Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel
- Sweet potatoes
- 4 lb sweet potatoes, about 5 medium, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tsp kosher salt, for the cooking water
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the dish
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- Pecan streusel
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel
- Put the sweet potato chunks in a large pot, cover with cold water by an inch and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Lower the heat and simmer until a fork slides into the biggest chunk with no resistance.
- While they cook, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Drain the sweet potatoes well, return them to the hot pot off the heat and let the steam carry off extra water.
- Mash until smooth with a potato masher or a hand mixer.
- Beat in the melted butter, brown sugar, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel
- Let the mash cool a little so the eggs won't scramble.
- Beat in the eggs until fully blended, then spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish.
- For the streusel, stir the brown sugar, flour and salt together in a bowl, pour in the melted butter and stir until crumbly. Stir in the pecans.
- Scatter the streusel evenly over the sweet potatoes.
- Bake until the topping is deep golden and the center reaches 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- Let it rest before serving so the topping crisps as it cools.
- Cook to 160°F inside (check with a thermometer).