Sweet Potato Souffle

Creamy Sweet Potato Souffle is the ultimate holiday side dish! Fluffy whipped sweet potatoes are topped with a lightly sweetened, pecan-studded crumble for texture and flavor. This one is sure to disappear fast.

sweet potato souffle sitting in a 9x13 casserole dish.

Pin this recipe now to save it for later

Fluffy, silky smooth sweet potato souffle is rich and decadent, the perfect companion to holiday turkey or ham. You’ll love making this version of sweet potato casserole – add a touch of maple syrup to the filling for a festive flair, or enjoy this recipe just as it’s written.

top down image of sweet potato souffle sitting in a 9x13 casserole dish.

Sweet Potato Souffle Recipe

This beautifully simple and flavorful sweet potato souffle is sure to become a family favorite! It’s similar to a sweet potato casserole, but it features toasted pecans and brown sugar in the crumble topping rather than marshmallows.

Sweet potato souffle mimics an egg soufflé but calls for much less effort because you’ll simply fold whole eggs into the whipped sweet potato base. A traditional soufflé recipe calls for whipping egg whites separately and swirling them into an egg-yolk base – delicious, but a bit time-consuming, especially when you have holiday pies to bake.

Sweet potato souffle still bakes up creamy and airy, similar to a true soufflé, yet will take much less time! Roasting the sweet potatoes before whipping them into the silky base brings out their natural sweetness and makes this soufflé even more flavorful.

It’s a perfect dish to serve with all sorts of meats, simple salads, a side of steamed broccoli, and definitely on the Thanksgiving table. Although it’s easy enough, you can serve this side dish all year round.

Sweet potatoes are wonderful any time of year and in so many dishes. Try Sweet Potato Waffles, Sweet Potato Casserole, or Paula Deen Sweet Potato Casserole if you want more sweet potato recipes.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Souffle

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

Sweet potatoes – In this recipe, sweet potatoes are roasted for the best flavor (roasting brings out their natural sweetness even more). See my tip below for other ways to prep the sweet potatoes.
Butter – Unsalted butter is best so that it doesn’t overpower the taste of the sweet potatoes.
Brown sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar.
Granulated sugar – Sugar provides an extra bit of sweetness to this dish.
Ground cinnamon – Warming cinnamon makes this souffle extra cozy.
Eggs – Eggs work to hold the souffle filling together.
Milk – Use whole milk for richness, although 2% milk will work as well.
Vanilla extract – Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Salt – Salt balances out the sweetness of the dish.

Topping

Brown sugar
All-purpose flour – Flour forms the base of the sweet topping.
Salt
Ground cinnamon
Pecan halves – Pecans add a wonderful crunchy texture.
Butter

Variations

I love this recipe as written, but you can play around with it a little bit if you like. Here are a few of my favorite variations on this sweet potato souffle:

Add oats to the topping: To make the topping more like a streusel, you can add 1/2 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats along with the flour when making the topping.
Substitute different nuts: Chopped walnuts instead of pecans would also work well.
Make it richer: For a richer soufflé, you can substitute heavy cream or half-and-half for the whole milk.
Add a little maple syrup: Substitute maple syrup for the granulated sugar in the filling for a hint of natural sweetness.

four roasted sweet potato unwrapped from foil and sitting on a baking tray.

sweet potato souffle filling in a stainless steel mixing bowl.

How to Make Sweet Potato Souffle

Heat the oven and bake the sweet potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with foil. Wash and dry the outside of the sweet potatoes well. Then, wrap them in aluminum foil, and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Place the potatoes in the oven, and bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Cool the sweet potatoes then remove their skins: Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven, and them allow to cool until you can remove the skins without burning your fingers. Remove the sweet potato skins before proceeding with the recipe.
Prepare a pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Mix the sweet potatoes with the butter, sugars, and cinnamon: In the bowl of a mixer or with an electric hand mixer, beat the cooked sweet potatoes on medium-high until they become smooth. Add in the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon, and mix again until fully combined.
Add in the eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt: Continue beating, and add in the eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt to the sweet potato mixture. Beat on medium-high until the ingredients are smooth and fully incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Make the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon until well combined. Add the pecans, and toss to coat. Stir in the melted butter until it is fully absorbed, forming a sort of crumble/dough mixture. Scatter the topping evenly across the top of the sweet potato mixture.
Bake the souffle: Place the soufflé in the oven, and bake it until the center is set and does not jiggle when gently shaken or lightly tapped.
Let the souffle cool slightly before serving: Remove from the oven, and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before serving.

two shallow plates with a serving of sweet potato souffle.

Quick Tip

Instead of baking, you can boil sweet potatoes instead. To so do, first, peel the sweet potatoes and quarter them. Then, place them in a large pot, and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, and reduce it to a simmer. Cook the potatoes until they are fork-tender. Finally, drain the liquid, allow the potatoes to cool slightly, and proceed with the recipe.

How to Store Sweet Potato Souffle

Store leftover sweet potato souffle in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, place the soufflé on a microwave-safe dish, and heat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until hot. Or, place the soufflé in an oven-safe dish, and transfer it to the oven, letting it warm under low heat until your desired temperature is reached.

Serving Suggestions

Sweet potato souffle is a classic Thanksgiving side dish that works well for other holidays, or simply as a wonderful vegetable side for a weeknight dinner! Here are some of my favorite ways to serve sweet potato souffle:

At Thanksgiving. This is a classic dish to serve with your Thanksgiving meal alongside turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green bean casserole.
With ham. I love making easy crock pot ham and this serving sweet potato souffle alongside it!
With chicken. This sweet potato souffle recipe is also wonderful with chicken. Make it with roasted or baked chicken plus some vegetables.
As a vegetarian main, with salad. A rich dish like sweet potato souffle can definitely work as a main vegetarian dish, nicely balanced by a green salad. Try my cucumber tomato salad for a light side, or make a fresh broccoli salad.

FAQs

What is the difference between casserole and souffle?

A traditional soufflé gets its lightness from whipped egg whites. In a sweet potato souffle, the sweet potatoes are blended with the other ingredients until smooth. However, a sweet potato casserole has a chunkier texture as the sweet potatoes are often boiled and mashed by hand.

What is sweet potato souffle made of?

Sweet potato souffle takes a base of mashed sweet potatoes and combines it with brown sugar, eggs, milk, butter, and a little cinnamon and vanilla. Then, we top it off with a crunchy topping made of brown sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, pecans, and butter!

Does sweet potato soufflé need to be refrigerated?

Yes. Sweet potato souffles contain dairy and eggs, meaning leftovers should be stored in the fridge to ensure they remain safe to eat.