Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows: a classic Thanksgiving side dish you’ll love

Perfectly delicious, creamy, and rich sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is a traditional Thanksgiving dish that has been popular for decades. It started as a dessert and over time, has become a must-have side dish to accompany roasted turkey, gravy, and green bean casserole.

Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is super easy to make. It gets its phenomenal flavor from a tasty mix of the classic sweet potato casserole made with brown sugar, butter, milk, and a touch of vanilla, but topped off with beautifully toasted mini marshmallows. It's an easy side dish you can make ahead of time for your Thanksgiving dinner, and it's one that everyone is sure to love!

Sweet Potatoes vs Yams

In the USA, you'll find that “yams” and “sweet potatoes” are two terms that are used interchangeably. The tuber sold as yams in the States is a type of sweet potato. True yams, which have red, purple, or white flesh and black or brown skin, aren't usually found in American supermarkets.

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

To make sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, start by parboiling the sweet potatoes in a large pot until they're fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. While the sweet potatoes are boiling, whisk sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add in the drained, parboiled sweet potatoes, then blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

Pour the sweet potato mixture into a greased baking dish. Smooth out the top of the mixture, then generously garnish with marshmallows. Bake the casserole for 25 to 30 minutes at 350F, or until the marshmallows are golden brown.

Can You Make Sweet Potato Casserole in Advance?

Of course! Assemble your casserole up to 2 days in advance, pour it into the baking dish, then bake it when you're ready to serve it.

Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

Use either raw or canned sweet potatoes. While raw sweet potatoes offer the best flavor, canned are undeniably more convenient! If you use canned sweet potatoes, skip the parboiling step.

Mini marshmallows are the way to go for this recipe – large marshmallows are too big and sweet and will overwhelm the rest of the dish.

Jazz up your sweet potato casserole with marshmallows by adding chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts to the topping.

Don't make the sweet potato filling too sweet.

Don't overwork the mash.

How to Store Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

Cover or wrap cooled sweet potato casserole and place it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

More Recipes You'll Like

Sweet potato pie

Sweet potato corned beef hash

Candied yams

Sweet potato soufflé

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease a baking dish and set it aside.

Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Place the sweet potatoes in the pot then let the water come back up to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain the sweet potatoes.

Whisk sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix in the sweet potatoes, then blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

Pour the sweet potato mixture into the baking dish. Use a spatula to smooth out the top. Garnish with marshmallows.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the marshmallows are golden brown.

Notes

Use a 9×13-inch casserole dish to make your casserole.