The holiday season is just around the corner, so I am really excited about this week’s Holiday Recipe Exchange sponsored by OXO. Today, Katie and I are serving up our favorite holiday side dishes.
Brian and I tend to get on kicks with foods – especially side dishes and lately, we’ve been loving sweet potatoes. Whether they’re simply baked, fried, or sauteed, they’ve quickly become one of our go-to accompaniments.
When I was tossing around ideas for this week’s Holiday Recipe Exchange, I immediately knew I wanted to make a sweet potato casserole. Growing up, I wasn’t too fond of sweet potatoes, so every Thanksgiving I would take a spoonful of my Nana’s sweet potato casserole and systematically remove and eat every single toasted mini marshmallow from my serving – leaving behind a pile of untouched canned sweet potatoes. In fact, I am pretty certain that’s what 10 out of 12 family members did.
I decided to take the flavors of Nana’s casserole, which was brimming with brown sugar, vanilla and a little cinnamon – but kick it up a notch by using freshly baked sweet potatoes. Then I topped the casserole with a layer of pecan infused crumb topping for added texture and sweetness. The result was sweet potato perfection that will be a welcomed side dish to any Thanksgiving spread.
This week’s Holiday Recipe Exchange prize package offers up a fantastic selection of some of my favorite OXO kitchen tools. It’s no secret that I love OXO and have too many of their tools to count. Not only are they well made and attractively designed, but they are incredibly comfortable to use – which certainly comes in handy when you are peeling 10 pounds of potatoes for a holiday dinner. This set of OXO tools has been specifically selected to make your holiday prep work a breeze.
Katie whipped up Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes that look like they are to die for. Now we want to know what your favorite holiday side dish is, so join in on the fun and link up your recipe for a chance to win this fab OXO set!
Sweet Potato Casserole
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
3 ½ pounds fresh sweet potatoes (about 5 medium)
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extractFor the Topping
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecansDirections:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Wash the sweet potatoes, prick them with a fork and place on baking sheet. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 75-90 minutes or until they are cooked through. Allow potatoes to cool slightly until they are comfortable to touch.
2. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 9 inch casserole dish, set aside.
3. Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop the insides into a large mixing bowl, discard skins.
4. Add sugar, eggs, salt, cinnamon, butter, milk, and vanilla to the sweet potatoes. Use an electric mixer and combine until the mixture is thoroughly incorporated and smooth.
5. Scoop mixture into prepared casserole dish, smoothing the top into an even layer.
6. In medium bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven 30-40 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.My Baking Addiction adapted from allrecipes.
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{ 52 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow! This looks and sounds heavenly. I’m def saving this one to break out for Thanksgiving!
I’ve always been such a fan of this casserole. So yummy and tasty.
Sweet potatoes are always on the menu in our household on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Actually, we eat them year round in some form or another. These look wonderful, especially with the pecan topping.
I love sweet potatoes and this recipe looks divine! I will be trying this out for Thanksgiving, thanks for sharing
It’s not the South if there isn’t a sweet potato casserole somewhere, like everywhere! Looks great.
Baked sweet potatoes, which are amazingly delicious and healthy, are the very evidence that being raw vegan is non sense.
I have a very similar recipe that I make every Thanksgiving. It was handed down for generations on my husband’s side of the family. Since the recipe came from the deep south I had to tweak it a little. It originally called for WAY too much butter! My sister has named my updated version “Sweet Potato Heaven”.
One of my favorite easy sides is Sugared Cranberries (from Cooking Light):
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
2 cups fresh cranberries
3/4 cup superfine sugar
Combine granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring mixture until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer; remove from heat. (Do not boil or the cranberries may pop when added.) Stir in cranberries; pour mixture into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl, reserving steeping liquid, if desired. Place superfine sugar in a shallow dish. Add the cranberries, rolling to coat with sugar. Spread sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until dry.
Note: The steeping liquid clings to the berries and helps the sugar adhere. Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to a week.
Squash Casserole – a favorite classic!!!!
2 Cup yellow squash, chopped
1 Cup grated cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 Cup melted butter
1 med onion, chopped
14 Ritz Crackers
salt and pepper to taste
Cook onion and squash until tender and drain. Add milk and beaten egg to squash and onion mixture. Mix cheese, butter, and 7 crushed Ritz crackers and add to mixture. Add salt and pepper. Pour into buttered casserold dish. Sprinkle other 7 crushed Ritz crackers on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
Enjoy!
Yum, your sweet potato casserole sounds (and looks!) fantastic!
This sweet potato casserole is a perfect way to getmy littles to eat sweet potatoes! I love that it’s healthier than the more common way with marshmallows. Thank you!!
Yum! I could take a swim in that casserole!
yum yum yum! This looks divine!! I love sweet potatoes more than anything so this is happening soon!
I wish more of my family liked sweet potatoes. I’m the only one and have to freeze the leftovers. My Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe is a little different as the topping is made from Quaker Oats’ Apple and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal.
7 med. potatoes 1/4t salt 1/2c butter
3 eggs 1T vanilla 1t cinnamon
3/4c Splenda 3T milk 1/4c whole grain flour
3/4c brown sugar
Top: 4 pkgs apple cinnamon oatmeal, instant
2T flour 2T brown sugar 1/4c butter
Peel, chop and boil potatoes until done. In a big electric mixing bowl, whip the potatoes until smooth. Add rest of ingredients (except topping), mix and bake 25 minutes in a 9×13 dish. Mix topping ingredients together, put on top and bake another 10 minutes.
I was glad to scroll down and see your topping idea since I can’t use walnuts. Thanks and will try that on Jamie’s recipe.
Sorry…I meant pecans.
This looks delicious!
My favorite Holiday side is Acorn Squash with Apples and Cranberries:)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cut Acorn Squash in half, put in a baking dish face up.
Chop apples, nuts, cranberries. Sprinkle mixture with sugar, cinnamon and ginger.
Scoop apple/cranberry mixture into Squash, put one tablespoon butter on top of mixture and place baking dish in oven. Cook 35-45 mins.
This is not only delicious but serves as a beautiful decoration for the dinner table!
Hope I did this right I need some new utensils for the holidays;)
This sounds incredible. Could it be assembled the night before and then topped and baked the day of?
Thanks
The Kidless Kronicles
Nicole-
I think would be fine. I’d probably wait to add the crumble topping until the day I am baking it though. Thanks for stopping by.
Jamie
My mom has been making something like this for the past couple thanksgivings! I don’t know if we’ll make any this year, since thanksgiving will just be very small (me + her), so i’ll get my fix here!
I was always a fan of this just for the topping, your sounds scrumptious!
Honestly, one of my favorite sides is green bean casserole. I only make it a couple of times a year, but it just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving at our house without it.
Green Bean Casserole
3/4 cup milk
1/8 tsp pepper
10-3/4 oz can cream of mushroom soup
2 (14.5 oz) cans green beans, drained
1-1/3 cups french fried onions, divided
In a 1-1/2 qt. casserole dish, mix all ingredients except 2/3 cup french fried onions. Bake 30 minutes at 350° or until hot; stir. Top with remaining onions, bake until golden.
Nothing fancy, but certainly delicious!
Oooo… I was just looking through your list of favourite OXO tools last night! I’m thinking of getting the cherry pitter & cookie dough scoop.
My favourite holiday recipe is Cranberry Orange Relish. It’s the perfect accompaniment to Christmas turkey or ham.
2 small apples (golden delicious or other sweet apple) chopped to make about 2 cups
2 cups fresh cranberries
2 small sweet organic oranges (organic for taste). Chopped with rind on to make about 2 cups
1 cup raisins
Layer the ingredients in food processor with the S blade. Pulse until you achieve the desired consistency for your cranberry relish preference. Taste and adjust the flavors to your liking. If it is too tart add a few more raisins or a small amount of honey.
Other variations include adding chopped pecans or walnuts just prior to serving. For additional holiday spice add 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon cloves and ½ teaspoon ginger.
Yum!
Best part of being a food blogger is making things so you have pictures to post before the holidays come around…and having more to eat!
This casserole looks heavenly, and super similar to what my grandma always makes!
I’ll definitely be trying yours out though!
My favorite side (have to make 2 anymore)!!
Baked mashed potatoes
INGREDIENTS:
5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
and cubed
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese,
softened
1 onion, grated
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook until tender but firm, about 15 minutes; drain.
3. In a large bowl, mash potatoes with the butter and milk. With a hand mixer, beat in cream cheese and onion. In a small bowl, beat the egg with a little bit of the mashed potatoes. Stir into potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 2 quart casserole dish.
4. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until puffy and lightly browned.
My family will not sit down to Thanksgiving unless my step-mom has made her sweet potato casserole so I can’t wait to give yours a try.
My Mashed Sweet Potatoes
5 or 6 cooked medium sweet potatoes (boiled or baked)
1/2 stick melted buter
8 oz bag slivered almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup canned pineapple juice
Preheat oven to 350 F. Peel and mash sweet potatoes in a bowl. Add melted butter and combine. Stir in pineapple juice and mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into greased 1 quart casserole, dot with butter, and bake for 30 minutes or until heated through. Enjoy!
Oh I have never understood marshmallows on sweet potatoes, it’s one of those cultural mysteries to me. This sounds way better to me!
AWESOME! I gotta say -with the exception of cinnamon – our recipes are the EXACT same! I would use the cinnamon, too….but I’m allergic *dang it*
Oh that casserole looks delish! Here is one of my favorites. It is very rich. Beaner’s Best Carrot Cake
13 x 9 inch cake
Ingredients
11/2 c oil
3 c grated carrots
2 c sugar
4 eggs beaten
2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 c nuts, chopped
1/2 to 3/4 c coconut
Frosting:
1/4 pound butter or margarine
1 c sugar
1 c evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups coconut
1 c chopped nuts
Directions
Cake: Beat oil,sugar, eggs and carrots. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into well greased and floured 13 x 9-inch cake pan. Bake in preheated 350 deg oven 30 to 35 min or until cake tests done.
Frosting: Mix butter , sugar, milk, vanilla and egg yolks together over medium heat until mixture thickens, about 12 min. (use true evaporated milk, do not use non dairy milk) Add coconut and nuts.Beat until cool and spread on cake.
I think you channeling all the things I’ve been thinking of making…I had high hopes in participating in the Holiday Recipe Exchange. So far I haven’t made it past week 1. I made a list of ideas for each week’s theme. Was planning to make slow cooker apple butter (apples are still sitting in my fridge) and sweet potato casserole. My grandma turned me on to this recipe two Thanksgivings ago and I love it! So delicious. Yours looks amazing and is getting me excited that Thanksgiving is coming.
Hoping to participate in a few more rounds before the fun is up!
mm..so excited for thanksgiving. we always make so many sides that we have leftovers for dayyyys! here’s our broccoli casserole (sorry for the non-specific ingredient amounts–we’ve been making this for years, so i’m not sure about the measurements!):
ingredients:
3 bunches broccoli, chopped and parboiled for 2 minutes
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. minced onion
grated cheddar cheese
ritz cracker crumbs
1. Mix soup, mayonnaise, onion.
2. Add broccoli, mix well.
3. Top with cheese, then cracker crumbs.
4. Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.
&& here’s a recipe for sweet onion potatoes au gratin, thanks to rachel ray!
ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
2 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground thyme
1 bay leave
2 lbs. baby yukon gold potatoes
1/2-2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano
1/2 lb. swiss cheese, shredded (can also gruyere, but i’m not a fan)
directions:
1. Heat a small skillet with the butter over medium heat.
2. Add onions, seasoning with salt, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook until very soft and lightly caramelized, about 20 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper, to taste, and discard the bay leaf.
3. Cover potatoes in a pot with salted water. Bring to a boil, salt water, and cook until tender, about 12-15 minutes. Drain and return the potatoes to the pot. Mash with the cream and Parmesan and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Preheat the broiler.
5. Arrange the mashed potatoes in casserole dish. Top with onions and cheese.
6. Place on a baking sheet to catch anything that might bubble over during baking. Brown under the broiler until bubbly (about 2 minutes).
7. Serve.
I love sweet potato casserole. Our recipes sound very similar. One easy side dish I love to make, be it a holiday or large gathering, is Broccoli Cauliflower Salad.
1 head of cauliflower
2 bunches broccoli
1/2 cup (or more) Miracle Whip or Mayo (your preference)
Pinch of sugar
8 oz package shredded cheddar cheese
Chop cauliflower and broccoli (tree part only, no stems) into very tiny pieces. In large bowl mix in miracle whip and sugar, if seems dry add in a spoonful of miracle whip at a time. Mix in cheese. Cover and chill over night.
Even people who don’t like broccoli and cauliflower have LOVED this dish.
This looks amazingly delicious!!!
I guess my favorite recipe is mashed potatoes-which isn’t really a recipe at all. Boil a buncha Yukon golds and smash, then add about twice as much butter, cream cheese, cream, and sour cream than you would ever think possible. Salt and pepper to taste. Deny the amounts of aforementioned ingredients, and never write down the recipe. Thats how you make THANKSGIVING POTATOES.
My family loves corn casserole (sometimes called corn pudding)
1 can corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
1 stick of butter, melted
1 pkg corn muffin mix (I use Jiffy)
2 eggs, beaten
8 oz sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together, Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. ( I use a glass pan) Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.
Love this casserole! I made sweet potato casserole for the first time last year at Thanksgiving, and now it’s going to become a yearly tradition!
Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese (from my Fannie Farmer cookbook) – I have to make it for every holiday.
Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) package macaroni
8 tablespoons butter
8 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 cups cream
1 teaspoon salt
2 to taste fresh ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups cheddar cheese, shredded good quality
1 cup breadcrumbs, buttered
1 teaspoon paprika (my addition)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook and drain macaroni according to package directions just shy of al dente (it will continue to cook once you bake it); set aside.
In a large saucepan melt butter. Add flour mixed with salt and pepper, using a whisk to stir until well blended. Pour milk and cream in gradually; stirring constantly. Bring to boiling point and boil 2 minutes (stirring constantly). Reduce heat and cook (stirring constantly) 10 minutes.
Add shredded cheddar little by little and simmer an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese melts. Turn off burner.
Add macaroni to the saucepan and toss to coat with the cheese sauce. Transfer macaroni to a buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, then sprinkle with paprika. Bake 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Cauliflower Gratin
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
3 cups whole milk, or more if needed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated I (11 ⁄ 2cups)
6 ounces fresh goat cheese, cut into small pieces
1 ⁄ 2cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets,each floret cut into 2 or 3 pieces
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
1.Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 10-inchbaking dish.
2. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and bring to asimmer over medium-low heat.
3 .Melt the butter over medium heat in a mediumheavy saucepan.
4. Whisk in the four and cook or1 minute; do not let the mixture brown.
5. Slowly whisk in the milk, raise the heat to high, and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, 3 to 4 minutes
.Remove from the heat and whisk in the MontereyJack, half of the goat cheese, and half of the Parmesan cheese.
Season with salt and pepper. f themixture seems too thick, thin with a little extra milk
6.Transfer the sauce to a large bowl, add the caulifower, and stir well to combine. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining goat cheese and Parmesan. Bake until the caulifower is tender and the top is bubbly and golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
7.Garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley.
I was still editing when it posted.,
Should be 1 1/2 C of Monterary Jack cheese and we used a gorgonzola we had on hand and it was wonderful, though we did use less.
It was wonderful and my daughter even ate it later for a snack. She loves cheese.
Wonderful alternative to broccoli or green beans at the Thanksgiving table and can be made ahead of time and baked.
Your recipes looked great, I will have to try them. My favorite side dish is Spiced Cranberry Sauce.
Spiced Cranberry Sauce
1 bag cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp orange zest
1 tsp ground clove
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp orange juice
Bring cranberries and sugar to a light simmer untill all the cranberries pop. All spices, orange juice and orange zest. Let simmer on stove until thick. Easy to make the day before and the kitchen smells great!
Candied Apple Salad
You may not believe it, but this does actually tasted like candied apples!
8 oz crushed pineapple, with juice
1 egg
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
4 Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
8 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed
Mix the pineapple and juice, egg, flour, vinegar, and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. (Watch carefully that the eggs don’t “scramble”). Remove from heat. Peel and dice the Granny Smith apples, and add to the pineapple mixture. Add the peanuts. Fold in the whipped topping. Refrigerate. Garnish with whole or chopped peanuts.
Sweet Potato and Coconut Pecan Cornmeal Pudding
Every bite of this creamy dessert is filled with the yummy flavors of sweet potato, coconut, and pecans.
Serves: 9
Ingredients
1½ lbs (1 – 2 lg) sweet potatoes
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c Half-and-Half or milk
½ c sugar
¼ c dark corn syrup
¼ c yellow cornmeal
2 T butter, melted
1 T vanilla extract
½ t ground nutmeg
¼ t salt
¾ c flaked coconut
¾ c chopped pecans
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 2-qt square baking dish; set aside.
3. Peel and coarsely shred sweet potatoes (about 4 c).
4. In lg bowl combine eggs, Half-and-Half, sugar, corn syrup, cornmeal, butter, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt.
5. Stir in sweet potatoes, and ½ c ea of the coconut and the pecans.
6. Transfer sweet potato mixture to prepared baking dish.
7. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hrs.
8. Bake uncovered for 1 hr.
9. Sprinkle with remaining coconut and pecans.
10. Bake, uncovered, 30 mins more or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.
11. Cool about 30 mins on wire rack.
12. Serve warm.
Chef’s Note: To serve right away the chilling step may be omitted.
I think this looks like a delicious addition to my Thanksgiving menu! I plan to feature a picture and a link to this recipe on my Sunday (11/13) Links to Love post over at http://www.momof6.com!
I made this recipe today and I absolutely loved it.. I will definatley be making again. Thanks so much for sharing!
Made this on Saturday and it was a huge it. Used skim lactose free milk and unsalted butter.
This sounds amazing!! I love sweet potato casserole!!
My grandmother used to make the simplest cranberrie slaw recipe.. Reminds me of home:
2 bags cranberries
4 oranges -sliced
Sugar to taste 1/2 cup
In a food processor, combine cranberries and oranges. Finely chop. Add sugar to taste.
Amazing!!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I was struggling to find a sweet potato casserole dish that looked easy but also yummy and when I saw yours I went for it. My family LOVED it!! I didn’t use the topping you had in your recipe but I subbed it for coconut and a little brown sugar on top. Sooo good! Thank you!
Absolutely DELICIOUS! Made this for my family today! Been looking a while for a good sweet potato casserole like this one for while! Definitely a keeper!
Sylvia-
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks so much for stopping by and giving us your feedback – have a great day!
-Jamie
My family members always say that I am wasting my time here at net, but I know I am getting familiarity every day by reading such good content.
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