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When it comes to holiday side dishes, nothing quite captures the essence of comfort and indulgence like this maple garlic sweet potato casserole. The velvety smooth sweet potato base is infused with the sweetness of pure maple syrup and browned butter garlic. But the real star of the show is the golden crunchy streusel topping, which adds a delightful textural contrast and a nutty flavor that perfectly complements the creamy filling. Whether you’re hosting a holiday feast or simply craving a cozy autumn treat, this casserole is sure to become a staple in your recipe collection.
Maple garlic sweet potato casserole is a crowd-pleaser, perfect for holiday gatherings or cozy dinners, with a balance of velvety smooth potatoes and a crisp topping.
Love sweet potatoes? You might also like orange glazed sweet potatoes, air fryer sweet potato wedges, or sweet potato casserole stacks.
Why You’ll Love It
Easy to make: The recipe is straightforward enough for beginner home cooks to whip up with ease.
So delicious: This is a delicious sweet potato casserole offering both sweet and savory flavors as well as a range of different textures.
Perfect for the holidays: A wonderful component of your roasted turkey or holiday meal of choice, you’ll find these sweet potatoes pair well with pretty much any protein and sides.
Maple Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Sweet potatoes: The main ingredient. Choose firm, fresh sweet potatoes for the best texture and flavor. Peel and cube them evenly to ensure even cooking.
Garlic: Sauteed in brown butter, garlic adds subtle savory depth without overpowering the sweet potatoes.
Maple syrup: For sweetness. I recommend adding a little at a time so you don’t overdo the sweetness.
Fresh sage: The herb adds a subtle earthy, aromatic note that complements the sweet and savory flavors. It’s quite bold in flavor so use it sparingly.
Heavy cream: For a luxurious flavor.
Vanilla: This aromatic ingredient is so good with the sweet potato flavor.
Bacon: Adds a salty, meaty flavor.
Smoked paprika: To add a smoky taste to the dish.
Chopped pecans: For crunch.
How to Make a Sweet Potato Casserole
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Prepare the sweet potatoes: Wash, dry and pierce them, and then microwave or boil until fork-tender. Drain, scoop out the potato flesh and mash it.
Prepare the maple garlic mixture: Melt butter in a skillet and saute the garlic. Pour this into the mashed sweet potatoes and then mix in the cream, maple syrup, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt.
Make the bacon sage streusel topping: Cook the bacon until crisp. Combine the flour, sugar, paprika, and pecans. Add the bacon, sage, rosemary and some of the bacon drippings.
Assemble and bake: Spread the sweet potato mixture into a greased baking dish and top with the streusel. Bake until bubbling and golden brown. Serve hot.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour.
Sweet potatoes: Use pumpkin or butternut squash in place of sweet potatoes.
Smooth or chunky result: Mash the sweet potatoes to your desired consistency, whether you like them smooth or with a bit of texture. Use a potato masher or ricer for smooth results.
Pecans: Sub walnuts instead.
Less or more sweet: The amount of maple syrup and brown sugar determines the sweetness, so adjust as desired.
Smoked paprika: If you don’t have any, you can use sweet paprika instead.
Add a garnish: Garnish with a few fresh sage leaves or a sprinkle of toasted nuts to elevate the dish’s presentation and give it an elegant touch. I like to add a little extra maple syrup on top.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Begin with sheet pan crab legs or pork dumplings.
Main course and sides: I love sweet potato casserole with sheet pan turkey breast dinner and crack green beans or green bean casserole. Sweet potatoes are also a great side dish with pork chops. And it would be ideal for your Thanksgiving dinner.
Desserts: Treat everyone to this delicious egg custard pie or coconut cream poke cake to finish the meal.
How to Store Sweet Potato Casserole
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.
Freeze: You can freeze sweet potato casserole recipes like this one in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: You can warm it back up in a warm oven or in the microwave.
Top Tips
Browned butter: Melt the butter over a medium heat and let it cook until it turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma. Stir constantly to avoid burning, and remove from heat as soon as it’s ready to prevent overcooking.
Layer evenly: Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly in a casserole dish to ensure it cooks uniformly. Sprinkle the streusel topping generously over the entire surface for even coverage.
Bake until golden: Bake the casserole for 25 to 30 minutes or until the streusel topping is golden brown and crisp. Keep an eye on it to prevent burning, and cover loosely with foil if the topping browns too fast.
Serve hot: It’s best to serve the casserole hot out of the oven for the best flavor and texture. The warm, aromatic topping and creamy filling are at their peak when freshly baked.
Best Sweet Potato Casserole FAQs
Yes you can. Mix the flour, brown sugar, chopped nuts, cinnamon, and minced fresh sage with a bit of melted butter to make it. This can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to layer it over the sweet potato filling.
The savory, sweet, and herb-infused delight of maple garlic sweet potatoes with a bacon and sage streusel topping is just irresistible! I think it’s because of the wonderful combo of flavors and textures in this sweet potato pie. You have everything from savory to sweet, and from soft to crisp and crunchy. I recommend making plenty, as everyone will want seconds!
Sweet Potato Casserole with Maple Pecan Topping Recipe
Maple Garlic Sweet Potato Casserole
Equipment
- Baking Dish 9 x 13-Inch
Ingredients
- 4 sweet potatoes
- ¼ Cup butter
- 1 Tablespoon garlic, fresh minced
- ¼ Cup heavy cream
- ¼ Cup maple syrup
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Teaspoon salt
For the Streusel Topping:
- 4 Slices bacon, chopped
- 6 to 8 fresh sage leaves
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1/3 Cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 Cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 Cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 Teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
Prepare the Sweet Potatoes:
- Wash and dry the sweet potatoes, then poke a few holes into them with a knife.
- Cook for 15 minutes in the microwave or boil the sweet potatoes in a large pot of salted water for 15 to 20 minutes or until fork-tender.
- Drain the sweet potatoes and let them cool for 5 minutes, then scoop the potatoes from the skins. Discard the skins.
- Mash the sweet potato flesh in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
- Melt the butter over a medium heat and let it cook until it turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma. Stir constantly to avoid burning.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 1 or 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- Pour the melted butter and garlic into the mashed sweet potatoes.
- Mix in the heavy cream, maple syrup, beaten eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt.
Make the Bacon Sage Streusel Topping:
- Fry the bacon in a skillet over a medium heat until crispy.
- Crumble the bacon into a bowl..
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, smoked paprika, and pecans.
- Add the cooked bacon, sage, and rosemary.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings for extra flavor until the mixture is crumbly.
Assemble and Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish using a spatula.
- Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture.
- You can add a couple fresh sage leaves and pecan halves over the streusel before or after baking.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Layer evenly: Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly in a casserole dish to ensure it cooks uniformly. Sprinkle the streusel topping generously over the entire surface for even coverage.
Bake until golden: Bake the casserole for 25 to 30 minutes or until the streusel topping is golden brown and crisp. Keep an eye on it to prevent burning, and cover loosely with foil if the topping browns too fast.
Serve hot: It’s best to serve the casserole hot out of the oven for the best flavor and texture. The warm, aromatic topping and creamy filling are at their peak when freshly baked.
Nutrition
Maple syrup, brown butter and creamy sweet potatoes make up this casserole and then the dish is crowned with a golden, buttery streusel topping of brown sugar, flour, nuts, sage and cinnamon to add a crunch and warm spice.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
The sweet potato casserole was divine. That crunchy streusel topping is heavenly!
So glad to give this a try. It is my new favorite holiday dish—so comforting!
Sweet potato casserole was delicious; perfect comfort food!