Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugared Pecans

If you love traditional Southern cooking, you are going to love Sheri’s Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugared Pecans! This classic recipe comes straight from the beloved Southern region of the USA, where sweet potatoes are served year ’round.

The holidays just wouldn’t be complete without a good dose of sweet potato recipes! We love Grant’s sister, Sheri AND her recipe for Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugared Pecans. This recipe has just the right blend of creamy and sweet, without being over the top. Some sweet potato dishes take the sweet factor a little too far, but this dish hits all the right marks with fresh, creamy, buttery and sweet.

Brown sugar pecans are the ideal topping for this sweet potato favorite! I love a bit of crunch, and these flavorful pecans pair perfectly with the smooth, creamy sweet potatoes. Unlike our friends in the South, I don’t really make sweet potato casseroles any other time of the year, except Thanksgiving or Christmas, so they seem extra special in November and December. I love sweet potatoes, and the holidays are just the right time to dress them up with butter, cream and a bit of sugar!

This family recipe is sure to become a tradition in your home for years to come, and will keep your guests coming back to the table for seconds, and if you’re like my father in law, maybe even third helpings!

How to Make Southern Sweet Potato Casserole:

• Cook the sweet potatoes, mash while warm.
• Combine sweet potatoes with the brown sugar, half and half, butter, salt, orange peel, spices and pepper.
• Spoon the ingredients into a prepared baking dish.
• Mix together the topping ingredients, spread over sweet potatoes.
• Bake and serve!

This post originally published in 2011. Updated with photos and content in 2021.

Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugared Pecans

5 from 2 votes

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Author: Si Foster

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, southern cooking

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

cooking sweet potatoes: 45 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Ingredients 

Sweet potato casserole:

• 4 cups cooked, mashed sweet potato , about 4.5 lbs
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup half-and-half
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Topping:

• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Sweet potato layer:

• Combine cooked, mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, half and half, butter, salt, orange peel, spices and pepper. Mix well.
• Spread the sweet potato mixture in a greased pan about 7×12 up to 9×13.

Topping instructions:

• Combine topping ingredients: 1/3 cup brown sugar, chopped pecans, melted butter and cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.
• Bake at 375º for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Notes

• I usually boil or pressure cook my sweet potatoes, but many people swear by baking the potatoes and say the flavor is much better after baking.
• Make ahead instructions: Prepare as directed in recipe, leaving out pecan topping. Cover with foil and bake for about 20 minutes. Let cool. Place in refrigerator. When ready to serve, remove from fridge about 40 minutes before serving, top with pecans and bake in a 375 oven for about 30-40 minutes, uncovered.
• This dish will take 20-30 minutes to heat up if the dish is made while the potatoes are still warm or about 40 minutes if the sweet potatoes are made ahead and have been refrigerated.