Sweet Potato Crunch is a traditional midwest recipe. This Sweet potato casserole with canned yams and a pecan crunch topping is simple to make and is absolutely delicious!
Sweet Potato Crunch – a casserole recipe that is on nearly every table during the holiday season. You can always find this side dish on my table for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
My favorite part about this recipe is that it can be made ahead of time and cooked the next day. Plus, sweet potato crunch uses canned sweet potatoes so the time to cook and cool potatoes are eliminated!
Check out this video to learn how to create this Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams or Sweet Potatoes.
How to Make an Easy Sweet Potato Casserole:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine drained sweet potatoes, milk, eggs, sugar, butter, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla, and salt, mashing potatoes and stirring well.
- Pour into an oven-safe dish, set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine butter, pecans, and brown sugar until well blended.
- Sprinkle pecan mixture over casserole.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until set.
- Let sit 10 minutes. Serve hot.
What’s the Difference Between Yams and Sweet Potatoes?
You can use either canned yams or sweet potatoes for this baked sweet potato crunch. However, there is definitely a difference between the two root vegetables. Here is a list of differences to help you decide which vegetable you prefer:
- Yams are larger in size compared to sweet potatoes
- Sweet potatoes are more nutritionally dense than yams
- Yams are sweeter than sweet potatoes
- Sweet potatoes often have elongated ends while yams have rounded ends
In a large bowl, combine drained sweet potatoes, milk, eggs, sugar, butter, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla, and salt.
PRO TIP: The sweet potatoes need to be well-drained. I used a fine-mesh strainer and let them sit for at least 5 minutes to make sure all extra liquid was gone before mashing them for the sweet potato casserole.
Once all your ingredients are in the bowl, mash the sweet potatoes and stir well until all ingredients are combined.
In a small bowl, combine butter, pecans, and sugar until well blended.
PRO TIP: You could swap the pecans for old-fashioned oats or marshmallows to make a sweet potato crunch no nuts or sweet potato crunch with marshmallows version.
Slowly pour the mashed sweet potato mixture into your baking dish. Then, crumble on the pecan topping.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until set. Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving to allow the dish to cool. Serve warm.
Holiday Main Entree Recipe Ideas
- Whole Beef Steak Tenderloin
- Maple Chicken Thighs
- Baked Pork Chops
- Honey Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Honey Glaze
- World’s Simplest Thanksgiving Turkey
- Grilled Porterhouse Steaks
Thankgiving Side Dish Recipes
- Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Walnuts
- Butternut Squash Casserole with Pecans
- Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Cornbread Stuffing
- Crockpot Green Bean Casserole
- Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Sweet Potato Crunch
Ingredients
- 40 oz. can cut sweet potatoes in light syrup, drained ✅
- 1/2 cup 2% milk
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice ✅
- 1 tsp. vanilla ✅
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Topping
- 2 tbsp. butter, softened
- 1/2 cup crushed pecans or walnuts ✅
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the casserole ingredients. In a large bowl, combine drained sweet potatoes, milk, eggs, sugar, butter, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla, and salt, mashing potatoes and stirring well. Pour into an oven-safe 9×9 inch dish or pan, set aside.40 oz. can cut sweet potatoes in light syrup, drained, 1/2 cup 2% milk, 2 eggs, whisked, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, softened, 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 tsp. salt
- Combine the topping ingredients. In a small bowl, combine butter, pecans, and sugar until well blended. Sprinkle pecan mixture over casserole.2 tbsp. butter, softened, 1/2 cup crushed pecans or walnuts, 1/4 cup brown sugar
- ⭐️Bake. Bake for 45 minutes, or until set. Let sit for 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
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Karen Robinson says
What size baking dish do you use.
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Great question! I used a 9 x 9-inch pan. I’ll update the instructions with this as well. Thanks for asking!
MJ says
Can you use fresh sweet potato instead of canned?
Jodi Danen, RDN says
You sure can! I’d love to hear how it works for you!
Kimmy says
Doubled the topping, but made it at least 4 times!
Tiffany says
Can this be made the day before and stored 8n fridge till ready to cook next day?
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Tiffany, yes you can totally make it the day before. I’d just keep the nut mixture stored separately until baking to make sure the nuts stay crunchy and don’t get soggy. I’d love to hear what you think!
Tracy says
Awesome
Nancy says
This was amazing and my family ate it all!
Kitty Sharp says
Can you freeze this?
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Kitty! You can freeze this, however, the nuts will not be quite as crunchy upon rewarming (but still yummy!). Hope that helps!
Deborah says
I have a friend of the family that hates the yam casserole with syrup and marshmallows but totally loves this recipe!
It is absolutely yummy.
Pam Howell says
I love this, but I did add almost a whole bag of coconut! It was delish!
Jane Zimmermann says
Do you have any recommendations to make this in a crockpot?
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Jane, I have to start by saying I have not tried it in a crockpot yet, but if I were to I would cook the sweet potato mixture separately then add the topping before serving. I’d roast the nuts to get a similar crunch as you would by cooking the casserole in the oven. I’d love to hear if you try it this way.
Linda Primmer says
Looks and sounds yummy. I love candied yams. Adding the crunch sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing at Love Your Creativity.
Pam says
This looks so good! I like the idea of using canned sweet potatoes! I’ll be featuring it tomorrow at the TFT party. 🙂
Niki says
Do you cover this with foil while baking or leave it uncovered?
Jodi Danen, RDN says
I left it uncovered. I hope you enjoy!
Melinda says
I’m going to make this next week. I’m sure it isn’t as good with oatmeal. But I want to try it because our daughter can’t have nuts. Will we be disappointed?
Jodi Danen, RDN says
I think the oats would be yummy as well! You can also use mini marshmallows for a different twist!
Melissa says
Hello! Should I double the recipe if we have 10 adults for dinner? Would I use a 9×13 pan then.?
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Melissa! Yes, you can go ahead and double the recipe and use the larger pan. I hope you enjoy it!
Lisa says
Hi. I’d love to make this but my nephew is allergic to nuts. Can you make the topping without the nuts?
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Lisa! You could swap the nuts for oats or skip the topping portion of the recipe and add mini marshmallows on top. I’d love to hear what you choose and how it turns out for you!