Sweet Potato Casserole

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Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes 
Yield: 10 servings 

Ingredients:
Sweet Potato Filling:
  • 4 medium potatoes
  • ½ stick (4 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup milk of choice
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. fine salt
Pecan Topping:
  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup packed coconut sugar or dark brown sugar
  • ¾ cup pecan halves or pieces, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp. finely snipped fresh rosemary leaves (optional)
  • ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of fine salt

Directions:
  1. Peel and dice sweet potatoes.  Be careful because raw sweet potatoes are hard to cut.  Place in a pot and fill with water until potatoes are just covered.  Boil until soft, about 15-20 minutes.  Drain and transfer softened potatoes to a mixing bowl.  
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9-inch square baker (or any other 2-quart baker) with butter or cooking spray. Remember to leave the butter at room temperature so it has time to soften.
  3. To prepare the filling: Add the melted butter, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, nutmeg and salt to the bowl. Use a hand mixer to whip the ingredients together until they’re smooth and creamy (alternately, use a potato masher or stir by hand). Scoop the mixture into the prepared baker and spread it in an even layer.
  4. To prepare the topping: In a medium bowl, combine the softened butter (if it’s not soft enough to stir yet, microwave it in 6 to 8 second intervals), sugar, pecans, optional rosemary, cinnamon and salt. Stir until the mixture is evenly incorporated. Dollop small forkfuls evenly all over the sweet potato filling.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes, until the pecans are golden and fragrant, and the filling is sizzling around the edges and warmed all the way through. Serve. Leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 to 5 days.

Notes:
  • Recipe altered from cookieandkate.com
  • MAKE IT DAIRY FREE/VEGAN: Use dairy-free milk, such as almond. Replace the butter with coconut oil.
  • MAKE IT NUT FREE: While I haven’t tried, I think that pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) would be nice in place of the pecans. Blitz them in a food processor until they’re finely chopped and proceed as directed. Be sure to use a nut-free milk, and let me know how this turns out in the comments if you give it a try!
  • PREPARE IN ADVANCE: You can roast the sweet potatoes in advance and chill them for later. Or, prepare the whole dish up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. Your dish will likely need an additional 5 minutes or so in the oven since it’s starting off cold.
  • FREEZE IT: Prepare the dish as directed through the assembly in step 5. To minimize freezer burn, refrigerate the dish until fully chilled. Then, wrap or cover well and freeze for up to 6 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight then bake as directed, allowing some extra time in the oven since it started off cold.

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