The Thanksgiving side that's half dessert. Boil the sweet potatoes until very soft so the mash is completely smooth, then bake it under a buttery pecan crumble. You can assemble it a day ahead and bake it while the turkey rests.
Everything you need
- 3 lb (1.4 kg) sweet potatoes (about 4 medium)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120 g) milk
- ⅓ cup (76 g) butter, melted (mash)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar, packed (topping)
- ⅓ cup (42 g) all-purpose flour (topping)
- ⅓ cup (76 g) butter, melted (topping)
- 1 cup (110 g) pecans, chopped (topping)
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
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Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 3 cm chunks. Cover with cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides through with no resistance. Drain well and let them steam dry for 5 minutes.
For this step
- 3 lb (1.4 kg) sweet potatoes (about 4 medium)
- ½ tsp fine salt
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Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F and butter a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 in) baking dish.
For this step
- ⅓ cup (76 g) butter
- ⅓ cup (76 g) butter
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Mash the sweet potatoes until smooth, then beat in the sugar, milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla and salt. Spread in the dish.
For this step
- 3 lb (1.4 kg) sweet potatoes (about 4 medium)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120 g) milk
- ⅓ cup (76 g) butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (76 g) butter
-
Topping: stir the brown sugar, flour and melted butter together until it looks like wet sand, then mix in the pecans. Scatter evenly over the sweet potato.
For this step
- 3 lb (1.4 kg) sweet potatoes (about 4 medium)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (76 g) butter
- 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (42 g) all-purpose flour (topping)
- ⅓ cup (76 g) butter
- 1 cup (110 g) pecans
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Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the topping is bubbling and the edges are golden. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
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Worth knowing
- Let the drained potatoes steam dry before mashing. Watery potatoes give a loose casserole.
- To make ahead, assemble without the topping, cover and chill up to a day. Add the topping just before baking and allow 10 extra minutes.
Make it your own
- Marshmallow version: skip the pecan topping and cover with 3 cups (about 150 g) mini marshmallows for the last 10 minutes of baking.
- Roast the sweet potatoes whole at 200°C for about an hour instead of boiling, for a deeper, sweeter flavour.
Storing & freezing
Covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat at 175°C for 15 to 20 minutes; the topping crisps back up in the oven.
Frequently asked
How many sweet potatoes make 4 cups mashed?
About 1.4 kg (3 lb) raw, or 4 medium sweet potatoes. Peeled and boiled, they mash down to roughly 4 cups.
Can I use canned sweet potatoes?
Yes. Use two 29 oz cans of drained, unsweetened sweet potatoes in place of the fresh ones and skip the boiling.
Cooking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.