This Savory Sweet Potato Casserole has a base of creamy, brown butter, roasted mashed sweet potatoes with a crunchy, sweet and salty, rosemary walnut topping.

General
Why you'll love this
Ingredient notes
How to make
Get the recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
How to cook sweet potatoes
Can I use canned sweet potatoes?
How to make in advance
Pairing suggestions
How to store
Nutrition information
Ingredients

Why you’ll love this

Not too sweet. Trevor’s not a huge sweet potato fan and even he loved these! Brown butter, sour cream, and parmesan are mashed into roasted sweet potatoes, then topped with a brown sugar walnut topping to keep the potatoes from being overly sweet.
Contrasting textures. Fluffy mashed potatoes are topped with nuts for the perfect blend of smooth and crunchy!
Super easy. Roast and mash the potatoes in advance to keep prep on this casserole very quick and easy.

Ingredient notes

Mashed Roasted Sweet Potato

Sweet Potatoes – you’ll need 3 pounds orange sweet potatoes. Depending on the size of potatoes, that could be anywhere from 5-12 potatoes. Canned sweet potatoes may also be used.
Butter – unsalted or salted butter are fine.
Parmesan – finely grated parmesan will give you the best texture. Asiago, romano, or any combination of the three would be delicious.
Sour Cream – full-fat will give the best flavor and texture, but a light variety or even greek yogurt would be good substitutions.
Spices: Salt and Pepper – table salt and finely ground black pepper were used in the original recipe. If using another salt, such as kosher salt, you may need to add additional salt.

Rosemary Walnut Topping

Walnuts – pecans may also be used. Cashews may also work, like in this sweet potato casserole recipe, but I don’t find them to be as crunchy!
Sugar – I like dark brown sugar for the richest flavor, but light brown sugar, granulated sugar, or even coconut sugar will work.
Parmesan – as with the filling, finely grated parmesan will give you the best texture. Asiago, romano, or any combination of the three would be yummy.
Spices: Rosemary, Salt and Pepper – this recipe was tested using dried rosemary, because I always have it on hand, but fresh may also be used. 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary (roughly chopped) would be used to replace the 2 teaspoons dried. If you’re not a fan of rosemary, simply omit or replace with another herb such as thyme and/or sage.
Maldon Sea Salt – optional, but adds a delicious salty, crunchy finish!

How to make

Prick cleaned sweet potatoes all over with a fork.
Roast until tender, then remove peel.
Mash until desired consistency is reached. Set aside.
Brown butter.
Mash together potatoes, browned butter, parmesan cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper, then taste and re-season, if necessary.
Mix together walnut topping.
Place sweet potato mash into a greased 9×13, then top with walnut topping.
Bake until hot, then serve and enjoy!

How to cook sweet potatoes

There are a few ways to cook sweet potatoes that make them perfect for mashing.

Roasting (my preference)

Place washed potatoes onto a silicone mat lined baking sheet, prick each potato all over with a fork, then bake at 400 degrees F until tender, about 60-90 mins depending on the size of potato.
Cool slightly before removing the peel, then mashing.

Boiling

Peel and cube potatoes into chunks. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add sweet potatoes, lower heat to medium-low, then simmer until fork tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Drain, then mash.

Microwaving

Working with 2 potatoes at a time, wash, then pierce potatoes all over with a fork.
Microwave, flipping halfway through, until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes depending on the size of potato and strength of the microwave.
Cool slightly before removing the peel, and mashing.

Can i use canned sweet potatoes?

Yes. You’ll need about 6 cups mashed sweet potatoes, which is about 1-3 (15 oz) cans, drained and mashed.

How to make in advance

You have a couple options for prepping some of the components beforehand:

Roast and mash the sweet potatoes: then cover and place in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Make the sweet potato filling: roast and mash the sweet potatoes, brown the butter (set aside 1/4 cup for the topping and keep at room temperature for up to 1 day, then re-melt when needed), mix together the remaining filling ingredients, then cover and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Allow to come to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.

Pro tip

I don’t recommend making the topping in advance, because we want the nuts to stay super crunchy! Luckily, it’s very quick and easy to make.

What to serve with savory sweet potato casserole

Pick your protein, then serve this casserole next to all your favorite holiday sides!

Protein: turkey (recipe coming soon!), ham with pineapple sauce, salmon wellington, air fryer pork tenderloin, slow cooker flank steak
Corn
Mashed Potatoes
Greens: green bean casserole, roasted brussels sprouts, pear, blue cheese, candied pecan salad
Bread: sausage stuffing, rhodes rolls, how to make jiffy cornbread better, cornbread dressing

How to store

Store any leftover sweet potato casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 1 month.

To reheat, microwave or heat on the stove until warm!

– Jennifer

Savory Sweet Potato Casserole