If you’re bored of the same old sweet potato casserole, elevate your Thanksgiving or holiday side dish game this year and make this Candied Sweet Potato Casserole! This easy-to-make dish features beautifully sliced sweet potatoes topped with a crunchy, caramelized pecan topping. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and savory, and it’s so delicious, it tastes like dessert!
Whether you’re hosting a Thanksgiving feast, Friendsgiving, a Christmas dinner or need a side dish for a weeknight dinner, this versatile side dish is sure to impress. You don’t even need to pre-cook the sweet potatoes, making it a great last minute option. With minimal ingredients and a quick assembly time, this dish is perfect for any occasion! The best part is that it is made in one pan! If you love sweet potatoes, you will also love my sweet potato cups, sweet potato pancakes and sweet potato s’mores bars!
Why You’ll Love This Side Dish
It’s sweet, crunchy and delicious!
This side dish is perfect for Thanksgiving or the holidays!
It’s naturally gluten free and dairy free.
This dish is sweetened with honey, making it refined sugar-free.
It is the perfect balance of sweet and savory!
This dish is the perfect last minute option.
You only need a few wholesome ingredients to make this.
How To Choose The Best Sweet Potatoes
Uniformly shaped sweet potatoes will slice more consistently, making it easier to create a neat arrangement. I like to use sweet potatoes that are on the narrower side.
Equipment Needed
All you need to make this candied sweet potato casserole is a knife, cutting board and a cast iron pan. I love my Staub cast iron pan.
Ingredients Needed
Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes are the star of this dish! They are thinly sliced and arranged in a gorgeous pattern.
Oil: I used avocado oil to grease the pan to make this casserole.
Pecans: Pecans have a rich, nutty flavor that complements the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. They add depth and complexity to the dish.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon adds a warm, cozy flavor to sweet potato casserole. It enhances the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes and creates a comforting, familiar taste that is perfect for the holiday season.
Honey: Honey enhances the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes without the need for refined sugars.
Salt: My favorite is Redmond’s Real Salt because it is high-quality and made with zero fillers. If you use my discount code LESSWITHLAUR you can get 15% off Redmond’s website.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2: Slice sweet potatoes into thin rounds.
Step 3: Add oil to the pan and layer sweet potatoes in a circular pattern.
Step 4: Add chopped pecans, cinnamon, honey and salt on top!
Step 5: Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until browned. Add additional honey on top, if desired Enjoy!
Storage
Store this candied sweet potato casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. This side dish is best served right after baking though!
Variations
Spices: Add additional spices to this dish. Try out nutmeg, cloves or ginger!
Nuts: Swap out the pecans for almonds or walnuts instead.
Additions: Add marshmallows or shredded cheese for a little something extra!
Sweetener: Try swapping out the honey for maple syrup or coconut sugar instead.
How to Serve
Thanksgiving or Holiday Meals: Serve this candied sweet potato casserole alongside roasted turkey, ham, stuffing and other classic holiday dishes.
Weeknight Dinners: Pair it with grilled chicken, roasted vegetables or a hearty soup.
Dessert: Top this dish with ice cream and serve it as a dessert!
Breakfast: Add eggs or fried bacon to this casserole to serve it as breakfast.
Recipe FAQ
Can you make this sweet potato casserole ahead of time?
Feel free to make this sweet potato casserole ahead of time, but it is best served right out of the oven!
What do sweet potatoes pair well with?
Sweet potatoes pair well with meat, vegetables and nuts!
Can I make this recipe vegan?
This recipe is vegan if you swap out the honey for maple syrup.
Do you need to peel the sweet potatoes?
No, you don’t need to peel the sweet potatoes!
Is this recipe gluten free?
Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten free as long as you make sure all of the ingredients you are using are gluten free.
What else can I add to this sweet potato casserole?
Try adding marshmallows, additional types of nuts and/or cheese to this casserole!
Related Recipes
Be sure to try these recipes for Thanksgiving too:
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Turkeys
If you make this candied sweet potato casserole and love it, I would really appreciate a 5 star review! I also love seeing your creations so please tag me on Instagram or TikTok.
Candied Sweet Potato Casserole
Equipment
- 1 cast iron pan
- 1 knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup honey
- dash salt
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Slice sweet potatoes into thin rounds.
- Add oil to the pan and layer sweet potatoes in a circular pattern.
- Add chopped pecans, cinnamon, honey and salt on top.
- Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until browned. Add additional honey on top, if desired Enjoy!
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