Description
This Southern Maple Sweet Potato Casserole is a comforting and flavorful side dish perfect for holiday meals or cozy dinners. Roasted sweet potatoes are mixed with warm spices, raisins, marshmallows, and maple syrup, then topped with a crunchy pecan-maple topping and baked until golden and melty.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes and Roasting
- 4 large organic sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2–3 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Casserole Filling
- 1/2 cup almond milk (or whole milk or plant-based milk)
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 4 Tbsps unsalted butter, cubed into small pieces
- 1/3 cup organic brown sugar
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground allspice
- 1 cup organic raisins, soaked and drained
- 2 cups marshmallows
Topping
- 1 1/2 cups raw pecans
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Sweet Potatoes: Begin by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This creates the foundation for evenly roasting the sweet potatoes.
- Coat Sweet Potatoes: In a large bowl, toss the peeled and cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp nutmeg until they are fully coated to infuse flavor before roasting.
- Roast Sweet Potatoes: Spread the seasoned sweet potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes until the potatoes are tender, golden, and slightly charred for rich caramelized flavor. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Prepare Baking Dish and Oven: Lower the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a large 9×13 inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Mix Casserole Filling: In a bowl, combine the roasted sweet potatoes with almond milk, vanilla extract, brown sugar, maple syrup, remaining cinnamon and nutmeg, allspice, soaked raisins, and marshmallows. Mix gently, allowing some sweet potato pieces to mash while retaining chunks for texture.
- Assemble Casserole: Transfer the filling mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Dot the casserole with the cubed unsalted butter throughout. Press a few extra marshmallows gently into the mixture for gooey pockets.
- Make Topping: In a separate bowl, mix raw pecans with maple syrup until pecans are well coated and sticky.
- Add Topping and Cover: Spread the pecan topping generously over the casserole to fully cover the surface. Cover the dish with foil to protect the topping during the initial baking phase.
- Bake Covered: Place the casserole in the oven and bake covered for 15 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and topping to warm through.
- Finish Baking Uncovered: Remove the foil and continue to bake the casserole for an additional 15 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and marshmallows have melted beautifully.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and let the casserole cool slightly before serving. Perfect alongside your favorite main dishes for a classic Southern-inspired meal.
- Enjoy: Serve warm and enjoy the delicious blend of sweet, nutty, and spicy flavors.
Notes
- Soaking the raisins in warm water before adding them to the casserole plumps them up, making them juicier and more flavorful.
- You can substitute almond milk with whole milk or your preferred plant-based milk for the casserole filling.
- Be sure to roast sweet potatoes until golden and slightly charred for the best flavor development.
- For extra gooeyness, tuck additional marshmallows around the casserole mixture before baking.
- Toasting the pecans lightly before mixing with maple syrup is optional but enhances their flavor.
