This Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows is such a festive sight and equally delicious, too! This dish is exceptionally creamy with the right amount of sweetness, topped with toasted mini marshmallows for a heavenly gooey delight. Aaah! Pure happiness in every bite!
Our delicious Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows should come with a warning because it’s highly addicting! Ugh! I can finish this in one sitting.
So it’s a good thing I have my son and hubby to share the calories with. So, yeah! This whole dish was gone just right after I took the pictures.🤣
The toasted marshmallows on top are definitely the ones to blame because it adds a s’more-like deliciousness to this humble sweet potato casserole, which allows this beauty to double as a dessert, too.
Even the casserole by itself is to die for. It’s full of warm and festive holiday flavors from the cinnamon-nutmeg-ginger combo. The perfect food for the soul, whether you eat it as a side or a dessert. 😉
Recipe Ingredients and Substitutes
Sweet potato casserole is usually served as a side dish along with flaky and buttery Biscuits and Collard Greens. And with marshmallows added to it, you can now enjoy this warm comfort food as a dessert, too. It’s such an easy 2-in-1 delight to enjoy this holiday! Here’s what you’ll need to make this incredibly easy sweet potato casserole:
- Sweet Potatoes – Sure, you can use canned yams (another name in the States for sweet potatoes) as a substitute, especially when you want to take the easier route; but, of course, using fresh sweet potatoes makes the best sweet potato casserole. With fresh ones, you won’t have to deal with extra syrup and unnecessary preservatives. Plus, you’ll get to reap all the health benefits that come with fresh sweet potatoes.
- Heavy Cream and Milk – Rich and creamy – two of the best traits of every casserole. Without these two superstars, our casserole would be a little dry and bland. You know, just plain mashed sweet potatoes. 😅 You can swap it with half-and-half using a 1:1 ratio for both the milk and heavy cream.
- Eggs – Actually, you can actually make this easy sweet potato casserole without the eggs. But to make our dish light and thick at the same time, go for the eggs. Allergic to eggs? See my Egg Substitutes list here.
- Unsalted Butter – Just skip on the sugar if you’re going to use salted butter. You can also use margarine for this sweet potato casserole recipe; the taste will not be as rich and buttery tho’. I strongly suggest using quality butter to really achieve the best-tasting sweet potato casserole with marshmallows.
- Brown Sugar – You can also use white sugar for this sweet potato casserole, but I prefer brown sugar because it gives a rich caramel-like flavor. The added molasses in the brown sugar also makes this casserole moist as well. On the other hand, you can opt for a savory casserole and skip the sugar for a healthier version.
- Cinnamon, Ginger, and Nutmeg – Feel the holiday bliss with these three amazing warm spices. They make our sweet potato casserole extremely flavorful. Pumpkin Spice is a great substitute, too.
- Vanilla Extract – The perfect flavor enhancer for any dessert which you can easily make at home. Just follow the simple steps on How to Make Vanilla Extract.
- Marshmallows – The toasted marshmallows on top make a fantastic finish to this easy sweet potato casserole, bringing all the holiday goodness in every bite! Simply comforting! Not a fan of marshmallows? Try it with a pecan topping instead. 😉
Recipe Variations
- Crunchy Toppings – Have you tried sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans? Then you know it’s the best sweet potato casserole ever! Not a fan of marshmallows? You can just leave them out and add your favorite nuts instead, like pecans, walnuts, cashew, almonds, or pistachios. 😉
- Savory Sweet Potato Casserole – You can also enjoy this sweet potato casserole without the added sugar. A few teaspoons of pepper, paprika, chives, and garlic will do the trick for a super delicious savory sweet potato casserole. 😉
- Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole – Enjoy this delicious casserole as a vegan dish by replacing the dairy products with coconut milk and cream, leave out the eggs, and use vegan butter and maple syrup. Oh yes!
- Sweet Potato Souffle – A smoother version of this casserole with more eggs added to make it more light and airy.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Making Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
You can make this sweet potato casserole marshmallow ahead of time in preparation for the coming holidays or for personal or family consumption.
- Store – Make the sweet potato mixture and spread it evenly in a baking dish. Don’t add the marshmallows yet. Or store the sweet potato mixture in an airtight container.
- Refrigerate – Place the prepared sweet potato mixture in the fridge to keep it fresh for up to 4 days.
- Bake – Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking as directed.
- Top with Marshmallows – and bake again for another 10-15 minutes.
Pro Tip: Do the same in storing leftover sweet potato casserole.
Note: Yes, you can freeze make-ahead and leftover sweet potato casserole. However, it is not recommended. The texture and consistency will be a little mushy after freezing.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
- Oven – bake the leftover sweet potato casserole, covered with foil, at 325℉/163℃ for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
- Microwave – Set the microwave on high power and reheat the leftover for about 2-3 minutes or until hot.
FAQs
The first sweet potato casserole marshmallow recipe was published in 1917 to normalize candy as an added ingredient. Some add marshmallows to their sweet potato casserole to turn their casserole into a dessert.
The eggs act as a binder to stabilize the sweet potato casserole while also adding richness.
Yams (dioscorea) are comparable to regular potatoes, dry and starchy, while sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are not even related. They are naturally sweet and soft when cooked. In conclusion, sweet potatoes make the best casserole compared to true yams. That said, sweet potatoes are sometimes sold as yams. If they’re orange and candied, even though they’re called yams, they are really sweet potatoes.
What Goes Well with Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
I highly recommend pairing this enchanting sweet potato casserole with the following drool-worthy dishes below to complete the comfort food combo.
- Green Beans and Bacon
- Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
- Stir Fry Chicken and Vegetables
- Breaded Pork Chops
- Baked Chicken Tenders
More Thanksgiving Recipes
- Roast Turkey Breast
- Southern-Style Cornbread
- Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
- Pineapple Honey Baked Ham
- Oven Tri-Tip Roast
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
Bake the Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 400℉/204℃.
- Poke the sweet potatoes with a fork– Wash the sweet potatoes and remove any blemishes or dark spots. Poke each sweet potato several times with a fork. Then wrap them individually with aluminum foil. (Photos 1-3)
- Bake – at 400°F/204℃ for about 50 – 60 minutes or more or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender. (Photo 4)
Make the Sweet Potato Casserole Mixture
- Peel the sweet potatoes – Let them cool slightly before removing the skin and scooping out the sweet potatoes. Place them in a large bowl. (Photo 5)
- Mash the sweet potatoes – with a potato masher or a fork until smooth. (Photo 6)
- Mix– Then add milk, heavy cream, eggs, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and salt to taste. Whisk the mixture until smooth. (Photos 7-8)
Assemble and Bake
- Bake – for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is slightly brown.
- Add the marshmallows – Take out the sweet potato casserole from the oven after 25 minutes of baking. Add about a cup of marshmallows on top and broil for about 5 minutes or until the marshmallows turn slightly brown. Start checking after 3 minutes. Let the sweet potato casserole set for 10-15 minutes before serving. (Photos 9-10)
Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
Ingredients
- 3 pounds or 1.3 kg sweet potatoes, washed
- ¼ cup or 60ml milk
- ¼ cup or 60ml heavy cream
- 2 large egg, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons or 57g unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons or 25g brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon or 1.3g ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon or 0.65g ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon or 1.3g nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon or 5ml vanilla extract
- salt, to taste
- 1 cup or 60g mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉/204℃.
- Wash the sweet potatoes and remove any blemishes or dark spots. Poke each sweet potato several times with a fork. Then wrap them individually with aluminum foil.
- Bake at 400°F/204℃ for about 50 – 60 minutes or more or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
- Let them cool slightly before removing the skin and scooping out the sweet potatoes. Place them in a large bowl.
- Mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher or a fork until smooth.
- Then add milk, heavy cream, eggs, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and salt to taste. Mix the mixture until smooth.
- Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is slightly brown.
- Take out the sweet potato casserole from the oven after 25 minutes of baking. Add about a cup of marshmallows on top and broil for about 5 minutes or until the marshmallows turn slightly brown. Start checking after 3 minutes.
- Let the sweet potato casserole set for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Tips & Notes:
- You may also boil your sweet potatoes in a deep pot with enough water to cover the surface of the sweet potatoes. Do a fork testing to check if it’s tender.
- Use a metal potato masher or a fork to mash the sweet potatoes. You can also use a blender or food processor if you want your sweet potato casserole real smooth.
- To fix a runny sweet potato casserole, you can cook it on low heat on a stovetop until the excess liquid evaporates. Then transfer and spread the mixture into the baking dish.
- Make Ahead: Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- When ready to serve, take out the sweet potato mixture about 30 minutes before baking, then add the toppings and bake as directed.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
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