Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams Recipe
This sweet potato casserole with canned yams recipe is rich, creamy, and full of cozy holiday flavor. Made with simple pantry ingredients, canned yams, warm spices, and a buttery pecan crumble topping, it delivers classic Thanksgiving comfort with minimal effort.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric hand mixer or potato masher
- Can opener
- Colander or strainer
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small mixing bowl
- Fork or pastry cutter
Ingredients
- Canned yams or sweet potatoes – 2 cans (29 oz each), drained
- Unsalted butter – ½ cup, melted (for filling)
- Granulated sugar – ½ cup
- Light brown sugar – ¼ cup, packed (for filling)
- Eggs – 2 large, beaten
- Whole milk or evaporated milk – ½ cup
- Vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
- Ground cinnamon – 1 teaspoon
- Ground nutmeg – ½ teaspoon
- Ground ginger – ¼ teaspoon
- Salt – ½ teaspoon
- Brown sugar – ½ cup, for topping
- All-purpose flour – ⅓ cup, for topping
- Unsalted butter – 3 tablespoons, cold, cubed
- Pecans – ½ cup, chopped
- Ground cinnamon – ¼ teaspoon, for topping
- Mini marshmallows – 2 cups, optional topping alternative
Instructions
Preheat Oven
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or spray. This ensures smooth baking and easy serving later.
Drain Canned Yams
- Open canned yams and drain them in a colander for several minutes. Shake gently to remove excess liquid so the casserole stays thick and creamy.
Mash Yams
- Transfer drained yams into a large bowl. Mash using a hand mixer or masher until smooth. A few small lumps are fine for a rustic texture.
Mix Filling Ingredients
- Add melted butter, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Stir until evenly combined. The mixture should smell warm, sweet, and deeply comforting at this stage.
Add Eggs, Milk, Vanilla
- Mix in eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth and creamy. This helps set the casserole and gives it a rich, velvety texture when baked.
Transfer to Baking Dish
- Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Spread evenly with a spatula so the surface is smooth. This helps the topping bake evenly and look golden.
Make Crumble Topping
- Mix brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Stir in pecans for a crunchy, buttery topping texture.
Add Topping
- Sprinkle pecan crumble evenly over sweet potato filling. Do not press it down. Keep it loose so it bakes into crisp golden clusters.
Bake Casserole
- Bake for 30–35 minutes until topping is golden and filling is set. The center should not jiggle when gently shaken in the oven.
Rest and Serve
- Remove from oven and rest for 5–10 minutes. This helps it set properly for clean scoops. Serve warm and enjoy the holiday comfort.
Notes
- Drain canned yams very well to avoid a watery casserole
- Use evaporated milk for richer, creamier texture
- Do not overmix after adding eggs for best structure
- Top can be swapped with marshmallows for classic version
- Make ahead and refrigerate for easy holiday prep