Be it Thanksgiving or Christmas; no holiday is complete without this Paula Deen sweet potato casserole!
Make it once, and you’ll never look back.
After all, she’s the queen of southern cuisine, so her recipes are always brimming with flavor.
With this tasty dish, it’s hard to decide which layer to love the most.
Is it the sweet and silky mashed sweet potatoes or the crunchy pecans?
Or perhaps it’s the toasted on the outside and fluffy on the inside marshmallow topping?
Fortunately, there’s no need to pick a favorite. Instead, just enjoy all the mouthwatering components in one bite.
Paula Deen Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potato casserole is always a hit, but if you want the best, you have to use this Paula Deen copycat recipe.
This sweet-savory dessert-like side is a show-stopper. So much so, you’ll have to remind your friends and family that they need to share!
I mean, how can anyone resist the cozy combination of mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, cinnamon, toasted pecans, and marshmallows?
Besides the delectable flavors and textures, it also requires simple ingredients and is a breeze to make.
And aren’t those exactly the things we want in a recipe?
Tips & Tricks
Never made sweet potato casserole before, no worries. Here’s a few tips and tricks:
- Use fresh sweet potatoes. They’ll give you the best taste and texture. Bake whole sweet potatoes in the oven with the skins on at 350°F for about an hour. Then let them cool and peel off the skin before mashing.
- How to cook the sweet potatoes: Bake them whole with the skins on as listed above. Or peel, cube, and boil/roast. Boil them in a large pot of water until fork-tender. Roast them on a parchment-lined baking tray with a bit of oil at 425°F for 20-25 minutes.
- Substitute canned yams in a pinch. In terms of yams vs sweet potatoes, they will taste very similar. But, if you use canned yams, remember there’s no need to cook them beforehand.
- Use a food processor. It’ll give you a smooth and silky puree. Just be sure the potatoes are cool first.
- Toast the pecans. It only takes 10 minutes, and you won’t believe the difference it makes!
- For a tropical twist, cover the casserole with coconut. You shouldn’t need to toast it before as it will turn golden in the oven.
- Let the casserole rest for 10 to 20 minutes before serving. The layers need this time to set; otherwise, it’ll be too runny.
Can You Make Sweet Potato Casserole Ahead of Time?
Sweet potato casserole can be made ahead of time, up to 2 days before you intend to serve it!
Here’s how:
Prep the elements: Cook and mash the potatoes. Whisk the sugar, eggs, cream, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Store the potatoes and custard mix separately in the fridge until ready to assemble.
Bake and chill: Make and bake the recipe without the marshmallows. Cool, cover, and chill it for up to 2 days.
On the day, remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before baking. Add the marshmallows and bake until hot.
Storage Instructions
Got leftovers? No worries!
To Store: Wrap cold leftovers in plastic and keep them in the fridge for 3-5 days.
To Freeze: Transfer cold leftovers to a freezer-safe container – remove the marshmallows. Freeze for up to 2 months.
To Reheat: Thaw frozen leftovers in the fridge overnight, then transfer them to a greased baking dish. Add more marshmallows, cover the dish with foil, and bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
More Holiday Sides You’ll Love
Whipped Sweet Potatoes
Grandma’s Macaroni Salad
Ambrosia Fruit Salad
Cracker Barrel Mac and Cheese
Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole
Irish Mashed Potatoes (Colcannon)
Paula Deen Sweet Potato Casserole
8
servings15
minutes55
minutesBe it Thanksgiving or Christmas; no holiday is complete without this Paula Deen sweet potato casserole! Make it once, and you’ll never look back.
Ingredients
7 cups (about 4 pounds) sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup toasted chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, whisk together mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, beaten eggs, cream, cinnamon, and salt until well-combined. Transfer mixture into an 11×7-inch baking dish.
- Bake the dish for 45 to 55 minutes or until set. Top with marshmallows and pecans and bake for 10 more minutes.
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve and enjoy!
How do you roast potatoes? You say don’t peel them and put them in the oven for an hour, but the recipe also says to cube them for faster cooking… this doesn’t make sense to me. Please advise
Hi Laura!
I’ve clarified this in the post, but here’s how to cook the potatoes:
1. Bake them whole, with skins, at 350°F for about an hour. Cool, peel the skins off, then mash.
2. Peel, cube, and boil/roast. Boil them in a large pot of water until fork-tender. Or roast them on a parchment-lined baking tray with a bit of oil at 425°F for 20-25 minutes.
Hope this helps!