Sweet potato casserole with a buttery pecan topping is a favorite side dish around our house all through the winter months - especially over the holidays. While the recipe leans toward a sweet potato pie, it is not that sweet. The base layer is savory and the sweetness comes from the pecan, brown sugar and butter topping. The recipe uses no flour, so it is gluten-free.
Prepare the sweet potatoes. Wash well, peel and cut into rough 1/2 inch slices. Put the potato pieces into a large pan and fill about half full with water. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to low until the potatoes are tender. A knife will easily slide through a slice. Drain the cooked sweet potatoes and leave them in the pan to cool for a while.
If you want to skip cooking the potatoes, you can buy canned. They taste great too. Simply drain the potatoes and put them in a large mixing bowl and proceed with the recipe.
Once the potatoes have cooled, add the eggs, sour cream, orange juice and Pumpkin Pie Spice. I use a hand mixer to blend everything smooth. A potato masher works well too and will leave some nice “handmade” lumps - your choice. Put the mixture into a high sided casserole dish.
While the sweet potatoes are cooking, prepare the pecan topping. Use a small pan and melt the butter over a low heat. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the pecans, brown sugar and salt. Use your hand or a spoon to place the pecan topping on the potato layer.
Bake in the oven being careful not to burn the topping.
I love this recipe as a hot side dish but it is also good cold as a leftover. I eat it for breakfast straight out of the fridge.
Sweet Potato Casserole
INGREDIENTS:
5 to 6 pounds fresh sweet potato (or 2 29 ounce cans drained but not rinsed)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons of Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend (make your own here)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
PROCESS:
Preheat oven to 375F.
Prepare casserole dish with oil or butter.
If you are using fresh sweet potatoes, peel and cut them into 1/2 inch slices. Cook in water on stove until potatoes are fork tender. Drain potatoes well. (If you are using canned sweet potatoes, drain them and place in large bowl.)
While potatoes are cooking make the pecan topping. Melt the butter. Stir in the pecans, brown sugar and salt. Set aside.
Add eggs, sour cream, orange juice and Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend to the cooked potatoes. Use a mixer to blend together until smooth.
Pour into the prepared casserole dish.
Evenly distribute the pecan topping over the sweet potato mixture.
Bake for about 5o minutes to 1 hour, being careful not to burn the top.
Serve hot.
Enjoy!
Notes:
I do not use flour in the pecan streusel so it is a gluten-free recipe.
Sweet Potato Casserole can be prepped ahead of time. Refrigerate the 2 layers separately. Remove from the refrigerator about 1 hour before cooking. Crumble the topping onto the potato layer and bake as usual.