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–+ servings
Two sweet potato casseroles pictured overhead with a spoonful missing to show the sweet potato layer. One is topped with streusel and the other mini marshmallows.

Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole

40aprons.com/make-ahead-sweet-potato-casserole-two-ways/
A rich, creamy sweet potato casserole with your choice of toppings, specifically designed to be made ahead to take the stress out of Thanksgiving day! You can either chill or freeze all the components ahead. All you need to do is assemble and bake!
Prep 30 minutes
Cook 50 minutes
Total 1 hour 20 minutes
Recipe Makes (Approximate): 12

Equipment

  • 9x13 baking dish

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Base

  • 4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 5-6 large, peeled and cubed)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (melted)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup heavy cream (or whole milk)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Streusel Topping

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (cold and cubed)
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Marshmallow Topping

  • 3 cups mini marshmallows

Instructions

  • Boil the sweet potatoes in a large pot of salted water until fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well and mash until smooth, or use a hand mixer for a silkier texture.
  • Beat in the melted butter, brown sugar, cream, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until fully combined. Spread the mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish.
  • For the streusel: Combine the flour, pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse, clumpy sand. Store this in a separate airtight container in the fridge — don't put it on the casserole yet or it will turn soggy!
  • To make ahead: Cover the sweet potato base tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to a month (thaw overnight in the fridge before baking). Keep the streusel refrigerated separately the whole time so it stays crumbly instead of soaking into the potatoes.
  • To bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. If the base was frozen, let it come fully to room temperature first.
    For the streusel version, scatter the topping evenly over the casserole and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the topping is golden and the edges are bubbling.
    For the marshmallow version, bake the casserole uncovered for 20 minutes first, then scatter the mini marshmallows over the top and bake another 8 to 10 minutes, until melted and lightly browned — watch closely, they go from perfect to burnt fast.
    If you want to split the batch and do half streusel, half marshmallow, that works too — just use a dish with a natural divider or eyeball the halfway line before topping.

Recipe Notes

Nutritional information: The nutritional information on this recipe card was calculated using the streusel topping, not the marshmallow version.
Make it gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in the streusel topping in place of the all-purpose flour.
Scaling up the recipe: Bake it in two dishes rather than one larger one to keep the cooking times accurate.

Nutrition Information (Approximate)

Calories: 499calProtein: 6gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 250mgPotassium: 614mgTotal Carbs: 63gFiber: 6gSugar: 29gNet Carbs: 57gVitamin A: 22114IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 2mg
Recipe By: Cheryl Malik
https://40aprons.com/make-ahead-sweet-potato-casserole-two-ways/