Description
This Sweet Potato Casserole blends velvety mashed sweet potatoes with a crisp, nutty topping made from pecans, pepitas, almond flour, and dates. It’s buttery, aromatic, and perfectly seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla — a true crowd-pleaser for any holiday table or comforting weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potato Base:
- 3 large (about 3 pounds) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Topping:
- ¾ cup pecans, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup pepitas, roughly chopped
- 4 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly butter a 9×9-inch or similar-sized baking dish.
- Cook the sweet potatoes: Place the sweet potato chunks in a large pot, cover with water, and add a pinch of salt. Boil for 15–20 minutes until fork-tender. Drain well.
- Mash the base: In a large bowl, mash the hot sweet potatoes until smooth. Stir in melted butter, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Assemble the topping: In a medium bowl, combine chopped pecans, pepitas, dates, almond flour, and melted butter. Mix until everything is lightly coated and crumbly.
- Layer the casserole: Spread the mashed sweet potato mixture evenly into your prepared dish. Sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the top.
- Bake: Place in the oven and bake uncovered for about 30–35 minutes, until the topping is golden and crisp.
- Cool slightly before serving: Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving — this allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
Notes
Active time: ~25 minutes; passive (baking) time: ~35 minutes.
If your sweet potatoes are very moist, mash them first, then let them rest uncovered for a few minutes before adding milk and butter. This helps maintain the perfect creamy consistency.