Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

This recipe for sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is mashed spiced sweet potatoes, topped with both a pecan streusel topping and plenty of mini marshmallows. A holiday classic that’s a family favorite!

Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans, how can you go wrong with that combination? This easy sweet potato casserole is THE BEST, it’s sure to become a tradition on your Thanksgiving table. Serve it alongside Southern cornbread dressing and bacon roasted brussels sprouts.

Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows Ingredients

To make sweet potato casserole with marshmallows you will need the following ingredients.

• Sweet Potatoes: Choose orange fleshed sweet potatoes such as the Garnet or Jewel varieties. Look for potatoes that are similar in size and shape so that they cook at the same rate.
• Butter: You can use either salted or unsalted butter, both work fine.
• Milk: Adding a little milk helps to make the casserole filling creamy. I typically use 1% or whole milk.
• Brown Sugar: While I prefer to use light brown sugar in this dish, dark brown sugar will also work well.
• Maple Syrup: Do not use imitiation maple flavor syrup (pancake syrup) in this recipe, it will not taste the same.
• Cinnamon: Add a sprinkle of cinnamon for a warm and complex flavor. Store your bottle of cinnamon in a cool, dark, place to maintain the potency of this spice.
• Egg: Using an egg helps to bind the sweet potato mixture as it bakes.
• Vanilla Extract: Choose 100% pure vanilla extract. Imitation vanilla is not a good substitute.
• Flour: All purpose flour is used to create the streusel topping. If you’re gluten free, you can use a gluten free flour blend.
• Pecans: Buy pre-chopped pecans to save on a little prep time!
• Marshmallows: Mini marshmallows are added during the last few minutes of the baking time so that they don’t burn.

How To Cook Sweet Potatoes

I recommend baking your potatoes for this dish. First, prick your sweet potatoes with a fork, then place them on a sheet pan or baking sheet. Bake them until the potatoes are fork tender. Let the yams cool, then peel them and cut the insides into chunks or scoop the insides out of the skins.

Another option is to boil your sweet potatoes. Peel the yams, then cut into 2 inch pieces. Boil for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes, then proceed with the recipe.

If you’d look to cook your sweet potatoes in the air fryer, you can prick them with a fork and air fry at 370 degrees F for 40 minutes. For Instant Pot sweet potatoes, prick with a fork, and add 1 cup of water to your pot. Place the potatoes on a trivet, and cook on manual high pressure for 30 minutes.

How Do You Make Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows?

Place cooked sweet potato in a large bowl with butter, milk, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, egg and vanilla. Mash everything together until smooth. Place the mashed sweet potatoes mixture in a baking dish. Make a streusel topping in a separate small bowl by stirring together brown sugar, flour, melted butter and pecans. Sprinkle the topping over the sweet potato filling and bake. Add miniature marshmallows the top of the casserole dish and bake a few more minutes. Serve the casserole and enjoy!

Tips For The Perfect Sweet Potato Casserole

• I like to roast my sweet potatoes, however, you can boil or steam cubed sweet potatoes if you would like.
• The marshmallows go on at the very end, otherwise the marshmallow topping could burn.
• I prefer to mash my sweet potatoes with a hand masher for a more rustic texture, but you can puree the sweet potatoes in a food processor if you prefer them to be on the smoother side. You could also beat them with an electric mixer until they’re light and fluffy.
• You can use any sweet potato that you like with red flesh or orange flesh including garnet or jewel yams.
• This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if you’re looking to serve a large crowd.
• The recipe will work with canned sweet potatoes, but freshly cooked potatoes have a better flavor and texture. If you’re using canned sweet potatoes, make sure they don’t contain any sugar.

Flavor Variations

This sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is fantastic; however, you can change the flavors to suit your own tastes.

• No Marshmallows: Not a fan of marshmallows? You can leave them off entirely and still have a fabulous dish.
• Nuts: If you don’t like pecans, try chopped walnuts or almonds instead.
• Dark Brown Sugar: For a more intense molasses and caramel flavor try dark brown sugar.
• Marshmallows: You can use flavored marshmallows like maple marshmallows. Feel free to arrange your marshmallows in a decorative pattern or simply sprinkle them over the top.
• Filling: For more flavor you can add two teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Feel free to add up to 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt to the mashed potato mixture for a more sweet and savory flavor balance. Use heavy cream instead of milk for an even creamier dish.

This recipe has gotten countless rave reviews. It’s so delicious you could have it for dessert! Your family is sure to love it too!

More Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

1 hr

Bacon Green Bean Bundles

25 mins

Cranberry Jello Salad

6 hrs 10 mins

Pomegranate Brussels Sprouts

30 mins

Winter Fruit Salad

10 mins

Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows Video

5 from 78 votes

Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

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AuthorSara Welch

This recipe for a sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is mashed spiced sweet potatoes, topped with both a pecan streusel topping and plenty of mini marshmallows. A holiday classic that’s a family favorite!

Time

Prep Time20 minutes minutes

Cook Time1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Serves 6 servings

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the casserole

• ▢ 2 pounds sweet potatoes cleaned
• ▢ 4 tablespoons melted butter
• ▢ 1/4 cup milk
• ▢ 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ cooking spray

For the topping

• ▢ 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cup flour
• ▢ 4 tablespoons melted butter
• ▢ 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• ▢ 1 cup miniature marshmallows

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Prick the potatoes with a fork and place them on the pan.
• Bake the potatoes until tender, 45 minutes to an hour.
• When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them open, scoop out the insides and place the potatoes in a large bowl.
• Add the 4 tablespoons of butter, milk, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, egg and vanilla to the bowl.
• Use a potato masher or hand mixer to mash or beat the potatoes until mostly smooth.
• Grease a 9 inch square pan or 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
• Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly in the pan.
• In another bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour, melted butter and pecans until crumbly. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the sweet potatoes.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until topping has lightly browned.
• Remove from oven, sprinkle the marshmallows over the top then return to the oven.
• Bake for an additional 3-5 or until marshmallows are just melted.
• Serve immediately.

Notes

1. You can peel your roasted sweet potatoes and slice them into chunks or scoop the potatoes out of their skins. Either way works!
2. I like to roast my sweet potatoes, however, you can boil or steam cubed sweet potatoes if you would like.
3. The marshmallows go on at the very end, otherwise the marshmallow topping could burn.

Nutrition

Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 238mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 47g

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