Add this sweet potato casserole with marshmallows to your holiday table for a sweet favorite. Brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans will have folks scraping their plates and begging for seconds (who could blame them?).
Sweet potato casserole with marshmallow pecan topping
When it comes to holiday classics, everyone’s got an opinion. From green bean casserole to mashed potatoes, every family has that secret recipe that they SWEAR is the best to ever exist.
The same goes for sweet potato casserole. But while tradition is grand, I’m always up to try a new take on a classic dish.
Now, I've made many a sweet potato casserole in my day – healthier sweet potato casserole, buffalo chicken sweet potato casserole, and sweet potato egg breakfast casserole, to name a few.
And today, I’m adding a new recipe to my holiday collection – sweet potato casserole with marshmallows!
This recipe is sweet and soulful, made with brown sugar and autumnal spices. I top it off with chewy mini marshmallows and crunchy chopped pecans for the best of both worlds.
Ingredients needed
When the ingredients for this sweet potato casserole recipe come together, your home will fill with the sweet scent of cinnamon, butter, brown sugar, and nutmeg. Sounds pretty good, right?
Here’s a little bit on what you’ll need to bring it to life.
- Sweet potatoes: The base of this casserole is 3.5 lbs of peeled sweet potatoes, which equates to about 4-5 large potatoes. Their subtly sweet, earthy flavor is so versatile – great for both sweet and savory dishes.
- Butter: I use butter in both my mashed sweet potatoes and crumbly topping for a rich and yummy flavor. This recipe calls for 6 tablespoon in the mash and another 6 tablespoon in the topping.
- Brown sugar: ½ cup of brown sugar brings out the natural sweetness in the sweet potato mash. I also use another cup of brown sugar in the sweet marshmallow topping.
- Salt: A bit of salt makes everything more flavorful and delicious! This recipe calls for 1 teaspoon in the mash and ¼ teaspoon in the topping.
- Cinnamon: This dish is full of classic fall flavors. Case-in-point: ½ teaspoon cinnamon in the mash and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in the topping.
- Nutmeg: I add a little extra spice to my marshmallow topping with ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. It’s not a lot but it actually makes a huge difference!
- Pecans: Chopped pecans offer this casserole a mouthwatering, nutty crunch. It’s the ideal pairing to fluffy marshmallows, keeping the casserole from getting too mushy. This recipe calls for 1 cup. If you prefer, you can also swap pecans with walnuts!
- Flour: ½ cup of flour brings our crumbly topping together, ensuring the casserole gets nice and browned on top. If you’re gluten-free, you can easily swap this ingredient with gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Mini marshmallows: Without question, the star of this casserole is the mini marshmallows. I don’t know who the first person was to add them to a casserole, but they deserve a reward! 2 cups of mini marshmallows brown when baked, developing a slightly crunchy coating and warm gooey center. Don’t skip this step!
Kitchen tools required
Before we get cooking, you’ll need to gather just a few more kitchen essentials…
- 9x11 casserole dish
- Peeler
- Kitchen knife
- Large pot
- Colander
- 2 mixing bowls
- Potato masher
- Whisk
- Aluminum foil
- Non-stick spray
You’ll also need a few measuring cups, including 1 cup, ½ cup, ¼ cup, 1 tbsp, 1 tsp, and ¼ tsp.
How to make sweet potato casserole with marshmallows
The first step in making this easy sweet potato casserole with marshmallow is to preheat your oven to 350 F. Also, take this time to grease your casserole dish.
Then, peel and chop the sweet potatoes into large chunks and add them to a large pot of boiling water. Cook your potatoes until they are fork-tender (about 22-25 minutes). Drain and cool for an additional 15 minutes.
Next up, prepare your topping by mixing brown sugar, flour, pecans, cinnamon, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Then, add melted butter and stir until well combined.
Finally, finish your topping with miniature marshmallows and a gentle mix.
In a separate mixing bowl, mash the sweet potatoes until mostly smooth. Then, add butter and continue to mash. Next, add brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and whisked eggs, stirring again to combine.
Add the mashed potatoes to the casserole dish and top with the marshmallow crumble. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the marshmallows are a lovely golden brown. If they’re browning too quickly, add a loose cover of aluminum foil and cooking spray to the top.
Let cool for 10 minutes before you dig in!
Recipe tips
Below are some common sweet potato casserole recipe questions. Don’t see the answer you’re looking for? Leave a comment at the bottom of this post!
Do I have to use marshmallows in this recipe?
While I strongly argue for marshmallows on sweet potato casserole, I can understand personal preference!
Feel free to leave the marshmallows out of this dish. You’ll still get a delicious crunchy coating from the pecans and the remainder of the topping.
Is this recipe vegetarian?
Surprisingly, no! Marshmallows contain gelatin and aren't suitable for a vegetarian diet. There's a quick fix, though. Simply swap them for gelatin-free marshmallows.
Storing leftovers
Store leftover sweet potato casserole in an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Remember to let it cool completely before storing it to maintain its freshness!
How do you reheat sweet potato casserole?
The best way to reheat this easy sweet potato casserole with marshmallow is to pop it right back into the oven.
Preheat your oven to 350 F and heat for 20-30 minutes, or until your casserole is warm through.
I also recommend adding a few more mini marshmallows to the top for that crispy golden coating; it tends to get lost after refrigeration.
If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!
Try some of my classic fall recipes. I think you’ll really like them!
- Easy Twice-Baked Potatoes With BBQ Turkey
- Cider Braised Chicken
- Pumpkin Streusel Bread
- Classic Ground Beef Chili Recipe
- Pecan Crusted Pork with Apple Chutney
Recipe by Erin Antoniak and Photos by Bake and Bacon
Recipe by Erin Antoniak and Photos by Bake and Bacon
Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallow Pecan Topping
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9 x 11 casserole dish.
- Peel and chop sweet potatoes into large chunks.
- Heat a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Add sweet potato chunks and cook 22-25 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and let cool 15 minutes.
- While potatoes are cooling, make topping. Mix together brown sugar, pecans, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Add in melted butter and stir until combined. Add in marshmallows and mix up.
- Mash sweet potatoes using a potato masher until mostly smooth. Add butter to the sweet potatoes and continue to mash. Stir in whisked eggs, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Pour sweet potato mixture into prepared casserole dish. Evenly top with crumble topping.
- Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes, and if marshmallows begin to brown too much, loosely cover with aluminum foil spray with non-stick spray.
- Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
Andrea Monnat Cammarata says
I made this at Thanksgiving and it was such a hit, I made it again for Christmas! I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour in the topping and there was no gluten free aftertaste or issues with texture.
Erin says
Hi Andrea, so happy you loved it and made it your own!!
Kaitlyn says
I made this for the first time for both Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving this year. It was a CROWD pleaser! It is perfectly sweet and savory. I swapped out the butter for dairy free butter to make it dairy free and it tasted amazing. Make this!
Erin says
Hi Kaitlyn, so happy you all loved it! 🙂
Edrina says
Hi! Can this be made without pecans? My fam has nut allergies.
Erin says
Hi Edrina, yes! Feel free to omit!
Jennifer says
I made these for Thanksgiving this year and I won’t make sweet potatoes any other way from here on out! They were delicious! We can’t use eggs due to an allergy and I just used a little heavy cream instead and they still turned out amazing!!
Erin says
Hi Jennifer, so happy you love it so much! 🙂
Christine Oliver says
Made this past Thanksgiving and will be on our menu every year! It was a hit!
Erin says
Hi Christine, so happy it was a hit! 🙂
Susan Wilson says
Can the sweet potato casserole with marshmallow and pecan topping be made ahead
Erin says
Hi Susan, yes! It can be! I have instructions at the bottom of the recipe on reheating too! Let me know how yours comes out.
Courtney says
This is AMAZING!!! Perfect combo of pecans and marshmallows. We love it
Erin says
Hi Courtney, so happy you loved it so much! 🙂
allison says
Absolutely incredible! Made this for Thanksgiving and my family raved about it. I prepped the sweet potatoes the day before and made the crumb the day of. Makes it an easy dish to be able to prepare ahead of time. Will be on our Christmas Day menu also. Thanks Erin!!
Erin says
Hi Allison, so happy everyone enjoyed it! 🙂
gabrielle says
hi! do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Erin says
Hi Gabrielle, I always bake with unsalted butter and add salt in! 🙂
Felisa says
Made these for Thanksgiving and they are my favorite sweet potatoes ever. They were the favorite dish for my husband, 3 kids, and I. And so easy- definitely will be making again and again!
Erin says
Hi Felisa, so happy it was a hit!! 🙂
Kara Steffes says
So delicious. Made for Thanksgiving this year. I received the following text from my grandma after Thanksgiving 🤍
“I loved your sweet potatoes. So did Mike. He said those potatoes were the best thing I would like your recipe if you care to share. Love you. Grandma”
Erin says
Hi Kara, so happy it was a hit!! 🙂
Laura B says
I have never liked sweet potatoes casserole but this one changed things for me. So easy to make and so delicious.
Erin says
Hi Laura, so happy you loved it! 🙂
Jul says
SO easy and super delicious! Everyone commented on how yummy it was at Thanksgiving dinner this year! First time I’ve ever made it and the recipe was really easy to follow and just so good. I will definitely be making again!
Erin says
Hi Jul, so happy everyone enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Tammie says
If I leave the topping off, can I make this the night before and bake it off the next day adding the topping then?
Erin says
Hi Tammie, yes! Let me know how yours comes out!
Jane Dayton says
Very tasty. Went together easily. I definitely will be making again
Erin says
Hi Jane, so happy you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Madison says
I made this for my family and everyone loved it!! Definitely need to have this on your Thanksgiving table!
Erin says
Hi Madison, so glad everyone enjoyed it!! 🙂
Jayde Grossman says
Hi! I want to make this but dairy free-can I sub coconut oil or margarine for butter?