Sweet Potato Pecan Bake
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Cubed sweet potatoes boiled just right then mashed with brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and freshly grated ginger instead of nutmeg for a zing. Fold in chopped pecans, spread in a sprayed casserole dish. Top with remaining nuts, mini marshmallows. Bake at 355 degrees F for about 27 minutes until marshmallows puff up and edges bubble. A bit nutty, gooey, with a subtle spicy kick. Offers warmth, crunch, sweetness all in one. Adjust pecans or marshmallows to taste, swap pecans for walnuts or almonds if needed. Hands-on mash ensures perfect texture, no lump surprises.
Prep:
27 min
Cook:
27 min
Total:
54 min
Servings:
8 servings
#American
#casserole
#fall recipes
#holiday side dish
#vegetarian
Ever steamed sweet potatoes and thought, why not mash these into a cozy bake? Easy mistake to overcook or under mash; texture is everything here. I always swap nutmeg for freshly grated ginger, gives a sharper bite that wakes up the sweet. When boiling, clues are fork tenderness and the faint sweet steam aroma that fills the kitchen. Using butter soft not melted keeps mash creamy but still with body. The toasted nuts scattered throughout add satisfying contrast, and yes, I watch the marshmallows like a hawk. Melt until puffed and golden but not blackened. Classic flavors, a few tweaks, and simple technique push it to something I make repeatedly, no fuss. Gets rave comments, and leftovers are great.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs cubed sweet potatoes
- water to cover
- 0.9 cup packed brown sugar
- 0.65 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.7 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 0.5 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- nonstick spray for dish
About the ingredients
Brown sugar can be replaced with coconut sugar or maple syrup if you want a deeper caramel note or more natural sweetener. Butter is key for richness; salted adds a salty balance if you forget salt. Vanilla is flexible—clear vanilla makes it cleaner but choose your favorite brand. Cinnamon is the backbone spice; don’t skip it. Fresh ginger instead of nutmeg adds brightness and prevents the mash from feeling too cloying especially with marshmallows. Pecans are traditional but walnuts or sliced almonds work. If nuts aren’t your thing, substitute with toasted pumpkin seeds or skip altogether. Marshmallows, mini is standard for even melting and browning, but jumbo can be chopped roughly if that’s all you have. Spray the baking dish thoroughly so edges don’t stick.
Method
- Heat a 5 to 6-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high. Add cubed sweet potatoes and enough water to cover them by about an inch.
- Cover and steam until potatoes are fork tender. This usually means poking with a fork until it slides through easily, around 15-18 minutes. Drain well, return potatoes to the saucepan to absorb residual heat and evaporate excess moisture for 1-2 minutes.
- While potatoes drain, preheat oven to 355 F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish lightly with nonstick spray.
- Add brown sugar, softened butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and grated ginger to the saucepan with hot potatoes. Use a potato masher to mash everything together. No blender or mixer; you want some texture but no large chunks. If too dry, splash a bit of milk or cream, but don't overdo it or it gets runny.
- Fold in half a cup of chopped pecans for crunchy pockets throughout. Patience here; folding preserves nut integrity versus stirring.
- Spread the mash evenly into the prepared dish, pressing lightly to level out. This makes a nice even cook and crisp edges.
- Evenly scatter the remaining chopped pecans on top, then cover with a generous mound of mini marshmallows.
- Bake uncovered around 27 minutes until the marshmallows are puffed, golden with some toasted spots. You want that scent of toasted sugar and buttery nuts filling the kitchen. Watch closely last 5 minutes to avoid burning marshmallows.
- Serve hot straight from the oven. The top is crisp and gooey, the inside tender and sweet with a touch of spice and crunch.
Cooking tips
Start with potatoes in cold water so they cook evenly from inside out. Don’t rush the fork test; undercooked potatoes make for lumps or toughness. Draining immediately and returning potatoes to the pan helps evaporate residual water without drying out. The hand mashing technique is critical; blending or electric mixers risk gummy texture from over-processing. Folding in nuts gently protects crunchiness, mixing too vigorously mashes them into bits. Spread the mash evenly in the pan to ensure uniform baking and consistent marshmallow melting. Keep an eye on the marshmallows in the last 5 minutes; they go from puffed to burned quickly. Using a thermometer to confirm 355 oven temp helps replicate baking time but rely on marshmallow color and bubbling edges more. Let cool a few minutes before serving to settle the texture and flavors marry.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start potatoes in cold water, this avoids uneven cooking & ugly lumps later. Drain thoroughly but keep pan on heat for a minute or two for steam evaporation; helps avoid watery mash. Timing each step by feel not just clock saves texture.
- 💡 Use freshly grated ginger instead of nutmeg; the zing cuts sweetness sharply. Stir in ginger with cinnamon & vanilla while potatoes still hot so flavors meld well but don’t overpower. Be cautious with amount; ginger too much masks everything else.
- 💡 Brown sugar gives deeper caramel notes; maple syrup or coconut sugar swap easily but adjust quantity as liquids differ. Butter must be softened not melted to keep mash creamy but slightly firm; it traps air and creates body without runniness.
- 💡 Fold nuts gently, do not overmix or pecans crush into mush. Half in the mash, half on top keeps crunchy contrast. Toast nuts lightly before adding if you want extra aroma; raw nuts can feel dull once baked under marshmallows.
- 💡 Watch marshmallows closely last 5 minutes; puffed and golden with little toasted spots is the cue. Too dark means bitter burnt sugars. Oven temps vary - use visual cues over timer. Let dish rest briefly post bake to set edges; avoids marshmallow tearing when served.
Common questions
How to know potatoes are done?
Fork test only. Should slide easily. Check around 15 minutes. Don’t trust timer alone. Soft but not falling apart. If tough, steam longer. Don’t rush or lumps form.
What else besides pecans works?
Walnuts or sliced almonds are fine alternatives. Pumpkin seeds if avoiding nuts totally. Toast these first for flavor. Can skip nuts but expect less crunch. Mix nuts wisely with folding, not stirring hard.
My bake turned watery, why?
Probably didn’t drain or steam potatoes enough. Water content high. Return potatoes to pan after draining to evaporate residual moisture a few minutes. If mash runs, add more butter or brown sugar, no milk until texture settled.
Can leftovers be stored?
Use airtight container fridge up to 4 days. Reheat gently in oven so marshmallow top softens again. Freeze not ideal due to marshmallows changing texture. If frozen, thaw slow overnight in fridge before reheating.
