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Easy Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel

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This make-ahead sweet potato casserole features roasted sweet potatoes with a crunchy pecan streusel topping. It can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance, making it perfect for stress-free holiday hosting.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4–5 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (divided: 2 tbsp for roasting, 2 tbsp for mashing)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed (light or dark)
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (fine sea salt or kosher salt)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (for streusel)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes (for streusel)
  • 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped (toasted if desired)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for streusel)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (for streusel)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Toss with 2 tablespoons melted butter and a pinch of salt. Spread in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender and caramelized at edges.
  2. Transfer roasted sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, beaten eggs, vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Mash with a potato masher until smooth, leaving a few small chunks if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add cold butter cubes. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces. Fold in chopped pecans. Work quickly to keep butter cold.
  4. Spread sweet potato mixture evenly into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle pecan streusel evenly over the top. Do not press down. At this point, you can bake immediately or cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. If refrigerated, let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes, until streusel is golden brown and filling is bubbling around edges. If streusel browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for last 10 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Roast sweet potatoes instead of boiling to avoid watery casserole. Use cold butter for streusel to ensure crunchiness. Let casserole rest 10 minutes before serving. Double the streusel if desired. For dairy-free, use vegan butter. For gluten-free, use 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For nut-free, omit pecans or substitute with pumpkin seeds.

Nutrition

Keywords: sweet potato casserole, make-ahead, pecan streusel, Thanksgiving side dish, holiday recipe, easy side dish

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