Irresistible Sweet Potato Casserole

What Is Sweet Potato Casserole

There are several types and colors of sweet potatoes.

Around Thanksgiving, Americans are most familiar with the orange variety. But in many other parts of the world, you can find sweeter potatoes that are white or even purple.

I have a recipe for Savory Rainbow Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin that uses these beautiful varieties.

And while many other nations eat their sweet potatoes as a savory dish, growing up in Kentucky, I learned to enjoy my sweet potatoes mixed with butter and sugar and sometimes topped with mini marshmallows.

But this Southern sweet potato casserole is a little different in the best way possible. It’s not overly sweet.

I’ve grown to appreciate the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes, so it only calls for 1/2 cup of sugar. In fact, you could reduce that amount if you want to.

What makes it irresistible though is the crunchy pecan praline topping made with eggnog and brown sugar.

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• Sweet Potatoes: The recipe works best with fresh sweet potatoes. Each large sweet potato weighs about 1 pound, so 2 large sweet potatoes is all you’ll need.
• Eggnog: The secret to this recipe is the eggnog. It’s a combination of cream and eggs that adds the perfect rich flavor.
• Eggs: In addition to the eggnog, a couple eggs help hold the casserole together.
• Sugars: You’ll need both white sugar and brown sugar.
• Butter: Use real butter. Either salted or unsalted butter is fine.
• Pecans: Chopped pecans are mixed in the praline topping at the end to make this indulgent.
• Vanilla: Vanilla always rounds out the flavor. You can use vanilla extract, but I use vanilla bean paste for every recipe that calls for vanilla.

1. STEP ONE: Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into one-inch cubes. Then, boil them in a large pot of water until they are fork tender. This will take about 15 minutes.

2. STEP TWO: Drain the potatoes, discarding the liquid, and place the cooked sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes. It’s okay if you have a few chunks.

3. STEP THREE: To the bowl of mashed sweet potatoes, add eggnog, eggs, butter, white sugar and vanilla. Stir to combine.

4. STEP FOUR: Spoon everything into a 13×9 casserole dish. Use a spatula to spread the sweet potato mixture out evenly.

5. STEP FIVE: To make the pecan topping, in a sauce pot, bring some eggnog to a simmer over medium heat. Just before it begins to boil, stir in the brown sugar. Cook it until it reaches soft ball stage or 235F degrees. This will take about 10 minutes.

6. STEP SIX: Remove the pot from the heat and stir in some melted butter and pecans. The pecan praline sauce should coat the spoon.

7. STEP SEVEN: Pour the sauce over the pan of sweet potatoes and spread it evenly.

This praline sauce with eggnog is the magic that makes these sweet potatoes so perfect as a side dish to holiday meals.

Next, you’ll bake it in a 350F-degree oven or on a grill over indirect heat for about 45 minutes. You want the praline mixture to be bubbly.

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How to serve sweet potato casserole

Once the sweet potato casserole is baked, serve it by the spoonful with your favorite holiday meal or main dish. Be sure to get that crunchy topping with each helping.

You’ll be amazed with how good this is. People are surprised that it’s not overly sweet, so they always go back for seconds.

I made this for a holiday potluck and I caught someone scraping up every bit from the pan. That’s how good these sweet potatoes are.

Storage

Sweet potato casserole can be covered with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can also store it in the freezer for up to six months, but it loses its richness after a while.

You can reheat sweet potato casserole in the microwave, or if you saved the sweet potato casserole in the 13×9 pan, you can place it back in a 350F-degree oven and reheat it.

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