Easy Sweet Potato Casserole (One Pan)

Traditional, classic, quick, easy sweet potato casserole recipe with brown sugar, marshmallow and pecan topping, made in one pot. A simple 30 minute Thanksgiving side dish.

This smooth, rich and creamy sweet potato dish is another family favorite. It's sweet and ooey gooey because of the addition of honey and marshmallows and has hints of wonderful spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger. Even though it's sweet like a desert, it is actually a very popular Thanksgiving side. This is a must-make for every Thanksgiving feast, along with some of these other classics: One Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes or One Pot Thanksgiving Turkey Stuffing or One Pot Homemade Cranberry Sauce or One Pot Creamy Mashed Potatoes and of course this One Pot Homemade Brown Gravy.

Jump to:

• Key ingredients
• How to make easy baked one pot sweet potato casserole recipe in oven?
• Tips and techniques
• Variations
• Recipe FAQs
• Storage
• More one pot side dishes
• Recipe

Key ingredients

• Sweet potatoes- These should be medium sized.
• Spices- These include ginger powder, cinnamon, nutmeg.
• Butter- Make sure it's unsalted.
• Honey- You can also use maple syrup.
• Whole milk- I have also used half and half successfully.
• Marshmallows- Make sure they are mini sized and perfect for topping.
• Pecans- These should be roughly chopped.

How to make easy baked one pot sweet potato casserole recipe in oven?

1. In a baking dish, mash together the boiled sweet potatoes, along with the spices, butter, milk, honey, pecans.
2. Spread it out evenly in the dish.
3. Top it off with marshmallows and pecans.
4. Bake and serve immediately.

Tips and techniques

• If you have any leftover mashed sweet potatoes, just use those in this recipe and omit all the spices, butter, honey and milk I have listed below. Just spread the sweet potato layer in a pan, top it off with marshmallows and pecans and bake.
• Recipe can easily be doubled or halved to serve a big or small crowd.
• Adjust the amount of spices, based on your preference.
• Adjust the amount of honey, based on your preference. If you like your casserole very sweet, add more honey.
• Instead of pecans, any other nuts of your choice can be used.
• The amount of milk can be adjusted based on how thin or thick you like your mashed potatoes. Everyone has their own preference. I recommend that you start off by adding a small amount first and then add more, as necessary.
• To make these potatoes super creamy, use half and half or a combination of whole milk and heavy cream. I don't recommend using fat free milk or 2% milk because it doesn't make this casserole as creamy as I would like.
• Baking is crucial because that cooks the marshmallows on top of the casserole and makes them crispy and gives them a nice toasted flavor and a beautiful golden brown color.

Variations

• If you are not fond of pecans, you can omit them entirely or use any other nuts of your choice.
• For a healthy version- Use honey or maple syrup instead of sugar to sweeten this casserole. Use almond milk or coconut milk instead of whole milk or half and half. Furthermore, replace butter with coconut oil. Also, omit the marshmallows and replace that with a healthy crumbly pecan oat topping.
• If you don't have fresh sweet potatoes, use canned yams. Make sure to drain the liquid and mash the yams. Then, mix it with honey, milk, butter and all the spices. Spread it in a baking dish. Top it off with marshmallows and pecans and bake.
• For a savory version, you can add in some finely chopped fresh Italian herbs like basil, parsley, chives, sage, oregano as well as garlic powder or fresh roasted garlic.
• Add 2 tablespoon of bourbon in the mashed sweet potatoes for a unique flavor profile.
• For a Southern version- Replace the marshmallow topping with a buttery, crunchy streusel topping.
• Candied sweet potato casserole is different than this classic version- That involves baking slices or chunks of sweet potatoes rather than baking mashed sweet potatoes. Both of them are sweet though and have a marshmallow topping.
• For crockpot version- Add 5-6 sweet raw potatoes (cut into small cubes) in a crock pot, along with the butter, milk, spices, honey and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 5-6 hours until potatoes are tender. Then, mash or whip everything together until smooth. Top off with marshmallows and pecans. Cover and cook on low for about 30 minutes or until marshmallows are melted and serve immediately.

Recipe FAQs

Storage

• Refrigerate- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freeze- This is not recommended because the marshmallow and pecan topping will become really soft and mushy when the casserole thaws and comes to room temperature.
• Make ahead- You can save time and prepare it 1-2 days in advance but you can't bake it ahead of time since the marshmallows and pecans will will loose their crunch if they are baked a day early. This is what you should do: Prepare the sweet potato filling and spread it in the dish. Top it off with marshmallows and pecans. Cover and refrigerate. When you are ready to bake, remove the cover, bake and serve immediately.
• Reheat- In the microwave. Just note that the topping won't be crispy any more.

More one pot side dishes

• One Pot Creamy Grape Salad
• Oven Roasted Green Beans (One Pan)
• Oven Roasted Broccoli (One Pan)

Recipe