This sweet potato casserole is a Thanksgiving regular in the Daily Decide owner’s kitchen, and she makes it for other occasions, too. It starts with canned yams in syrup, drained and mashed, and finishes with a brown sugar topping without pecans.
The recipe was adapted from a 1984 community cookbook whose title is no longer known. The owner’s day-before method is to assemble the casserole and refrigerate it until it’s ready to bake.
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Sweet potato casserole ingredients
Casserole dish: 2 quarts. Oven temperature: 350°F.
For the filling
- Two 29-ounce cans of yams in syrup, drained
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 2 eggs, well beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup milk
For the topping
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 5 tablespoons melted butter
Leave out the pecans for this version.
How to make it
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Drain and mash the yams. Warm the drained yams slightly to make them easier to mash, then mash them.
- Mix the filling. Combine the mashed yams with the sugar, 1/2 cup melted butter, well-beaten eggs, vanilla and milk. Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish.
- Add the topping. Mix the packed brown sugar, flour and 5 tablespoons melted butter. Distribute the topping over the filling.
- Bake and check the center. The printed recipe gives 25 minutes at 350°F. Use that time as a guide and check the center with a food thermometer. Continue baking until the center reaches 165°F, the minimum temperature FoodSafety.gov lists for casseroles. A cold casserole may need longer; don’t use the clock alone to decide when it’s ready.
Make it the day before
Assemble the filling and topping in the casserole dish, cover it and refrigerate it promptly at 40°F or below until you’re ready to bake the next day. Bake at 350°F and check that the center reaches 165°F. The chilled casserole may take longer than the printed 25-minute guide.
Freezing hasn’t been tested for this version.
Food-safety note
- Before baking: Keep the prepared casserole covered and refrigerated at 40°F or below.
- After cooking: Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F.
- For another meal: Use refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days and reheat them to 165°F.
The cooking-temperature guidance comes from FoodSafety.gov’s safe minimum internal temperature chart. The storage and reheating guidance follows USDA’s leftovers and food-safety guidance.