Yam casserole with fluffy mashed sweet potatoes ramped up with brown sugar and spices, then topped with chopped pecans. It may be a classic Thanksgiving side, but it’s awesome any time of year.
I wanted to share an amazing yam casserole recipe made with nothing but love. You may call it sweet potato casserole, but that’s another subject. The best part is that you don’t have to wait for the holidays to enjoy it. You can make your family happy any day!
It’s super versatile, quick, and easy. You can mash the sweet potatoes or cut them into small cubes for a chunkier texture. But leaving some chunks gives a unique texture.
Yam Casserole for Pure Comfort
Sweet potatoes are unmatched in creamy texture, natural sweetness, and easy preparation. Would you believe that a marshmallow manufacturer invented this recipe? Whatever the reason, it’s an almost healthy side dish or dessert. So not only is it absolutely delicious, but it’s also pretty nutritious (if you don’t add the marshmallow topping).
FAQs
In the US, many people would say they’re the same thing. True yams (Dioscorea) are a completely different vegetable, more like a potato. However, where I live in California, yams are actually sweet potatoes with darker, reddish skin and bright orange flesh.
It’s a long story. Sweet potatoes are native to North and Central America and look similar to yams when they come out of the ground. So when people arrived from countries where yams are a staple, they called sweet potatoes yams, and the name stuck. Fortunately, you can cook them the same way, and they’re just a little sweeter.
Yes, you can. In fact, it’s a great shortcut if pressed for time. And while fresh sweet potatoes are usually available in stores, a few cans in the pantry will come in handy. Oh, and you can use leftover cooked sweet potatoes, too.
Recipe Ingredients
- Garnet Yams – Medium to large yams (sweet potatoes) work best, but you can skip the peeling, cutting, and cooking with canned yams.
- Orange Juice – The citrusy sweetness really does add a special touch to this recipe. It also ramps up the holiday flavor.
- Spices – Allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla add that classic holiday flavor. Vanilla extract provides a delicate aroma, while cinnamon perfectly complements the pecans.
- Butter – It adds richness, enhances flavor, and contributes to a creamy texture.
- Topping – Combine pecan, flour, sugar, and melted butter for a buttery, nutty accent.
How to Make Yam Casserole
- Preheat oven to 400ºF (205℃) and lightly spray a 9×13-inch casserole pan with cooking spray. Set it aside.
- Cut – Prepare the yams (sweet potatoes) by washing, peeling, and cutting them into 1-inch cubes.
- Mix – Combine half of the brown sugar (the other half is for the topping), orange juice, vanilla, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and unsalted butter in a large bowl. When thoroughly combined, add the yams and toss to coat. Transfer the sweet potato mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- Bake – Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Topping – Mix chopped toasted pecans, flour, brown sugar, and butter in a small mixing bowl. Mix with your hands until it becomes a coarse crumb.
- Final Stretch – Remove baked yams from the oven and sprinkle top with the pecan flour mixture. Bake uncovered for an additional 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and the yams are fork tender.
Yam Casserole Tips and Tricks
- In place of pecans, you can use walnuts or chopped almonds. Mini marshmallows also add decadence.
- Like a more decadent casserole? Use milk or heavy cream and enjoy a thick creamy sweet potato casserole recipe. A drizzle of maple syrup is also surprisingly delicious.
- If you prefer a smoother texture, mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher.
- All ovens are different, so cooking times are approximate. Keep an eye on the yam casserole while they cook.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
You can make this casserole and reheat it for an easy make-ahead dish, but it won’t be as shiny. The glaze will absorb into the sweet potatoes, not a bad thing.
Mix ingredients, transfer them to the casserole dish, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Wait to add the toppings, and store the ready-to-bake casserole in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Take it out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before you want to bake it. Add the toppings, and bake as instructed.
Sweet potato casserole freezes great for 4-5 months. Wrap it up so it doesn’t get freezer burn, then thaw it overnight in the fridge when ready to enjoy it. Bake your casserole in the oven according to the recipe instructions, and serve hot.
More Comforting Casserole Recipes to Try
- Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
- Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
- Pineapple Casserole
- Fiesta Chicken Casserole
- Cabbage Roll Casserole
Yam Casserole
Ingredients
- 2½-3 pounds garnet yams (sweet potatoes) peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- ¼ cup brown sugar, divided
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- ½ cup pecans, chopped and toasted
- 2 tablespoons flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF (205℃). Lightly spray a 9×13-inch casserole pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Wash, peel, and cut yams (sweet potatoes) into 1-inch cubes.
- In a large bowl, combine half of the brown sugar (2 tablespoons), orange juice, vanilla, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and two tablespoons of melted butter. Mix well. Add yams to the bowl and toss to coat. Transfer the yams to the prepared casserole dish, including all the juice.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the chopped pecans, flour, and the remaining brown sugar and melted butter. Mix using your hands until the mixture looks like a coarse crumb.
- After the yams have baked for 30 minutes covered, remove from the oven, sprinkle top with the pecan flour mixture, and continue to bake uncovered for an additional 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and potatoes are fork tender.
Notes
- All ovens are different, so cooking times are approximate. Keep an eye on the yam casserole while they cook.
- You can use any version of yam or sweet potato you can find at your local store for this recipe.
- You can make casserole ahead and reheat it before serving, but it won’t be as shiny because the glaze will absorb into the sweet potatoes.
- The recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.