Description
This Southern Maple Sweet Potato Casserole is a comforting and delicious dish featuring roasted sweet potatoes blended with warm spices, sweetened with maple syrup and brown sugar, and topped with a crunchy pecan and maple syrup topping. Enhanced with marshmallows and raisins for extra sweetness, this casserole is perfect as a holiday side dish or a cozy family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Sweet Potatoes:
- 4 large organic sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2–3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Filling:
- ½ cup almond milk (or whole milk or plant-based milk of choice)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed into small pieces
- ⅓ cup organic brown sugar
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground allspice
- 1 cup organic raisins, soaked and drained
- 2 cups marshmallows
Topping:
- 1 ½ cups raw pecans
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Roast the Sweet Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss the cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly coated. Spread the sweet potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 50-60 minutes until they are tender, charred at the edges, and golden. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly.
- Prepare the Casserole Filling: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. In a bowl, combine the roasted sweet potatoes, almond milk, vanilla extract, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, soaked and drained raisins, and marshmallows. Mix gently until the ingredients are combined, allowing some sweet potatoes to mash while retaining some chunks. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish, spreading it evenly. Dot the filling with cubed butter pieces distributed throughout. For extra sweetness, gently tuck additional marshmallows into the mixture all around.
- Make the Topping: In a small bowl, stir together the raw pecans and pure maple syrup until the pecans are fully coated. Generously sprinkle this topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture in the casserole dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake the Casserole: Place the covered casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the marshmallows have melted and browned slightly. Remove from oven and allow it to cool a bit before serving.
- Serve: Enjoy the casserole warm alongside your favorite mains and sides. This dish is perfect for holiday dinners or comforting family meals. Bon Appetit!
Notes
- Soaking the raisins softens them and prevents them from being too chewy in the casserole.
- You can substitute almond milk with whole milk or another plant-based milk depending on preference.
- For a richer flavor, use unsalted butter and adjust sweetness by varying maple syrup and brown sugar amounts.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated gently in the oven.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern American
Keywords: sweet potato casserole, southern sweet potato casserole, maple sweet potato casserole, holiday side dish, vegetarian casserole, roasted sweet potatoes
