Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole

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. 

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. 
• 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. 
• Simple ingredient list with items that you may already have in your kitchen. 
• No need to use a potato masher or hand mixer because we'll be keeping the sweet potato in chunks for this recipe. 

Ingredients You'll Need 

1. Sweet Potatoes - 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. 
2. Brown Sugar - 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 Cinnamon - A nice warming spice that pairs well with the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes. 
4. Ground Nutmeg - Provides a nutty and warm flavor to the brown sugar mixture. 
5. Salt - Helps to balance the flavors of the ingredients and prevent them from tasting flat. I prefer to use kosher salt for baking. 
6. Orange - 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. 
7. Butter - The butter will be melted and mixed with the orange juice and zest to create the buttery sauce. 
8. Pecans - Chopped pecans will be added to the top of the casserole before baking to give it a nutty texture and slightly buttery flavor. 
9. Mini Marshmallows - Added to the top of the casserole before baking and will come out sweet and toasty to give the casserole a great marshmallow topping. 

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.

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. 

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

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 chopped pecans and miniature marshmallows over the top of the casserole. 

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!

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. 
• Be sure to use fresh sweet potatoes instead of canned or frozen sweet potatoes for best results. 
• 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. 
• 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. 

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 you’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. 

Want More Tasty Side Dishes? Try These: 

• Easy Candied Yams 
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes 
• Easy Cornbread Dressing Recipe 
• Collard Greens with Ham Hocks 
• Ham Green Beans and Potatoes 
• Sweet and Sour Cabbage 
• Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts 
• Sweet Potato Dumplings

Have any comments, questions, or other delicious ways to enjoy this Old-Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole? Please share them in the comments below!

📖 Recipe