This all-time favorite Thanksgiving side has a few pitfalls that are worth avoiding. Here’s what you need to know.
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Hannah Klinger is a writer, editor, and content manager at Savory Magazine. She has a passion for helping home cooks build their confidence in the kitchen with hacks, how-tos, and guides to inspire them to try something new. She's contributed to America's Test Kitchen, Cooking Light, Food & Wine, EatingWell, and more.
Published on June 1, 2023
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Sweet potato casserole is the heart of the Thanksgiving table. Creamy, cozy, and spiced to perfection, it's a dish that evokes memories of good times and even better food. How do you make sure your sweet potato casserole is up to snuff for the holidays? We compiled the best tips for this side dish to truly shine.
1. Overwork the Mash
Put your food mill, ricer, and food processor away. You don’t want a silky smooth mash for potato casserole because it won’t hold together properly after baking (a casserole dish full of baby food? No thanks). A coarse mash is what gives the casserole its character and body. Use a potato masher or a fork to break down the sweet potatoes instead.
2. Forget the Egg
The egg is the all-important binder in a sweet potato casserole: it enriches and stiffens the mixture without making it heavy. Make sure to cool the mash slightly before adding the egg so it doesn’t scramble, and to stir well so there are no streaks of cooked egg white in the finished dish.
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Get the Recipe: Chef John's Sweet Potato Casserole
3. Use Too Much Sugar
Sugar and sweetened evaporated milk in the filling, a candied nut topper, and marshmallows for good measure — it’s a wonder many sweet potato casserole recipes are still not classified as dessert. Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet; all that extra sugar is not only unnecessary, it often masks a delicious ingredient. A little brown sugar in the streusel topping and in the base (combined with vanilla and cinnamon) is all you need.
4. Forget the Crunch
A great sweet potato casserole needs an element of crunch to elevate the filling, otherwise it will get lost among the other dishes on the Thanksgiving table. Chopped toasted almonds, pecans, or pumpkin seeds are a great addition, as well as an oat streusel. If prepping ahead, keep the topper and the base separate, then assemble and bake before the meal.
5. Don’t Let It Set Before Serving
A piping hot casserole will not have had time to fully set and will be harder to serve. The topper also needs a couple minutes to dry out, just like a homemade granola, in order to have great crunch. Let it stand at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes before serving. Because of the density of the mixture and size of the casserole, it will still be quite warm when guests dig in.
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