Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (2024)

by Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com · Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe

Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is a classic holiday side dish that tastes more like dessert than potatoes. Warm fall spices, brown sugar, pecans, and mini marshmallows highlight the natural flavor of the sweet potatoes in this beloved old-school recipe. Your loved ones will scramble to get to the table with this casserole as part of your Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner spread!

Serve with delicious roasted turkey, glazed honey ham, or juicy prime rib. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (1)
Jump to:
  • 🥘 Ingredients
  • ❓ FAQ
  • 🍠 More Sweet Potato Recipes
  • 📖 Recipe Card
  • 💬 Reviews

Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is a classic holiday side dish always guaranteed to please!

The brown sugar mashed sweet potatoes, crunchy chunks of pecan, and gooey toasted marshmallow topping are an indulgent treat that many reserve for extra special occasions like Christmas or Thanksgiving.

This is one of my favorite sweet potato side dishes for that very reason. In fact, I look forward to making it all year long!

🥘 Ingredients

Everything on this list is easy to find at any grocery store, especially around the holidays.

Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (2)
  • Sweet Potatoes - 3pounds of sweet potatoes(peeled and cut into cubes). This will take about 5 large sweet potatoes, 7 medium potatoes, or 10 small potatoes.
  • Milk- ½ cup of milk, or half & half, or evaporated milk at room temperature.
  • Brown Sugar- ½cup of light brown sugar, packed. You can use dark brown sugar, but it will give your casserole more of a 'molasses flavor.'
  • Butter - ⅓cupof butter softened at room temperature.
  • Salt & Pepper - ¼ teaspoon each of salt & pepper.
  • Cinnamon - ½a teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
  • Ground Cloves - ¼teaspoon of ground cloves.
  • Nutmeg - ¼teaspoon of groundnutmeg.
  • Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor).
  • Eggs- 2 large room-temperature eggs, beaten.
  • Pecans - ¾cupof chopped pecans divided into 2 equal parts of about 6 tablespoons (or ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons) each.
  • Mini Marshmallows - 2cups of mini marshmallows.

*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*

🔪 How To Make Sweet Potato Casserole (With Marshmallows & Pecans)

The most time-consuming part of this recipe will be peeling and dicing the potatoes; everything else is easy!

You'll need a vegetable peeler, a sharp knife, a 9x13 baking dish, a large pot, a wooden spoon or spatula, and a potato masher (or use the backside of a fork) to get started.

I love serving sweet potato casserole for the holidays because one 9x13 dish has 16 servings!

Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (3)
Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (4)
Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (5)
Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (6)
Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (7)
Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (8)
  1. Prep. Preheat your oven to 375°F(190°C)and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
  2. Boil. Fill a large pot with enough water to cover 3 pounds of diced sweet potatoes and bring it to a boil. Add the diced sweet potatoes and boil until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.
  3. Mash. Return the potatoes to the pot(or a clean bowl)along with ½ a cup of milk, ½ a cup of light brown sugar, ⅓ cup of butter, ½ a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon each of ground clove, nutmeg, and salt & pepper. Mash the potatoes until no large lumps remain and the ingredients have been thoroughly mixed in.
  4. Fold. Mix 1 teaspoon of vanilla into the 2 beaten eggs, then pour the vanilla/egg mixture into the mashed sweet potatoes and stir to combine. Fold the first half (6 tablespoons) of the pecans into the mashed sweet potatoes.
  5. Spread. Transfer the potatoes to your prepared baking dish and spread it out as evenly as possible.
  6. Bake. Sprinkle the remaining half of the pecans (6 tablespoons) and 2 cups of mini marshmallows over the top of the sweet potatoes. Bake at 375°F(190°C)for 20 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden-brown.
Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (9)
Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (10)
Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (11)
Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (12)

No matter the main course, this sweet potato casserole with marshmallows will be the perfect addition to your holiday dinner menu.

💭 Tips & Notes

  • ⅓ cup of butter is equal to 5 ⅓ tablespoons.
  • To soften the potatoes quickly, you can microwave them instead of boiling them. Poke holes in the sweet potatoes with the tines of a fork and place them in the microwave. One potato takes about 5 minutes; add 2 minutes for each additional potato.
  • You can add some optional mix-ins like cranberries or raisins if desired. Shredded coconut also makes a tasty addition to the marshmallow topping!
Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (13)

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Once your sweet potato casserolehas cooled, cover it tightly or place it in an airtight container and refrigerate the leftovers for up to 4 days.

Reheating

Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave or place the whole casserole in the oven at 350°F(175°C)for 15-20 minutes.

>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<

❓ FAQ

Can I Make Sweet Potato Casserole With Yams?

Yes! Yams and sweet potatoes are great substitutes for one another in many recipes, including this one. They are similar but different vegetables despite being used interchangeably quite often. See my candied yams with marshmallows here.
To learn more about the difference between yams and sweet potatoes, check out my post 'yams vs sweet potatoes'.

Can I Make This Ahead Of Time?

To save time, you can prepare this casserole 1-2 days in advance. First, follow steps 1-4 to make the sweet potato filling. Smooth it out into the greased baking dish, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until needed.
You can also combine the second portion of the pecans and marshmallows for the topping and keep it at room temperature in a Ziploc bag. When ready, uncover your casserole, add the topping, and bake at 375°F(190°C)for 30-35 minutes.

Can I Use Canned Sweet Potatoes?

Sweet potato casserole can be made with canned sweet potatoes. You will need to make some adjustments to the cooking time and the amount of liquid used (canned sweet potatoes have more liquid in them).
I recommend checking out my brown sugar candied yams recipe! It has marshmallows and all but is made using canned sweet potatoes/yams, that way you don't have to change a thing!

Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (14)

🍠 More Sweet Potato Recipes

  • Sweet Potato Cornbread - This soft and savory cornbread is made even more delicious by adding sweet potato!
  • Sweet Potato Pie - A creamy and comforting dessert that is full of warm fall spices!
  • Pan Fried Sweet Potatoes - An easy savory side dish that can be made in just 15 minutes!
  • Mashed Sweet Potatoes - These creamy mashed sweet potatoes are hard to resist! You can add spices to enhance the flavor or keep it simple with butter.
  • Sweet Potato Sushi - A vegetarian sushi that will wow your friends and family!
  • Microwave Baked Sweet Potatoes - Whip up some fluffy baked sweet potatoes in a matter of minutes!

Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stay in touch with me through social media@Pinterest,Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Subscribe to the newsletter today (no spam, I promise)! Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

📖 Recipe Card

Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (15)

Print Recipe Leave A Comment

Love This Recipe?Click On A Star To Rate It!

5 from 3 reviews

Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows & Pecans

Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans is a classic holiday side dish that tastes more like dessert than potatoes. Warm fall spices, brown sugar, pecans, and mini marshmallows highlight the natural flavor of the sweet potatoes in this beloved old-school recipe. Your loved ones will scramble to get to the table with this casserole as part of your Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner spread!

Author | Angela

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 266kcal

Prep 20 minutes minutes

Cooking 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 lb sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into cubes)
  • ½ cup milk (or half & half, or evaporated milk)
  • ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
  • cup butter (softened at room temperature)
  • ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs (at room temperature, beaten)
  • ¾ cup pecans (chopped, divided into two equal parts)
  • 2 cups mini marshmallows

Help Us Out!If you love a recipe, be sure to come back and share your ratings. This helps future users, and allows me to continue sharing free recipes! Angela

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.

  • Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes and bring it to a boil. Add the diced 3 lb sweet potatoes and boil until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.

  • Return the potatoes to the pot (or a clean bowl) along with the ½ cup milk, ½ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup butter, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper. Mash the potatoes until no large lumps remain and the ingredients have been thoroughly mixed in.

  • Mix the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the beaten 2 large eggs, then pour the vanilla/egg mixture into the mashed sweet potatoes and stir to combine. Fold the first half of the ¾ cup pecans into the mashed sweet potatoes.

  • Transfer the potatoes to your prepared baking dish and spread it out as evenly as possible.

  • Sprinkle the remaining half of the pecans and all of the 2 cups mini marshmallows over the top of the sweet potatoes. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden-brown.

Notes

  • ⅓ cup of butter is equal to 5 ⅓ tablespoons.
  • To soften the potatoes quickly, you can microwave them instead of boiling them. Poke holes in the sweet potatoes with the tines of a fork and place them in the microwave. One potato takes about 5 minutes, add 2 minutes for each additional potato.
  • You can add some optional mix-ins like cranberries or raisins if desired. Shredded coconut also makes a tasty addition to the marshmallow topping!
  • To store: Once your sweet potato casserole(with marshmallows) has cooled, you can cover it tightly or place it in an airtight container and refrigerate the leftovers for up to 4 days.
  • To reheat: Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave, or you can pop the whole casserole in the oven at 350°F (175°C)for 15-20 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 266kcal (13%) | Carbohydrates: 40g (13%) | Protein: 4g (8%) | Fat: 11g (17%) | Saturated Fat: 4g (25%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 46mg (15%) | Sodium: 176mg (8%) | Potassium: 450mg (13%) | Fiber: 4g (17%) | Sugar: 19g (21%) | Vitamin A: 16311IU (326%) | Vitamin C: 3mg (4%) | Calcium: 66mg (7%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)

Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love!

best sweet potato casserole recipe to make for the holidays, christmas side dishes, classic thanksgiving side dishes, how to make sweet potato casserole, sweet potato casserole, Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows), sweet potato casserole ingredients, sweet potato casserole thanksgiving side dish, sweet potato recipes, Thanksgiving side dishes to make

Course Holiday Recipes, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (16)

Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com

Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!

bakeitwithlove.com/about/

More Side Dishes

  • What To Serve With Pot Roast
  • Easy Cookout Food Ideas: Best Dishes To Bring To A Cookout
  • Best Add-Ins To Upgrade Macaroni And Cheese
  • What To Serve With Chicken Wings

Reader Interactions

Comments

No Comments

Thanks for coming! Let me know what you think:

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows): A Classic Holiday Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Why do Americans put marshmallows on sweet potato casserole? ›

According to Saveur, it was 1917 when the first instance of sweet potatoes baked with a coat of marshmallows appeared in a recipe booklet commissioned by Angelus Marshmallows. Since then, the dish found its way into more and more culinary publications, allowing for nationwide recognition.

Who was the first person to put marshmallows on sweet potatoes? ›

Most people point to a 1917 pamphlet by the Angelus Marshmallow Company as the first time sweet potatoes and marshmallows came together. This company is believed to be the first to commercially-produce and sell the squishy white marshmallows we know, roast, and snack on today.

Why do you put eggs in sweet potato casserole? ›

A really good sweet potato casserole filling should be light and moist, not dense. If it's dense, then you may not have added an often overlooked ingredient—an egg. An egg adds lift, structure and volume and makes the filling more custard-like.

Do I need to boil sweet potatoes before baking? ›

In other words… do sweet potatoes need parboiling before roasting? Absolutely not. While many might choose to parboil the sweet potatoes before cooking for a shorter cooking time, we advise against it. Roasting sweet potatoes bring out their caramelized flavor yet leave the inside soft and custardy.

Why do African Americans eat sweet potato pie? ›

After emancipation, when African American cooks gained more access to their own equipment and refined ingredients, they continued the tradition of baking with yams and sweet potatoes — especially the pie. These deep roots became the foundation of a strong tradition in African American food culture.

What do Americans call sweet potato and marshmallows? ›

Sweet potato casserole, which generally has marshmallows on it, is a sickeningly sweet dish, typically eaten at Thanksgiving, which starts with sweet potatoes and then adds brown sugar, vanilla and marshmallows, among other things.

What was the old name of sweet potato? ›

Sweet potatoes can also be called yams in North America. When soft varieties were first grown commercially there, there was a need to differentiate between the two. African slaves had already been calling the 'soft' sweet potatoes 'yams' because they resembled the unrelated yams in Africa.

Do Americans eat sweet potato with marshmallows? ›

Served alongside savoury mains but certainly a super sweet dish is this much-loved American addition to the Thanksgiving table. Essentially the dish is a sweet potato mash of sorts topped with a thick, gooey layer of toasted marshmallows.

What country invented sweet potato? ›

Sweet potatoes, which originated in Central or South America, were first cultivated in Peru, perhaps as early as 2500 BCE. Columbus took the plant home with him in the late 15th century, after which it spread around the world.

How do you thicken a sweet potato casserole? ›

Everything you'll need to make this recipe.

Choose orange sweet potatoes for the best flavor and sweetness. Brown sugar adds a depth of flavor with a hint of molasses and helps create a caramel-like sauce. All-purpose flour will help thicken the sauce and give some structure.

Why is my sweet potato casserole jiggly? ›

The solution for watery casseroles is instant potato mash powder or cornflour - slake (mix with a little water) at first or it will go lumpy. Stir well. Alternatively, don't add so much water at first, especially if you're using a slow cooker.

Why do you soak sweet potatoes before baking? ›

The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy. That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.

Do sweet potatoes taste better baked or boiled? ›

Baking whole sweet potatoes in the oven or cutting them into cubes and roasting them caramelizes the potatoes' starchy flesh, making it sweeter and giving it a silky smooth texture. Even if you are making mashed sweet potatoes, they will taste better with oven-cooked potatoes.

Should you peel sweet potatoes before boiling? ›

There is not much difference between boiling sweet potatoes with the skins on versus peeling them, but you will get a boost of fiber and potassium if you keep the skin on. The skin also adds a subtle texture to each bite. If you're looking for a smoother mash, peel the potatoes first before boiling.

Which is better, boil or bake sweet potatoes? ›

The peel of a sweet potato has nearly ten times the antioxidant power as the flesh (an antioxidant capacity comparable to that of blueberries). However, the peel's nutrition really takes a hit when baked, which wipes out over two thirds of the antioxidants, whereas microwaving or boiling are comparatively much gentler.

Do Americans eat sweet potatoes with marshmallows? ›

The American tradition of cooking sweet potatoes with marshmallows is a bit of a leap for the European reader. But it always pays to keep an open mind.

Is sweet potato and marshmallow American? ›

Sweet potato casserole was first promoted by a marshmallow company. Although it might seem strange to eat a dessert-like side dish alongside savory food, such sweet dishes have been common in American cooking since way back, according to Kitchn.

Do Americans put marshmallows on yams? ›

In America, yams are actually a type of sweet potato. Gingersnap cookies and marshmallows make this dish a real treat.

What do Americans have on baked potatoes? ›

North America. Many restaurants serve baked potatoes with sides such as butter, sour cream, chives, shredded cheese, and bacon bits.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Otha Schamberger

Last Updated:

Views: 5503

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (75 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Otha Schamberger

Birthday: 1999-08-15

Address: Suite 490 606 Hammes Ferry, Carterhaven, IL 62290

Phone: +8557035444877

Job: Forward IT Agent

Hobby: Fishing, Flying, Jewelry making, Digital arts, Sand art, Parkour, tabletop games

Introduction: My name is Otha Schamberger, I am a vast, good, healthy, cheerful, energetic, gorgeous, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.