Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Oat Crumble
A lightened-up version of the classic Southern side dish, this sweet potato casserole features super-smooth mashed sweet potatoes with a brown sugar pecan oat crumble on top. No marshmallows here.
Ingredients
For the sweet potatoes:
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes (3-4 large)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (4 Tbsp)
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup heavy cream (half & half or whole milk works too)
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the pecan oat crumble:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (2 Tbsp)
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup rolled oats (also called old-fashioned)
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
For the Casserole
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Generously grease a 9×13 inch pan or approximately 3-quart baking dish, and set aside.
- Peel the sweet potatoes and chop into 1.5 inch cubes. Place cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add a generous dash of salt and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Boil potatoes, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, until soft enough to be easily pierced by a fork.
- Reserve about ½ cup of the potato water, then drain potatoes and return them to the pot.
- Add butter, maple syrup, heavy cream, a small splash of the reserved potato water, and salt.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the potatoes until completely smooth – it takes a few minutes. If you don’t have an immersion blender, blend the potatoes until completely smooth – it takes a few minutes.
- If the potatoes seem too thick, add a little bit of potato water and blend again.
- Taste potatoes and add further salt or maple syrup to taste.
- Spread potatoes in an even layer in the baking dish.
For the Crumble
- Melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl.
- Whisk in the brown sugar, cinnamon,
- nutmeg, and salt until combined.
- Stir in the flour, oats, and pecans until evenly distributed. I actually use my hands at this point to ensure the mixture is thoroughly combined.
- Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the potatoes.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the crumble is golden brown and smelling toasty.
- Serve warm!
Notes
This sweet potato casserole can be prepared ahead of time (yay!). Make the potatoes through step 5 and spread in the baking dish, then cover and refrigerate overnight. You can also make the crumble ahead and keep it in the fridge overnight, separate from the potatoes. When ready to bake, proceed from step 7 and add a couple of minutes to the baking time. The casserole will keep, well-wrapped in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 306kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 3gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 262mgPotassium: 457mgFiber: 4gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 16414IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 1mg
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