Sides
Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows (Easy Thanksgiving Side)
Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows: bake the potatoes, mash with butter, eggs and brown sugar, bake 30 minutes and broil. Serves 8 in under 2 hours.
By the Forkful editorial team · Published
Quick answer
Bake 3 pounds of whole sweet potatoes at 400°F for 45–50 minutes, cool 15 minutes, then mash the flesh with butter, eggs, brown sugar, milk and warm spices. Spread in a baking dish, bake at 350°F for 28 minutes, scatter mini marshmallows on top and broil 1–2 minutes until golden. It serves 8 in about 1 hour 55 minutes.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 h 20 min
- Total
- 1 h 55 min
- Makes
- 8 servings
Total time includes 20 min of hands-off waiting (resting, rising, chilling or cooling).
Sweet potato casserole is a Thanksgiving search that keeps climbing on Google Trends this season, and it is easy to see why: it sits somewhere between a side dish and a dessert, and the table always has room for it. The usual complaint is a filling that is watery or stringy.
This version bakes the potatoes whole instead of boiling them, which concentrates the sweetness and keeps the mash thick, and the filling is only lightly sweetened so the potatoes still taste like potatoes. Eggs set it into a soft, spoonable custard, and a quick trip under the broiler toasts the marshmallows at the end.
Ingredients
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- 3 lb sweet potatoes (1.4 kg), scrubbed
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick), melted, plus more for the dish
- ⅓ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup whole milk (60 ml)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 cups mini marshmallows (about 3 oz / 85 g)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Prick the sweet potatoes a few times with a fork, set them on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake 45–50 minutes, until very soft. Let them cool for about 15 minutes.
- Lower the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-inch square or 2-quart baking dish.
- Peel the potatoes (the skins slip off) and mash the flesh in a large bowl until mostly smooth.
- Stir in the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg until evenly combined. Spread in the dish.
- Bake uncovered 28 minutes, until the filling is set and puffed at the edges.
- Heat the broiler. Scatter the marshmallows in a single layer over the top and broil 1–2 minutes on a rack about 6 inches from the heat, watching closely, until golden. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Tips for the best result
- 1Bake the potatoes whole rather than boiling them. Boiling adds water, which makes the filling loose.
- 2Do not walk away from the broiler. Marshmallows go from golden to burnt in seconds.
- 3Mash by hand or with a potato masher. A food processor can make sweet potatoes gummy.
- 4For a nut-crumble topping instead, skip the marshmallows and sprinkle chopped pecans over the filling before baking.
Storage
Cool and refrigerate, covered, within 2 hours for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven until hot throughout (165°F / 74°C). The marshmallows soften, so for the best look add them fresh when reheating.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make sweet potato casserole ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble the filling in the dish without the marshmallows, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days, then bake 35 minutes and add the marshmallows at the end. Add 5–10 minutes if it goes in cold.
Should I use canned or fresh sweet potatoes?
Fresh baked potatoes taste better and give a thicker filling. Canned sweet potatoes work in a pinch: drain them very well and skip the milk if the mash looks loose.
Why is my sweet potato casserole stringy?
Sweet potatoes can have fibrous strands, especially older ones. Mash them thoroughly while still warm, or press the flesh through a ricer or sieve for a smoother texture.
