Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Oat Topping (No Eggs)
A lighter version of the classic southern Thanksgiving side dish, this lower sugar and eggless sweet potato casserole features super smooth mashed sweet potatoes with a brown sugar pecan oat streusel topping. No eggs and no marshmallows in this healthier sweet potato casserole recipe!
1/3cup (80 ml)heavy cream(half & half or whole milk works too)
1/2teaspoonsalt
For the pecan oat crumble:
1/4cup (56 g)unsalted butter(4 Tbsp)
1/2cup (100 g)brown sugar(packed)
1/2tspcinnamon
1/2tspsalt
Pinchof nutmeg
1/2cup (62 g)all-purpose flour
1/2cup (45 g)old-fashioned oats(also called rolled oats)
1/2cup (57 g)chopped pecans(or walnuts)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Generously grease a 9x13 inch pan or approximately 3-quart baking dish, and set aside.
Peel the sweet potatoes and chop into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Place cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add a generous dash of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Boil potatoes, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, until soft enough to be easily pierced by a fork. Reserve about ½ cup of the potato water, then drain potatoes and return them to the pot.
Add butter, maple syrup, heavy cream, a small splash of the reserved potato water, and salt. Using an immersion blender, blend the potatoes until completely smooth – it takes a few minutes. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a hand mixer, but the immersion blender creates a wonderfully silky texture. If potatoes seem too thick, add a little more potato water and blend again.
Taste potatoes and add further salt or maple syrup to taste. Spread potatoes in an even layer in the baking dish.
For the crumble, melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Whisk in the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until combined. Stir in the flour, oats, and pecans until evenly distributed. I actually use my hands at this point to ensure the mixture is thoroughly combined.
Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the potatoes.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until crumble is golden brown and smelling toasty.
Serve warm!
Notes
Make Ahead:
This sweet potato casserole can be prepared up to 3 days ahead of time (yay!). Make the potatoes through step 5 and spread in the baking dish, then cover and refrigerate. You can also make the crumble ahead and keep it in the fridge, separate from the potatoes. When ready to bake, proceed from step 7 and add 5 minutes to the baking time.
You can also freeze the assembled and unbaked casserole, tightly covered in aluminum foil, for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, bake directly from frozen, still covered in the aluminum foil, for 20 minutes at 375 degrees F, then uncover and bake 20-25 minutes more, until filling is hot and topping is golden brown.
Storage: Baked casserole will keep, well-wrapped in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave for 30-40 seconds, or reheat entire pan in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Baked casserole can also be frozen, tightly covered in alumnium foil, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, removing the foil for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the topping.Marshmallow Topping: if you wish, instead of the pecan topping, top the casserole with a layer of mini marshmallows and bake for about 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees, or until the marshmallows are puffy and browned.Substitutions: see "Additions and Substitutions" above in the post for ideas.