A Yummy Classic: Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole

Whether you’re hosting or bringing a dish to share, this recipe is a holiday crowd-pleaser - fluffy, whipped sweet potatoes with a touch of sweetness, topped with a slightly crunchy streusel topping.

Note: my apologies in advance. For ALL the years I've made this, there isn't a single photo of it. That'll be fixed this year, and hopefully I won't forget. When I have photos, I'll add them here. Pinky promise.

The holiday season is one of my favorite times to cook and share food that brings people together, and this sweet potato casserole has been a family favorite for over 20 years.

Now when I say cook, I mean that VERY loosely.

I'm really not much of a cook (baking is more my thing), but I can follow a recipe and make a few tweaks without messing it up (most of the time anyway).

I first came across this recipe in Cooking Light's November 2002 issue (remember that magazine???). I usually only make it once a year during the holidays.

This way, we don't get sick of it although if it were up to my daughter, she'd have it every week. That's how much she loves sweet potatoes and yams.

And speaking of yams, I use garnet yams when I make this.

Sweet potatoes or yams - it's totally up to you!

And if there happens to be a little too much mixture to fit in the dish (whoops 😆), I save the extra in the freezer for a dinner side dish later.

When we want something cozy in late winter or early spring, I make a fresh batch of the streusel topping, pop the mini casserole in the oven, and we have a small taste of the holidays again.

The recipe is mostly in its original form. I don't have the magazine anymore, and the only thing I may have changed is marking the pecans as optional.

Below the recipe are my notes, tips, and modifications - as makers and creatives do.

Warning: there are a TON of notes, tips, and mods - again, as makers and creatives do 😊

Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole

(adapted from Cooking Light, November 2002)

14 cups (1-inch) cubed, peeled sweet potatoes (about 5 pounds)

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°.

Coat a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray or oil.

Place potatoes in a large stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 12 minutes or until tender. Drain. You may need to drain in batches unless you have a colander large enough.

Combine the half-and-half and next 4 ingredients (half-and-half through egg) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Add potato to egg mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.

Spoon potato mixture into prepared baking dish.

Combine flour and sugar in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add chilled butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Stir in pecans if using; sprinkle the topping over potato mixture.

Cover and bake at 375° for 15 minutes.

Uncover and bake an additional 25 minutes or until the topping is browned and the potatoes are thoroughly heated.

Yield: 18 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup).

My notes, tips, and mods

Half-and-half substitution

You can substitute 1/4 cup milk (animal or plant-based) + 1/4 cup silken tofu for the 1/2 cup half-and-half. Puree the tofu until smooth in a food processor or blender before adding it to the mixture.

I've also used all almond milk in place of the half-and-half. I didn't want to buy the whole container for the remaining to go unused so I tried almond milk, and it turned out fine!

Mixing the potato base

If you have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, the mixture juuuuust fits in the mixing bowl. Rather than potentially overfill the bowl and get orange splatter all over the place, I add half the potatoes + half the liquid mixture (eyeball it!), mix, transfer to a separate bowl, then repeat with the remaining half.

Once both halves are mixed, I combine them in the mixing bowl and hand mix, just to get it all to be about the same consistency (in case the eyeballing was off).

Streusel topping

I use a pastry blender to cut in the butter after combining the flour and brown sugar in a bowl. This saves the step of washing the food processor, AND it takes up less space in the drain board.

Space is precious during the holidays!

I haven't made the topping with pecans, but if you're using a pastry blender and adding pecans, add them after cutting in the butter and give it a gentle stir so the mixture still resembles coarse meal.

Make-ahead

Assemble the potato mixture and sprinkle with the streusel, then freeze for up to 2 weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator and bake as directed.

Honestly, the above tip is a Cooking Light tip, I'M SURE.

A 13x9 pan may not fit in most freezers, AND I wouldn't put anything glass, ceramic, stoneware, etc (basically, anything that can go into the oven), in the freezer. A foil pan would work, though.

My two cents: assemble just the potato mixture and freeze that in whatever container can fit or in multiple containers.

When you're ready for the yummy goodness, thaw it in the fridge, and make the streusel topping fresh. If prepping a few days ahead, the mixture can simply go in the fridge.

Heads up: both make-ahead options will take up some serious space in the freezer and/or fridge so plan accordingly!

Whichever make-ahead option you choose, bring the potato mixture to room temp before putting it in the oven.

Transporting

I bake the casserole for the first 15 minutes with the foil on top and try to time it so it comes out of the oven by the time we're ready to leave.

I poke a few holes in the foil and put it in a cardboard box with plenty of padding so it doesn't move around. I have these awesome Pampered Chef mitts that are nice and thick so they pad really well.

At my sister-in-law's or niece's, I remove the foil and finish baking it there. The topping gets nice and crunchy 😋

Final Thoughts

Wow, I didn't realize I had so many notes for this recipe. I guess that's what happens when you've been making something for over 20 years!

What mod might I try this year?

I love candied pecans so I may sprinkle chopped candied pecans over half the casserole once it's done baking.

My daughter doesn't like nuts so this would be a good compromise and an opportunity to try something a little different.

I know what you're thinking - adding candied pecans might make the topping too sweet. I'm thinking the same!

But I'll try it anyway and report back.

I hope you and your guests enjoy this dish as much as my family does.

Let me know in the comments if you make it, remember this from Cooking Light, or try any mods - because of course I want to know 😊.

Makers and creatives always want to know the mods.

Until next time…

Happy making + moving,
Yvonne 🧡

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