Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows

By
Stephanie Gallagher
Stephanie Gallagher
Stephanie Gallagher is a journalist and food writer who has authored multiple cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/24/21
Tested by
Carrie Parente
Carrie Parente
Tested by Carrie Parente
Carrie is a freelance food stylist and culinary producer who loves having a table full of guests.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows

The Spruce / Cara Cormack
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 2 hrs 10 mins
Total: 2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
361 Calories
9g Fat
67g Carbs
6g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 361
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 11%
Saturated Fat 5g 26%
Cholesterol 68mg 23%
Sodium 199mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 67g 24%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 42g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 22mg 112%
Calcium 119mg 9%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 635mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Sweet potato casserole is an essential Thanksgiving dish since it tastes great with turkey, stuffing, and all of the classic holiday dishes. A fluffy, creamy sweet potato mash is topped with either toasty marshmallows (as in this recipe) or a crispy pecan topping and served hot. To please all of the kids and big kids at your table, we finish this dish with a healthy dose of mini marshmallows.

To save time, you can bake the sweet potatoes up to a day or two ahead of time. Let them cool and then store, wrapped, in the fridge. You can also assemble the casserole in advance and store it in the fridge until you're ready to bake.

“Next time I’ll decrease the amount of brown sugar since the topping is sweet. My marshmallow topping wasn’t getting as browned as I like, so I toasted it under the broiler for about 3 minutes. I kept a close eye on it because it can burn in an instant.” —Carrie Parente

Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray, for the baking dish

  • 5 large sweet potatoes (4 to 5 pounds)

  • 1/4 cup butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

  • 2 large eggs

  • 2/3 cup evaporated milk or milk

  • 2 tablespoons orange juice, optional

  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • 1 (10.5-ounce) bag miniature marshmallows

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for marshmallow sweet potato casserole

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray a 1 1/2 to 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

    Spray casserole dish

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Wash and prick the sweet potatoes with a fork several times. Place on a baking sheet and bake until fork-tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Alternatively, place on a paper towel in the microwave and heat on high for 6 to 12 minutes until soft.

    Prick sweet potatoes on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. Let the potatoes cool. Peel and place the sweet potato pulp in a food processor and purée. A food processor will help the stringy parts of the baked sweet potatoes get smoothly mixed in. Alternatively, use a blender (though it's messier) or an electric mixer.

    sweet potatoes in a food processor

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. Add the butter, brown sugar, eggs, milk, orange juice (if using), cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to taste. Purée until smooth. Add to the prepared pan and smooth out into an even layer.

    sweet potatoes in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. Bake 30 minutes and remove from oven. Spread the marshmallows over top of the casserole.

    marshmallows on top of the sweet potato mixture in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  7. Bake another 5 to 10 minutes on the top rack, until the marshmallows brown. Serve.

    Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Tips

  • To save prep time, bake the sweet potatoes ahead of time.
  • You can easily make this casserole in advance. Just bake the casserole without the marshmallows, cool, wrap tightly, and refrigerate. Just before serving, heat in a 350 F for about 15 minutes, then add the marshmallows and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer.
  • If you don't have a food processor, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip up this casserole instead.
  • Be sure to use mini marshmallows. Regular-sized marshmallows will swell too much, forming a mass on top of the casserole.
  • If you want more browning on the marshmallows, increase the heat to 400 F for the last 5 to 10 minutes or run the casserole briefly under the broiler.

Recipe Variations

  • While baked sweet potatoes work best, you can make this casserole using canned yams. Process or thoroughly mash the drained yams and mix with the other ingredients—you'll likely want to reduce the sugar by half since canned yams are usually sweetened.
  • Sweet potato casserole is also commonly made with a brown sugar pecan topping if you'd prefer a little crunch, or you can swap some of the marshmallows for cornflakes for some texture.


How to Store

Store leftover sweet potato casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in short increments in the microwave until heated through.

Why Are There Eggs in Sweet Potato Casserole?

Eggs help bind a sweet potato casserole together, add moisture, and give it a fluffy texture.

Are Yams and Sweet Potatoes the Same Thing?

In the U.S., orange sweet potatoes are often called yams, especially when canned. However, yams are actually a different plant, popular in African cuisine. Chances are if you see something labeled a yam at an American market, it's actually a sweet potato.

How Do You Keep Sweet Potato Casserole From Being Runny?

Baking instead of boiling sweet potatoes for a casserole can help reduce the amount of moisture and avoid a runny casserole. Make sure that you bake the casserole long enough so that excess liquid evaporates as well.