 minutes (depends on size) until a knife is easily inserted.
- Let cool, then remove skins and scoop out the flesh.
- Blend in a food processor until smooth.
How to make sweet potatoes with marshmallows:
1: Gather and measure the ingredients. Shown below are the ingredients for the sweet potato puree mixture (the first layer of the casserole).
- eggs
- milk
- sweet potato puree
- sugar
- ground cinnamon
- vanilla extract
- sea salt.
2: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3: Grease a 9 x 13 pan with oil or butter. I use oil (any, but a light layer of coconut or olive oil is what I use) to keep it dairy-free.
4: Place all the ingredients for the sweet potato puree in a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
5: In the 9 x 13 pan, pour the sweet potato puree mixture and smooth the top with a spatula.
6: Gather and measure the ingredients for the streusel topping:
- pecans,
- coconut oil
- sugar
- flour (I use a gluten-free flour, usually Bob’s Red Mill’s 1:1 flour).
7: Chop the pecans and add all the streusel ingredients to a bowl and mix well to combine.
8: Use either small marshmallows or full-size marshmallows. When using full-size marshmallows, I cut them in half.
9: Spread the streusel mixture over the sweet potato mixture in the baking pan, as shown below.
10: Add the marshmallows over the streusel mixture to the baking pan. Cover the streusel mixture completely with the marshmallows. The in-process step is shown below.
11: Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the marshmallows start to turn a bit brown. Do not overbake as the marshmallows will burn.
12: Serve hot or cold.
13: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I cover my casserole with plastic wrap.
Recipe Tips:
- Do not overbake as the marshmallows will burn.
- I like to roast the sweet potatoes to make the puree for this recipe.
- May substitute brown sugar for coconut sugar and it’s really good.
- I would not suggest using canned yams for this recipe. It is better with freshly baked sweet potatoes.
- This versatile recipe is good for any holiday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc…
- There are a variety of marshmallows in the grocery store and some have more natural ingredients.
Roasting the sweet potatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wash the sweet potatoes and prick with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 30-60 minutes until a fork or knife is easily inserted. Let cool and then scoop out the sweet potato flesh.
Where does sweet potato casserole come from?
- Sweet potato casseroles started in the South. The earliest recipes had pecans and milk or cream. The current recipes include many other variations like adding marshmallows.
Can you make this sweet potato casserole in advance?
- Yes, make and assemble the casserole with the streusel topping and cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, add the marshmallows.
Holiday Side Recipes:
- Gluten-Free Stuffing
- Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Mashed Potatoes
Holiday Main Recipes:
Holiday Desserts:
A classic side dish for Thanksgiving and amazing sweet potato casserole made with creamy sweet potatoes, a streusel topping, and toasted marshmallows! Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is a cross between a side dish and a dessert! The holidays are not complete without this delicious side dish and this one is dairy and gluten-free!
- For sweet potato puree:
- 5 sweet potatoes
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar (may substitute brown sugar or even white sugar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg (large egg)(There are two eggs shown in photo, but I most often use just one.)
- 1/2 cup milk (for dairy-free use dairy-free milk)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- For Streusel:
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar (may use another sugar)
- 1 cup flour (use gluten-free flour for gluten-free. I like Bob's Red Mills 1:1 flour.)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (may substitute another oil or butter (not dairy-free).
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- Last topping ingredient:
- 10 ounce bag of marshmallows (the mini, or large ones)
-
Gather and measure the ingredients. This recipe starts with the sweet potato already cooked. Or you are using canned sweet potatoes.
-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
-
Grease a 9 x 13 pan with oil. I like to use a very thin layer of olive oil. You could use another oil or butter (not dairy-free).
-
For the sweet potato mixture: Place the ingredients (sweet potato puree, coconut sugar, milk, egg, cinnamon, and sea salt in a large mixing bowl.
-
Mix these ingredients well.
-
Spread the sweet potato mixture into the casserole dish and smooth the top.
-
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the streusel ingredients, coconut sugar, flour, coconut oil, vanilla, and chopped pecans. Mix well to combine.
-
Spread the streusel over the sweet potato mixture in the casserole dish. I find the best way to do this is to use my hands. I get an even distribution this way.
-
Next, add the marshmallows over the streusel layer. Press in each one lightly as you go. I like to use either small marshmallows or large ones. When using large, I cut them in half, but that's optional.
-
Bake the casserole for 20-30 minutes until the marshmallows start to brown. Ovens vary so keep an eye on them so they don't burn.
-
Store in the refrigerator for up to five days by covering with plastic wrap or by storing it in an airtight container. This is a great make-ahead recipe for the holidays. For make ahead: do all the steps except baking and save the baking for when you are making the rest of the meal.
Recipe Tips:
- Do not overbake as the marshmallows will burn.
- I like to roast the sweet potatoes to make the puree for this recipe.
- May substitute brown sugar for coconut sugar and it's really good.
- I would not suggest using canned yams for this recipe. It is better with freshly baked sweet potatoes.
- This versatile recipe is good for any holiday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc...
Roasting the sweet potatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wash the sweet potatoes and prick with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 30-60 minutes until a fork or knife is easily inserted. Let cool and then scoop out the sweet potato flesh.
Where does sweet potato casserole come from?
- Sweet potato casseroles started in the South. The earliest recipes had pecans and milk or cream. The current recipes include many other variations like adding marshmallows.
Can you make this sweet potato casserole in advance?
- Yes, make and assemble the casserole with the streusel topping and cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, add the marshmallows.
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