• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Art From My Table
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Meet Chellie
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Shop
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Meet Chellie
    • Subscribe
    • Contact
    • Shop
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Sweet Potato Crunch

    Published: Nov 17, 2021 by Chellie Schmitz

    Pin
    Share
    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    With a soft, bubbling inside, and a crunchy pecan outside, Whipped Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping is a wowing addition to any holiday or turkey dinner. 
 via @artfrommytableWith a soft, bubbling inside, and a crunchy pecan outside, Whipped Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping is a wowing addition to any holiday or turkey dinner. 
 via @artfrommytableWith a soft, bubbling inside, and a crunchy pecan outside, Whipped Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping is a wowing addition to any holiday or turkey dinner. 
 via @artfrommytable

    With a soft, bubbling souffle'-like inside and a sweet and crunchy pecan outside, This Sweet Potato Crunch is a wowing addition to any holiday or turkey dinner. 

    No holiday gathering would be complete without the sweet potatoes! There are many sweet potato casserole recipes out there, but what I love about this one is the whipped texture and the praline topping that gives it a little extra crunch.

    Sweet Potato Crunch in a white casserole dish.
    Jump to:
    • Why you’ll love this recipe
    • Key Ingredients and Substitutions
    • How To Make Sweet Potato Crunch
    • Expert Tips
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Make Ahead Instructions
    • Storage and Freezing
    • Related Recipes
    • 📋 Recipe

    Most sweet potato casserole recipes usually involve boiling the holiday spud. There are two concerns with that:

    1. You can over-boil. This causes the sweet potatoes to retain water and can often lead to a runny casserole that not even a bag of marshmallows could save! 
    2. You have to peel and cut them first, which is more hands-on labor.

    My solution to both of these problems-- I bake my sweet potatoes. They get soft enough to easily mash and you can't beat the flavor that roasting brings out. Plus, no hard labor of peeling and cutting, which also saves you time.

    You can also easily make this ahead of time. That's been a big advantage when there is so much to cook and do for the holiday.  

    Besides your turkey dinner on Thanksgiving, It also pairs well with Flank Steak Pinwheels and Braised Beef.

    Why you’ll love this recipe

    • Perfect Texture- light, whipped, fluffy and a sweet crunch.
    • Easy Instructions- no peeling or cutting.
    • Make ahead to save time on the big day

    Key Ingredients and Substitutions

    Ingredients to make Sweet Potato Casserole
    • Sweet Potatoes- For the best baking options, I recommend red or orange sweet potatoes. They have more starches that break down into sugars, and are therefore more moist.
    • Coconut Milk- This sweet and healthy milk infuses the casserole with extra flavor and plays off of the salty-sweet crunch of the pecans. Regular milk is totally fine, I've made it a lot of times that way.
    • Eggs- Whipping eggs into our mixture is going to make everything light and fluffy and give it that souffle'-ish texture. Plus it adds a little protein.
    • Vanilla- Pure vanilla extract is best.
    • Pecans- They are a delicate nut and taste delicious. Walnuts can be used as well in a pinch.
    • Brown Sugar- If you want to lighten this up, use a substitute such as coconut sugar (for less processed) or Swerve brown for a sugar free option. There is still natural sugar in the Maple syrup of course.
    • Maple Syrup- This helps the topping stick together.

    How To Make Sweet Potato Crunch

    Part One: Prep the sweet potatoes

    This is an overview of the recipe, see the complete details in the recipe card.

    4-image collage showing how to make whipped sweet potato casserole.

    1. Pierce the potatoes several times with a paring knife and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400° for one hour, or until fork tender.

    2. Scoop out the flesh. Wait until the potatoes are cool enough to handle.

    3. Whip the potatoes using a stand mixer or hand mixer, until mashed and fluffy. Add the butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract.

    4. Whip the mixture a second time until well incorporated.

    Part Two: Assembling the casserole

    4-image collage showing how to assemble sweet potato casserole.

    5. Spread the sweet potato mixture into a casserole pan.

    6. Make the topping by combining the pecans, brown sugar, and maple syrup together in a bowl. Stir until well combined.

    7. Spoon the topping evenly over the potato mixture.

    8. Bake in the oven at 350° for 30 minutes.

    Expert Tips

    • Grease- Don’t forget to grease or butter your casserole dish. Sweet potatoes are notorious for sticking to the pan. 
    • I use 6 medium-large sized potatoes, you can also use 4 very large potatoes. I’m not afraid to use extra as this is the bottom layer. 1-2 extra potatoes will make a thicker layer and make this go a little farther.
    • Cut potatoes lengthwise right after you remove them from the oven, This will help them to cool faster, and cutting lengthwise is easier to scoop.
    • If you make ahead of time, allow it to sit on the counter and come to room temperature before baking.
    • If the topping is getting too brown during baking, remove it from the oven, tent it with foil (don't seal the foil, allow air to come through) and return it back to the oven.
    • Marshmallows- If you would prefer a marshmallow topping, forgo the pecans and add marshmallows to the casserole during the last few minutes of baking. Be sure to watch your marshmallows brown because they can burn quickly.
    Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline topping in a white dish.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the difference between sweet potato pie and sweet potato casserole?

    Sweet potato pie is often made with white sugar and has no topping versus a casserole which is often made with brown sugar and has a topping like marshmallows or praline pecans. 

    Are canned yams and sweet potatoes the same?

    No. Canned yams are starchy like potatoes. they will not have the same flavor as a sweet potato and their color will be closer to white than the orange of a sweet potato. 

    Why is my sweet potato casserole liquidy?

    When you boil sweet potatoes for too long, they can retain too much liquid. Baking the sweet potatoes to soften them into being able to whip is preferable and will allow you to avoid this common mistake. 

    Make Ahead Instructions

    • Make the recipe up through spreading the sweet potato mixture in the greased casserole dish.
    • Cover tightly and store in the fridge up to three days ahead of time. Make and add topping just before baking. Give it 30 minutes on the counter to come to room temp before baking.
    • IF FREEZING: Place a couple of layers of plastic wrap lightly, but directly, over the mixture. Then cover the dish with foil.
    • Place in the freezer for up to one month.
    • To reheat, let it thaw completely, make and add the topping, then bake as directed.

    Storage and Freezing

    Leftover Sweet Potato Casserole will store in an airtight container for up to five days in the refrigerator. Freezing is not recommended once the topping has been added

    Related Recipes

    • 3 Secrets to Perfect Roast Turkey
    • Homemade Green Bean Casserole
    • Homemade Cranberry Sauce
    • Squash Apple Cranberry Bake

    Please share

    Your shares are how this site grows and I appreciate each one. Do you know someone who would enjoy this recipe?

    I’d love it if you would share it on your favorite Pinterest board or Facebook! AND…if you like this recipe, please do me a favor and give it a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ rating! TIA 🥰

    You can also follow along on YouTube and Instagram!

    📋 Recipe

    Whipped Sweet Potato Casserole with a Pecan Praline Crunch topping baked in a white casserole dish.

    Sweet Potato Crunch

    With a soft, bubbling inside, and a crunchy pecan outside, Sweet Potato Crunch is a wowing addition to any holiday or turkey dinner.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 12 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Potato baking time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 416kcal
    Author: Chellie Schmitz
    Cost: $10

    Equipment

    • Rimmed baking sheet
    • Stand mixer or hand mixer
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    For the Potato Mixture

    • 6 sweet potatoes
    • 3 tablespoons butter
    • 1 cup coconut milk I like the unsweet refrigerated kind, can use canned if you prefer. Nut milk or cow's milk works too.
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Fort The Topping

    • 1 cup chopped pecans that means chop the pecans first, then measure.
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

    Instructions

    For the Potato Mixture

    • Preheat oven to 400°
    • Pierce each potato several times with a paring knife.
    • Bake the potatoes for 1 hour, or until they are easily pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°.
    • Once the potatoes are cool to the touch, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out all the flesh and place it in a mixing bowl.
    • Using a stand mixer and the wire whip attachment, whip the potatoes until they are mashed together. (a hand mixer works well too)
    • Add the butter, milk, and eggs, and whip again until they are light and fluffy.
    • Grease a 9x 13 casserole dish with butter or coconut oil spray. Place the potato mixture in the dish and spread evenly. Set aside.

    For the Topping

    • Combine the pecans, brown sugar, and maple syrup in a small bowl, mix until well incorporated.
    • Spoon the topping evenly over the casserole. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until warmed throughout.

    Make Ahead Instructions

    • Make the recipe up through spreading the sweet potato mixture in the greased casserole dish.
    • Place a couple of layers of plastic wrap lightly, but directly, over the mixture. Then cover the dish with foil.
    • Place in the freezer for up to one month.
    • To reheat, let it thaw completely, make and add the topping, then bake as directed. It's a good idea to let the casserole come to room temperature before baking. To do this, allow it to sit out on the counter for 30 minutes prior to baking.

    Notes

    • I typically use 6 medium sized potatoes or 4 very large potatoes. I’m not afraid to use extra as this is the bottom layer. More potatoes will make a thicker layer and make this go a little farther.
    • Cut potatoes right away after removing from the oven. This will help them cool faster. Cutting them lengthwise makes it easier to scoop out the flesh
    • If you want to lighten this up, you can use a coconut sugar as a less processed option in place of the brown sugar. Or use something such as Swerve brown for a sugar free (stevia based) option. There is still natural sugar from maple syrup in the recipe. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 154mg | Potassium: 736mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 24245IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!I love to see what's on YOUR table! Mention @artfrommytable or tag #artfrommytable on your favorite social.

    HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter, to have recipes delivered to your inbox and to stay up to date on the latest!

    Pin
    Share

    More Side Dish Recipes

    • Grilled Corn on the Cob
    • 15 Easy Side Dishes to Serve With Mongolian Beef
    • Instant Pot Quinoa
    • Air Fryer Green Beans
    about chellie

    ABOUT CHELLIE

    Chellie is the creator of Art From My Table, where her passion for delicious food and gathering with loved ones comes together. She believes anyone can cook a great meal, it doesn't have to be complicated or stressful. Her recipes and food photography have been featured in many publications including Buzzfeed, Southern Living, Today Food, and Fitness magazine. Read more...

    Join the Cooking Club

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




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

    1. Chellie Schmitz

      November 27, 2021 at 7:54 pm

      I'm so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks for letting us know how it turned out with the canned coconut milk.

    2. Lori Bergy

      November 27, 2021 at 11:02 am

      5 stars
      I made this for Thanksgiving this year and it was delicious! This is a great recipe and I highly recommend it. The store I shop at was out of the refrigerated coconut milk so I bought a canned organic coconut milk and it was delicious! My family really enjoyed this dish at Thanksgiving.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Chellie! Welcome to my table. I believe there is something sacred about sharing a meal together. I'd love to share my tips and easy-to-follow real food recipes with you and help you gather the ones you love around YOUR table.

    More about me

    Healthy Habits

    • Chicken Bone Broth
    • Kombucha Recipe
    • Easy Roasted Vegetables
    • Green Monster Smoothie

    Quick & Easy

    • Kielbasa Skillet with Apples and Onions
    • Turkey Skillet Dinner with Sweet potatoes and Kale
    • Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
    • Low Carb Sausage and Kale Soup

    Free E-book!

    Click on the image for your free book.

    10 super smoothies to supercharge your day

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    Privacy Policy

    Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    Contact
    Work With Me

    Copyright © 2022 Art From My Table, LLC