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Home ยป Recipes ยป Soul Food Classics

Modified: Nov 18, 2024 ยท Published: Nov 4, 2023 by LaKita ยท This post may contain affiliate links.

Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole

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Overhead view of baked sweet potato casserole in white baking dish.
Overhead view of finished casserole in white baking dish with serving spoon in it.
White plate with single serving of casserole on it beside a fork.
Close up side view of white plate of casserole pin with text overlay.
Four process shots to make casserole on a pin with text overlay.
Plate of casserole beside a fork pin with text overlay.
Overhead view of baked sweet potato casserole in white baking dish.

This easy and delicious Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole is rustic with cooked sweet potato cubes. It's sweetened with a rich orange butter sauce, and brown sugar mixture, topped with pecans and mini marshmallows. Perfect to enjoy for Thanksgiving dinner or any holiday meal.

If you're craving more delicious sweet potato recipes, then be sure to try making some Easy Candied Yams, Sweet Potato Cornbread, and an Easy Sweet Potato Pie. 

Overhead single serving of sweet potato casserole on white plate beside a fork.

Listen friends, this may not be the traditional way to make a sweet potato casserole, but it's the way that my family makes it. 

It keeps it simple to make by dicing the sweet potatoes and placing them in the baking dish instead of making a smooth puree mixture. I definitely prefer this recipe because it reminds me of candied yams but with a little something extra. 

Trust me it's the same sweet and amazing flavor that I'm sure you'll love. 

Let's get started!

Why You'll Love This Casserole Recipe?

  • It's easy to make and great to make ahead of time.ย 
  • A dessert-ish side dish recipe that is perfect to make for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, and Easter Dinner, but also simple enough to share at Sunday dinner.ย 
  • Simple ingredient list with items that you may already have in your kitchen.ย 
  • No need to use a potato masher or hand mixer because we'll be keeping the sweet potato in chunks for this recipe.ย 

Ingredients You'll Need 

Ingredients needed to make sweet potato casserole in separate bowls on marble surface.
  1. Sweet Potatoesย - The main ingredient of this easy sweet potato casserole recipe! Select 8 medium size sweet potatoes, about 4 pounds. The sweet potatoes will need to be peeled and cut into cubed pieces. The pieces should all be roughly about the same size to ensure they will evenly cook. I do not recommend using canned sweet potatoes for this recipe.ย 
  2. Brown Sugarย - Used to sweeten the casserole and give it a rich flavor. May use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar whichever you prefer or have on hand.
  3. Ground Cinnamonย - A nice warming spice that pairs well with the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes.ย 
  4. Ground Nutmegย - Provides a nutty and warm flavor to the brown sugar mixture.ย 
  5. Saltย - Helps to balance the flavors of the ingredients and prevent them from tasting flat. I prefer to use kosher salt for baking.ย 
  6. Orangeย - Adds a burst of sweet citrus flavor to the sweet potato mixture. For this recipe, we will be using the zest and juice of the orange and if a little orange pulp gets in the mixture, it is perfectly fine.ย 
  7. Butterย - The butter will be melted and mixed with the orange juice and zest to create the buttery sauce.ย 
  8. Pecansย - Chopped pecans will be added to the top of the casserole before baking to give it a nutty texture and slightly buttery flavor.ย 
  9. Mini Marshmallowsย - Added to the top of the casserole before baking and will come out sweet and toasty to give the casserole a great marshmallow topping.ย 

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient quantities and instructions.

How to Make Southern Sweet Potato Casserole

Begin the recipe by preparing the fresh sweet potatoes. Use a sharp knife to peel off the outer skin and cut into cubed pieces. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and evenly butter a 9x13-inch casserole dish and set it aside. 

Place the prepared sweet potatoes in a large pot and fill it with enough water to cover them. Place on the stovetop over medium-high heat and allow them to come to a rolling boil.

Cooked and cubed sweet potato in a large pot with water.

Adjust the heat to medium and allow the sweet potatoes to continue to simmer for 10 to 20 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork. Carefully drain all of the water off the sweet potatoes and set them aside. 

In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt until combined. 

Brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, in small bowl with spoon.

In a separate bowl, add the orange zest, orange juice, and melted butter. Stir to combine. 

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Melted butter, orange juice, and orange juice combined in small bowl.

Add the cooked sweet potatoes evenly to the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.

Cooked sweet potato added to the bottom of a buttered baking dish.

Evenly sprinkle the top of the potatoes with the brown sugar mixture. Pour the orange/butter mixture evenly over the top of the brown sugar mixture. Evenly spread the chopped pecans and miniature marshmallows over the top of the casserole. 

Assembled casserole in white baking dish before baking.

Place the sweet potato casserole into the oven to bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the marshmallows are golden brown and the casserole is hot and bubbling around the edges. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm and enjoy!

Baked casserole in white baking dish.

Tips & Tricks to Make the Best Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe 

  • If you prefer to swap the chopped pecans for chopped walnuts, then you can in the same unit of measure.ย 
  • Be sure to use fresh sweet potatoes instead of canned or frozen sweet potatoes for best results.ย 
  • The sweet potatoes may be labeled as yams in the produce section at the grocery store. Just be sure they are sweet potatoes with a light brown (red) skin/peel and orange inner potato flesh.ย 
  • Keep in mind that although there are measurements for brown sugar, different sweet potatoes have different levels of sweetness. Adjust according to your preference and use more or less sugar.ย 

Storage 

Storage. If you have any leftover traditional sweet potato casserole, then allow it to cool to room temperature before placing it in an airtight container to store in the refrigerator. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

Reheating. When ready to serve again, the leftover casserole can be reheated in the oven at 300 degrees F. until warm. It may also be reheated in the microwave oven as well. It tasted even better the next day, however, the butter may have solidified, this is completely normal and it will melt as it warms. 

Freezing. 

The casserole recipe can be made a day ahead of time and stored in the freezer for up to 30 days. Place the unbaked casserole without the marshmallows in a freezer-safe container/dish and cover it tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminim foil.

When ready to cook, transfer from the freezer to the refrigerator and allow it to thaw overnight before adding the marshmallows and baking as instructed. If youโ€™re in a hurry, it can also be baked frozen as well, just keep in mind the cooking time may need to be adjusted to longer than the instructions suggest. 

Overhead baked sweet potato casserole in white baking dish with a large serving spoon.

Want More Tasty Side Dishes? Try These: 

  • Easy Candied Yamsย 
  • Creamy Mashed Potatoesย 
  • Easy Cornbread Dressing Recipeย 
  • Collard Greens with Ham Hocksย 
  • Ham Green Beans and Potatoesย 
  • Sweet and Sour Cabbageย 
  • Maple Roasted Brussels Sproutsย 
  • Sweet Potato Dumplings
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Have any comments, questions, or other delicious ways to enjoy this Old-Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole? Please share them in the comments below!

๐Ÿ“– Recipe

Overhead view of baked sweet potato casserole in white baking dish.

Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole

LaKita Anderson
This easy and delicious Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole is rustic with cooked sweet potato cubes. It's sweetened with a rich orange butter sauce, and brown sugar mixture, topped with pecans and mini marshmallows. Perfect to enjoy for Thanksgiving dinner or any holiday meal.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 50 minutes mins
Resting time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 411 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 sharp knife
  • 1 cutting board
  • 1 large pot or Dutch oven
  • 1 9x13-inch rectangle baking dish
  • 2 small bowls

Ingredients
  

  • 4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 whole orange zest & juice, some pulp is okay
  • ยฝ cup butter, melted
  • 2 cups pecans, chopped
  • 2 cups mini marshmallows

Instructions
 

  • Begin the recipe by preparing the fresh sweet potatoes. Use a sharp knife to peel off the outer skin and cut into cubed pieces. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and evenly butter a 9x13-inch casserole dish and set it aside.ย 
  • Place the prepared 4 pounds sweet potatoes in a large pot and fill it with enough water to cover them. Place on the stovetop over medium-high heat and allow them to come to a rolling boil.
  • Adjust the heat to medium and allow the sweet potatoes to continue to simmer for 10 to 20 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork. Carefully drain all of the water off the sweet potatoes and set them aside.ย 
  • In a small bowl, stir together the 1 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt until combined.ย 
  • In a separate bowl, add the 1 whole orange zest, orange juice, and ยฝ cup melted butter. Stir to combine.ย 
  • Add the cooked sweet potatoes evenly to the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Evenly sprinkle the top of the potatoes with the brown sugar mixture.
  • Pour the orange/butter mixture evenly over the top of the brown sugar mixture. Evenly spread the 2 cups chopped pecans and 2 cups miniature marshmallows over the top of the casserole.ย 
  • Place the sweet potato casserole into the oven to bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the marshmallows are golden brown and the casserole is hot and bubbling around the edges. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm and enjoy!
  • If you have any leftover casserole, allow it to cool to room temperature before placing in an airtight container to store in the refrigerator. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.ย 

Notes

  • If you prefer to swap the chopped pecans for chopped walnuts, then you can in the same unit of measure.ย 
  • Be sure to use fresh sweet potatoes instead of canned or frozen sweet potatoes for best results.ย 
  • The sweet potatoes may be labeled as yams in the produce section at the grocery store. Just be sure they are sweet potatoes with a red skin/peel and orange inner potato flesh.ย 
  • Keep in mind that although there are measurements for brown sugar, different sweet potatoes have different levels of sweetness. Adjust according to your preference and use more or less sugar.ย 
Calories: 411kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 4gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 543mgPotassium: 607mgFiber: 6gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 21697IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 2mg

The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.

Keyword sweet potato casserole
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Head shot bio photo of LaKita in an orange shirt.

Hi, I'm LaKita. I'm a Lifelong home cook and self-taught baker. I've been sharing modern comfort food through food blogging, recipe development, and photography since 2013.

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