Whats in cracker barrel sweet potato casserole

Let me tell you, I have tried several sweet potato casseroles before, but none matched the inspiring flavors and creamy texture of the sweet potato casserole recipe I am about to share today. It was love at first sight and the golden marshmallow topping mixing with pecans was so irresistible. But this love only grew when I had the first bites of this casserole.

It has this mildly sweet flavor with a strong taste of cinnamon. It turned out there were more pecans inside the casserole filling, and their crunch was perfectly complementary to the creamy texture of the mashed sweet potato. And from there, I have been baking this sweet potato casserole on almost all the festive occasions, and my family simply loves it. Today, I am going to share all the secrets to make a perfectly tasty and a good texture sweet potato casserole, so that you too can surprise your loved ones with its ultimate flavors and luscious marshmallow topping.

How to Serve this Sweet Potato Casserole?

Due to its unique taste, this casserole can be served in a variety of ways. It’s a dessert-like side dish, and it all depends on you how you want to enjoy it. For instance, I usually serve it as a side dish with some special turkey dinner or a beef roast meal. In this, the sweet flavors of this casserole nicely complement the spicy flavors of the roasts and baked meat.

This idea works best for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter dinner since we always need some extra side meals on the table to serve our guests. One thing for certain, this always goes down well. The leftover sweet potato casserole can then be served the next day as a supper or as part of lunch. I personally like to keep it in our refrigerator and eating it when I’m in need of a snack. Then you can always serve this casserole as a dessert. This idea works best for people who can’t tolerate foods that are too sweet or even sugary desserts.

Delicious and Healthy

This sweet potato casserole is not just about good taste, it is also full of nutrients and provide sseveral micronutrients like potassium, Vitamin C, and beta carotene. Well, cooked sweet potatoes also provide a good number of dietary fibers. And add pecan to the list, and you will have a perfect nutritional package in the form of this casserole. Nuts and seeds are always the best way to increase the nutritional values of a meal.

How To Make a Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Here is the casserole recipe you have been waiting for. This recipe can give you as many as 16 servings, so if you want to bake a casserole for lesser servings like 6-8 persons, then use only half of the ingredients or keep the prepared filling assembled in the pan without baking. Cover the unbaked casserole with a plastic sheet and then bake whenever you are ready to serve.  In this way, you can preserve the freshness of the casserole, and you can enjoy good flavors with the same crispy and crunch. So, let’s just get started!

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Course: SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Sides don’t get better than this sweet potato casserole dish, which could instantly be misunderstood for a dessert, it’s that tasty. Marshmallows and pecans included, turn this into a treat you’ll be excited to eat.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs sweet potatoes peeled and cut into cubes

• 1/2 cup brown sugar packed

• 1/3 cup butter softened

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3/4 cup chopped pecans divided

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or to taste

• salt and pepper to taste

• 2 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions

• Select 375 degrees F temperature to preheat your oven and prepare a 9×13 inches baking or casserole pan by greasing it with cooking oil or spray.
  
• While the oven is preheating, boil the sweet potatoes in water for 15 minutes until they are soft and tender.
• Insert a fork into the sweet potatoes to check if they are tender then remove them from the boiling water.
• Transfer the boiled sweet potatoes cubes to a large bowl in which you can easily mash them.
• Use a fork or a potato masher to mash these potato cubes well. Then stir in butter, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, black pepper, and cinnamon.
• Spread the sweet potato pecan mixture in the prepared-greased pan and top this layer with marshmallows and remaining pecans.
• Mix the mashed sweet potatoes with these ingredients well, then fold in half of the pecans gently and mix them until they are evenly incorporated.
• Place this sweet potato casserole pan in the preheated oven and bake it approximately 25 minutes or more until the marshmallows turn golden brown from top.
• Remove the sweet potato casserole from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature.
• Slice the casserole in the pan and serve fresh on the table.

Preparing the Sweet Potatoes

The recipe actually starts with the preparation of the sweet potatoes. If you peel and dice the sweet potato before boiling them, then it will get easier for you to handle them after the boiling. However, you can also boil them just after peeling. The cooking varies for diced sweet potatoes and whole peeled potatoes. When whole sweet potatoes are boiled, they usually take 25 minutes or more to turn soft, whereas diced potatoes take only 15 minutes to boil.

When the potatoes are boiled, they must be thoroughly mashed to get a creamy mixture. The filling is prepared using this mash; you can keep the texture according to your preference; some people like to enjoy a chunky texture, whereas others like to have a smooth texture.

Conclusion

The sweet potato casserole makes up a good serving due to its sweet and savory flavors. The golden marshmallows on top with a soft and delicious sweet potato filling underneath makes such an interesting combination. I never knew a simple sweet potato mash could make up such a delicious dessert. Now that I have tried this casserole, I make it at every special occasion. And I would recommend the same to you, give this tasty marshmallow casserole a try and let us know how do you like the taste and creamy texture.

Laura Ritterman

Hi, I’m Laura and having studied an MSc in Nutrition, becoming a professional chef and appearing on major publications with my recipes I decided to create a website of my own. This website is where I share unique recipes, tips and cooking inspiration that will allow your culinary skills flourish. You can contact me here. For more information, you can find more about me.