Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Praline Topping

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An heirloom family recipe made with sweet potatoes crowned with a pecan praline topping perfect for Thanksgiving or alongside your Christmas or Easter ham.

This casserole is extra special to me because it's a family recipe. My daddy's family (whose roots in South Carolina go back to the 1700's). The women in my family pass this down with strict instructions on getting the small things right.

There are a few things about how it's prepared that make it extra delicious. It's not hard to make but there's a big difference in so-so sweet potato casserole and MAN, DANG! THIS IS GOOD sweet potato casserole.

We make this everything Thanksgiving and also any time we're serving baked ham (almost always at Christmas and Easter dinners!).

WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL

CHOOSING THE RIGHT POTATOES - Choose long, slender sweet potatoes with firm, taught skin. It's tempting to buy the fattest, biggest potatoes, but the skinny ones are sweeter and more dense.

BAKING THE SWEET POTATOES - Baking the sweet potatoes yields deep, intense flavor. The potatoes are thick and creamy (not watery and bland from boiling).

FINELY CHOPPING THE PECANS - By using an old-school nut chopper (the kind with the hand crank on the side) you get finely chopped (almost ground) nuts that make the topping next-level good. 

MORE SIDE DISHES TO SERVE WITH HOLIDAY MEALS

Zucchini Pie - A savory pie or tart recipe made with zucchini, mozzarella cheese and Italian herbs baked in a crescent roll crust. 

Southern-Style Macaroni & Cheese - My grandmama’s recipe made the traditional “custard-style” way using eggs and evaporated milk then baked to golden, cheesy perfection.  

Squash Casserole - A tried-and-true family favorite recipe made with fresh yellow squash and herb stuffing that's perfect at Thanksgiving, potlucks and holiday dinners. 

Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes - A quick and easy casserole that combines both Scalloped and Au Gratin recipes for a creamy, cheesy potato bake that comes together in minutes! 

Mama’s Brown Rice - Rice browned in butter then baked in beef consommé for an absolutely perfect rich dish easy enough for weeknights and special enough for holidays! 

Recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Praline Topping

Yield: 8 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 1 H & 35 MTotal time: 1 H & 40 M

An heirloom family recipe made with sweet potatoes crowned with a pecan praline topping perfect for Thanksgiving or alongside your Christmas or Easter ham.

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes:

• 3 lbs. sweet potatoes
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Praline Topping:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

Sweet Potato Praline Casserole

1. Pierce sweet potatoes a few times with a knife then bake at 400 degrees until tender (usually about an hour). Allow sweet potatoes to cool to room temperature then remove the skins.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Add sweet potatoes and remaining ingredients then mix with a hand-held mixer until smooth (a few small lumps are OK).
4. Spread sweet potato mixture evenly into a 2-quart casserole dish then top with Praline Topping.
5. Bake at 350 degrees 35-40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

Praline Topping:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl then mix with a fork until combined (mixture will be crumbly).

Notes

• Don't boil the sweet potatoes. I mean it! Baking them concentrates the delicious flavor and keeps the potatoes from being water-logged.
• Consider doubling the topping if you love the sweet, crunchy praline on top!
• Feel free to use less sugar. Natural sweetness of sweet potatoes varies a lot. Dark orange potatoes are sweeter than lighter, more yellow ones.
• A dash of nutmeg or sprinkling of cinnamon are nice additions to the filling.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2012/10/sweet-potato-praline-casserole.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2012

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UPDATE NOTE: I recently discovered the recipe I originally listed here came from a cookbook my mama contributed to. I've never actually had to look at the recipe so I didn't notice it was different (I probably grabbed the book for measurements and didn't pay attention to the differences). I asked Mama why the recipes were different and she had no idea where the one in the book even came from (what?!). If you have used the recipe I once listed here and would like to have it again, email me at mandy@southyourmouth.com and I will send it to you.

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