Paula Deen Sweet Potato Casserole

This warm, cozy Paula Deen sweet potato casserole recipe tastes just like the classic Southern version—rich, buttery, perfectly sweet, and topped with that iconic crunchy pecan praline. It’s the ultimate holiday side dish, and it always disappears fast at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner!

Need another down-home side dish for your holiday celebration? Hashbrown Casserole is a favorite too! Don’t forget the Cornbread Dressing either.

Ingredients for Paula Deen Sweet Potato Bake

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

• Sweet potatoes – Fresh cooked sweet potatoes give the best flavor, but canned sweet potatoes or yams also work (taste before adding sugar—canned are often already sweetened).
• Brown sugar – Paula Deen’s original version uses white sugar; this version uses all brown sugar for a richer molasses flavor. (Shh, don’t tell Paula!)
• Butter – Melted unsalted butter makes the filling rich and silky.
• Eggs – Help the casserole set into a smooth, custardy texture, kind of like Sweet Potato Souffle.
• Flavorings – Pure vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg add lots of cozy flavor.
• Heavy cream – Heavy cream gives the casserole a rich flavor and a silky texture. Half-and-half or whole milk also work.
  
  

For the Topping:

• Butter and brown sugar – For the praline flavor.
• Flour – This gives the topping structure, so the butter and sugar don’t just melt into the casserole.
• Salt – A pinch balances all that sugar.
• Pecans – Pecans add a wonderful, nutty crunch to the topping. You could also use walnuts.

How to Cook Sweet Potatoes for Casserole

You need about 3 cups of mashed sweet potatoes for this recipe—roughly 3 large sweet potatoes. Any of these methods works:

• Boil (fastest): Peel, chop into chunks, and boil 15–20 minutes until fork-tender. Drain very well—extra water is the number-one cause of a runny casserole.
• Bake: Prick whole sweet potatoes and bake at 400°F for 45–60 minutes until soft. The skins slip right off, and the flesh is a little sweeter and drier than boiled.
• Instant Pot: See my Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes—about 15 minutes at pressure.
• Canned: Drain a 29-oz or 40-oz can of cut sweet potatoes in syrup well and mash. Taste the filling before adding all the sugar.

Variations

Here are a few variation options for this sweet potato casserole.

• Skip the nuts: You can omit the nuts in the topping to make a nut-free version. Swap them for oats or pepitas if you want the texture without the allergy concerns!
• Make it a little lighter: You can use whole milk or non-dairy milk in place of the heavy cream. The casserole won’t taste quite as rich, but it will still be delicious!
• Add marshmallows: Not ready to abandon #TeamMarshmallow quite yet? Sprinkle on mini marshmallows in the last 10 minutes of baking—or make my classic sweet potato casserole with marshmallows instead.

How to Make Paula Deen Sweet Potato Casserole

1. Cook the sweet potatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add the chopped sweet potatoes. Boil for 20 minutes. Strain the potatoes, discard the water, and add the cooked potatoes to a large bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth. Let the potatoes cool. Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish.

2. Make the sweet potato filling: Add all of the ingredients for the filling to a large bowl, and blend together. I like to mix everything with an electric mixer to make sure it is very smooth, but you can also mix by hand. 

3. Pour the filling into the pan: Pour the sweet potato filling into the prepared baking dish, and spread it across the pan in an even layer. 

4. Top and bake: Mix all of the ingredients for the topping, then sprinkle over the casserole. Bake for about 25 minutes at 325°F. It’s done when the topping is golden brown and the center is set with just a slight wobble. Let it rest 10 minutes before serving so the filling firms up.

Why Is My Sweet Potato Casserole Runny?

A runny casserole almost always comes down to too much liquid in the filling. The usual causes:

• Wet potatoes. Boiled sweet potatoes hold water. Drain them in a colander for a few minutes and let them steam dry before mashing.
• Canned pumpkin or squash purée. Purée is much wetter than mashed sweet potato and bakes up loose in this recipe. Stick with sweet potatoes (fresh or canned).
• Pulled too early. The center should be set, not liquid, when you take it out. If it jiggles like a bowl of soup, give it 5 more minutes.
• No rest. Ten minutes on the counter lets the filling firm up before you scoop.

Serving Suggestions

Here are a few ways to serve this sweet potato casserole:

• At Thanksgiving. This is a classic dish to serve with your Thanksgiving meal. Here’s everything you need to know about cooking turkey for the holiday.
• With ham. I love making easy crock pot ham and serving Paula Deen sweet potato casserole alongside it!
• With chicken. Sweet potato bake is also wonderful with chicken. Try it with spatchcock chicken or baked chicken thighs and a simple veggie side.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• Refrigerator: Store the sweet potato bake in an airtight container up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze the baked (or unbaked) casserole for up to 2 months. Wrap it tightly; I always use a layer of plastic followed by a layer of foil to keep freezer burn at bay! If freezing unbaked, add the pecan topping after thawing so it stays crisp.
• To Reheat: Warm in the oven at 350°F for 15–20 minutes until heated through.

Frequently Asked Questions