Krolls Korner - 1 white casserole dish with mashed sweet potatoes & a crumbly topping - 2

I can’t stop swooning over this Make Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole. I mean look at it!

Turkey and ham are delicious but I’m totally the type that gets most excited about the side dishes. If that’s you too, you need this sweet potato casserole on your holiday table this year!

If you’re looking for more Thanksgiving side dish recipes or holiday sides, you’ll have to try this Homemade Green Bean Casserole , Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad , or this Cornbread Sausage Stuffing !

You just can’t resist these creamy, buttery, savory yet sweet fluffy, sweet potatoes. And what makes this recipe so special is the brown butter. It accelerates the wonderful flavors of sweet potatoes, buttermilk, brown sugar, vanilla bean and cinnamon that vastly improves the taste of this classic side.

There is always so much to do on the day of a holiday, so the great about this recipe is that you can make it 1 to 2 days before your holiday dinner to free up some time!

And you might be wondering…is this a side dish or a dessert? It always goes up for debate at the dinner table! I personally love it as a side. I mean, what’s better than filling your fork with a bite of casserole, turkey, and cranberry sauce?!

But you do you! This casserole can totally double as an amazing dessert. So move over Apple Pie , there just might be second helpings of my Make Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole for dessert!

Why This Recipe Works:

  • As the name says, this can be a make ahead dish! Anything to make the actual Thanksgiving Day in the kitchen less stressful is a lifesaver in my book!
  • This is an easy recipe, so if you choose to make this the day of it will take you about an hour and a half, including cooking time.
  • The buttermilk adds a delicious tang to the creamy, sweet potatoes.
  • It’s not overly sweet. I wanted to highlight the sweet potatoes natural sweetness so I didn’t overload it with too much brown sugar and I chose to omit marshmallows.
  • There is something comforting about the smells of warm vanilla and cinnamon spice that gets you in the mood for the holidays. It just screams Fall!
  • Everyone has a favorite food for the holidays but this make ahead sweet potato casserole will be moved to the top of everyone’s fav list.
sweet potatoes in a white casserole dish topped with a brown sugar pepitas topping and fresh sage. - 3

Ingredient Notes

For the ingredient measurements and entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.

  • Sweet potatoes: Look for nice, large sweet potatoes. Allow the sweet potatoes to cool before spooning out the sweet potato, they’re hot!
  • Butter: be sure to use unsalted butter when browning butter. When browning salted butter the salt gets concentrated in the milk solids and can ruin the flavor
  • Vanilla bean: Vanilla bean or vanilla paste both will give you the forward vanilla flavor, but the paste is easier to work with.
  • Buttermilk or sour cream or even heavy cream: I love the tanginess and the consistency of buttermilk for this recipe but either of these options will work.
  • Dark Brown sugar: Dark Brown sugar taste more like molasses syrup and has a slight more complex flavor then light brown sugar. We’re not using an excessive amount in this recipe so you can still get lots of sweet potato flavor.
  • Kosher salt: I always use Kosher salt in my recipes. It has a more pure flavor and does not include additives like iodine.
  • Eggs: Lightly beat them before adding into the sweet potato.
ingredients in small white dishes to make sweet potato casserole. - 4

Step by Step Directions

Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe instructions.

sweet potatoes on parchment paper and brown butter in a sauce pan. - 5
  1. Bake the sweet potatoes in the oven until tender.
  2. Scoop the sweet potato flesh into a bowl and discard the skins.
  3. Brown the butter and add the vanilla bean to it. Set aside.
  4. Beat the sweet potatoes until fluffy. If still warm, let cool a little bit.
  5. Add in the vanilla bean brown butter, eggs, buttermilk/sour cream, brown sugar and salt.
  6. Place in a lightly greased 9×13 pan.
  7. Sprinkle the brown sugar pepita topping over the top and bake until heated through.
mashed sweet potatoes in a stainless steel bowl. - 6 sweet potatoes in a white casserole dish topped with a brown sugar pepitas topping and fresh sage and fresh thyme. - 7

Tips and Variations

  • If you want more of a traditional streusel topping, substitute pecans for the pepitas.
  • I like baking the sweet potatoes and if you are looking for an even fluffier potato, try wrapping the potato in foil. This locks in the steam as the potato is baking, making for a fluffier cooked potato.
  • Add in pumpkin pie spice to the streusel topping for even more Fall vibes.
  • When making the brown butter I recommend that you cook slowly, and have patience . Use a light colored pan with shorter sides, like a skillet, to help with the evaporation of the water in the butter. Once the water has evaporated the milk solids will caramelize and your butter will be any where from a pale golden to a deep mahogany color. Just don’t over cook , as it will burn.
  • For a different flavor profile, substitute rosemary, thyme or sage and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for the pepitas.
  • You can also boil the sweet potatoes until soft, I just prefer the flavor roasting gives this side dish. If you want to boil the potatoes, peel and chop them and then boil until fork tender.
Make Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole - 8

More Holiday Side Dishes

Looking for more inspiration for holiday side dishes? Then look no further than my Holiday Sides Series ! You’ll find favorites like this Homemade Green Bean Casserole (pictured) and Wild Rice Pilaf !

am up close image of a black spoon scooping out sweet potato casserole from a white casserole dish. - 9 sweet potatoes in a white casserole dish topped with a brown sugar pepitas topping and fresh sage and fresh thyme with a gold spoon. - 10

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white casserole dish with mashed sweet potatoes & a crumbly topping - 11

Make Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

For the sweet potatoes

  • 3 lbs. sweet potatoes (~ 3 large sweet potatoes)
  • 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1/2 vanilla bean pod, or 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour cream
  • 2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the topping

  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup pepitas
Make Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole - 12

Instructions

  • Bake the sweet potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Poke holes all over sweet potatoes using the tines of a fork. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 45-60 minutes or until soft and tender. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. 3 lbs. sweet potatoes (~ 3 large sweet potatoes)
  • Grease an oven safe 9x13 pan lightly with softened butter or baking spray. Set aside.
  • Brown the butter: For a detailed tutorial, see this post on how to brown butter. Add the vanilla bean to the brown butter, stir, and set aside. 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 1/2 vanilla bean pod, or 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
  • Peel the sweet potatoes once cool enough to handle, discard the skins and place the sweet potato into a large bowl.
  • Beat the sweet potato in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer, for 1-2 minutes on medium speed, until nice and fluffy.
  • If the potatoes are still very hot, let cool down for a few minutes so the eggs dont cook. Once cooled, add the vanilla bean brown butter, eggs, buttermilk/sour cream, brown sugar and salt. Mix again until combined and then spread evenly in prepared baking dish. 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour cream, 2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar, 2 large eggs, lightly beaten, 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • Make the topping: mix the brown sugar, salt and cinnamon together in a medium sized bowl. Pour in the melted butter and stir. Add in the flour and pepitas. Stir until combined to form crumbs. The dough will hydrate to form those crumbs and then you can spoon this over the sweet potatoes. 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, pinch of salt, 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, 2/3 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup pepitas
  • Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve hot and enjoy!
  • TO MAKE AHEAD: make the recipe as directed all the way up to step 6. Make the topping but keep the topping on the side, store in the fridge. Place the casserole in the fridge, covered, overnight until you’re ready to bake. Prior to baking, place the topping on and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until hot since the casserole is now cold. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • Feel free to use pecans, walnuts, almonds or even candied nuts instead of pepitas in the brown sugar topping.
  • Store the casserole in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • Reheat: pop it in the microwave until warm.

Nutrition