This savory sweet potato casserole is a total game-changer when it comes to holiday sides. I’ve always loved sweet potatoes, but I wanted something that wasn’t overly sweet and could hold its own with the other dishes on the table, and enter this recipe. With garlic, smoked paprika, and honey-walnut topping, it’s the perfect balance of savory and just a hint of sweetness. Plus, it’s a breeze to throw together. Honestly, the hardest part is not sneaking bites before it hits the table!
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💭 Why this sweet potato casserole feels like home
Whether it’s a holiday meal or a casual weeknight, this one’s always a hit in my house. Skip the usual marshmallow, pecan, and brown sugar topping, and go for a savory twist!
- Delicious, with a unique twist. While this isn’t your traditional sweet potato casserole, you’ll be surprised at how good the combination of sweet potato and the rich and savory flavors of garlic, paprika, and herbs is.
- Great way to get your veggies in. The dish is packed with nutritious sweet potatoes, so you can feel good about indulging in it. Plus, it’s a fun way to get the whole family, especially picky eaters, to enjoy their vegetables.
- Easy to make ahead. It’s so easy to prep this, up to three days in advance, making it the perfect go-to recipe for your Thanksgiving dinner or to serve during the holiday season!
Want more easy casserole recipes? Make sure to check out my cheesy green bean casserole, asparagus casserole, green rice casserole and more.
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make this savory sweet potato casserole, you’ll need sweet potatoes, garlic, salt and black pepper, milk or plant milk, room temperature butter or olive oil, and paprika.
For the topping, you’ll need honey or golden syrup, walnuts, fresh parsley, olive oil, and salt. You can also add a pinch of cayenne for more spice.
Notes and variations
- Vegan variation. To make this dish vegan, simply substitute the milk and butter with plant-based alternatives such as coconut milk and vegan butter.
- More indulgent? No problem. You can swap the milk with heavy cream for a more luscious, creamy sweet potato casserole recipe. You can swap the Panko with sourdough breadcrumbs or make a parmesan breadcrumb mixture. If you want a deeper, nutty taste, try using ghee instead of butter. It adds an extra layer of richness without overpowering the sweet potatoes!
- Use chunks instead of mashed. If you prefer a chunkier texture for your casserole, consider roasting chunks of sweet potatoes instead of boiling and mashing them.
- Toppings. I use freshly-picked cilantro, but you can also garnish it with thinly sliced green onions, fresh sage, and all your favorite herbs. For a more uniform topping, pulse the walnuts in a food processor until coarsely chopped. This ensures each bite gets a bit of crunch without large, uneven pieces.
- Seasonings. If you don’t have any paprika in your pantry, Cajun seasoning, dry ranch seasoning or Italian spices can be used as a substitute.
📖 Make the best savory sweet potato casserole!
Cook the sweet potatoes
Place the sweet potato pieces in a large pot and cover them with water. Make sure the water level is about 1-2 inches above the potatoes. Add a pinch of salt.
Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sweet potatoes simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are tender when pierced with a fork.
Pro Tip: You could also just prick potato skins and stick them in the microwave if you want to avoid using the stove for another recipe during holiday season. If you want a deeper flavor, you can also use roast potatoes!
Drain the sweet potatoes in a colander and transfer them back to the pot over medium heat.
Once you have drained the water, promptly put the sweet potatoes back into the hot pot, return to the stove and reduce the heat to low.
Prepare the sweet potato casserole seasoning
While the sweet potatoes are boiling, you can warm up the butter, milk, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt in a small saucepan or in the microwave until the butter is melted and the mixture is warm. Avoid boiling this mixture!
Pro Tip: Use brown butter instead of regular butter. Melt unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it turns a rich, nutty brown color, being careful not to burn it. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly before using!
Mash the sweet potatoes
If needed, grab oven mitts to securely hold the pot handles and gently shake them for approximately 1 minute to cook off any remaining steam inside the potatoes. Remove pot from heat and place it on a flat, heat-resistant surface.
Mash the potatoes to your desired consistency with a potato masher or fork.
Assemble your sweet potato casserole
Preheat the oven to 320ºF and grease a 9×13 inches casserole dish.
Drizzle the melted butter mixture over the potatoes, and mix it in with a wooden spoon or spatula until the sweet potatoes have absorbed the liquid. Taste the mixture, and season with more salt, pepper, and/or smoked paprika as required to suit your taste. Set the sweet potato mixture aside.
Take a small bowl and mix the honey, 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, and walnut topping ingredients together until they are thoroughly combined.
Evenly spread the mashed sweet potatoes in a baking dish, and sprinkle the walnut topping over it uniformly. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until walnuts are toasted and aromatic, but not overcooked, and potatoes are heated through.
Sprinkle the remaining fresh parsley, and serve warm. Your sweet and savory sweet potato recipe is ready to knock the socks off your guests!
Shruthi’s Top Tip
After boiling, return the sweet potatoes to the hot pot on low heat for a minute to steam off any remaining moisture. This prevents your casserole from becoming watery!
- Use high-quality sweet potatoes. Look for sweet potatoes that are firm, with smooth, unblemished skin, and no signs of decay.
- Pop sweet potatoes in the microwave if you want to avoid using up the stove while boiling the potatoes. This is my favorite Thanksgiving tip!
- Bake to perfection. To ensure that the casserole is perfectly cooked and get a crispy and golden brown topping, try not to open the door while it’s baking.
- Don’t be afraid to spice things up. Sweet potatoes can be bland on their own so don’t forget to add enough spices and herbs such as cayenne, fresh sage, fresh thyme, or rosemary to enhance the flavor.
- Use a food processor instead of chopping the walnuts for better consistency.
Baking sweet potatoes typically produces a softer texture and brings out more of the natural sweetness, while boiling them allows for a firmer, chewier texture. Ultimately, the best way to decide is to try out both methods and see which one you like best!
Runny sweet potato casserole is likely caused by over-mixing or adding too much liquid. To prevent this, add just enough liquid and make sure to cook the sweet potatoes fully before mashing.
It depends on your preference! If you think it’s too tough to eat, peel them off. Ultimately, it’s up to you!
🍴What to serve with sweet potato casserole
Store: This savory sweet potato casserole can be made ahead of time, making it a great option for busy weeknights, a Thanksgiving meal, or to add to your holiday table. You can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking!
Simply transfer the casserole into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
Reheat: When you’re ready to serve it, simply pop it in the oven and bake until it’s heated through and the top is golden brown and crispy. You can also add more toppings (parmesan cheese, a dollop of sour cream, or chopped nuts!)
🍴More delicious casserole recipes
Love easy, family friendly casseroles that are perfect for all occasions? I got you covered!
No Chill Chocolate Chip Cookies
Creamy Wild Rice Soup
Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
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👩🏽🍳Troubleshooting FAQs
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If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to comment and rate! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into even sized chunks
- 2 tablespoons butter, substitute olive oil
- ½ cup milk, substitute plant-based milk
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, adjust to taste
For the topping:
- 1 tablespoon honey, substitute golden syrup
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped coarsely
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- cayenne, optional, a pinch
Instructions
- Place the sweet potato pieces in a large pot and cover them with water. Make sure the water level is about 1-2 inches above the potatoes. Add a pinch of salt.
- Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sweet potatoes simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Drain the sweet potatoes in a colander and transfer back to the pot over medium heat.
- While the sweet potatoes are boiling, you can warm up the butter, milk, smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper and ¼ teaspoon of salt in a small saucepan or in the microwave until the butter is melted and the mixture is warm. Avoid boiling this mixture.
- Once you have drained the water, promptly put the sweet potatoes back into the hot pot, return to the stove and reduce the heat to low. If needed, grab oven mitts to securely hold the pot handles and gently shake it for approximately 1 minute to cook off any remaining steam inside the potatoes.
- Finally, remove the pot from the heat and place it on a flat, heat-resistant surface.
- Mash the potatoes to your desired consistency with a potato masher or fork.
- Preheat the oven to 320ºF and grease a 9×13 inches casserole dish.
- Drizzle the melted butter mixture over the potatoes, and mix it in with a wooden spoon or spatula until the potatoes have absorbed the liquid. Taste the mixture, and season with more salt, pepper, and/or smoked paprika as required to suit your taste. Set the mixture aside.
- Take a small bowl and mix the honey, 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley and walnut topping ingredients together unti they are thoroughly combined.
- Evenly spread the mashed sweet potatoes in the casserole dish, and sprinkle the walnut topping over it uniformly.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the walnuts are toasted and aromatic, but not overcooked, and the potatoes are heated through.
- Sprinkle the remaining fresh parsley, and serve warm.
Notes
- Use high-quality sweet potatoes. Look for sweet potatoes that are firm, with smooth, unblemished skin, and no signs of decay.
- Pop sweet potatoes in the microwave if you want to avoid using up the stove while boiling the potatoes. This is my favorite Thanksgiving tip!
- Don’t be afraid to spice things up. Sweet potatoes can be bland on their own so don’t forget to add enough spices and herbs such as cayenne, fresh sage, fresh thyme, or rosemary to enhance the flavor.
- Use a food processor instead of chopping the walnuts for better consistency
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was the star of our Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone enjoyed the savory flavor with the hint of sweet from the honey. I chose to leave it chunky instead of mashed. We will absolutely have this again.
Thank you so much for sharing! So glad to hear.
What can I use in place of walnuts? My son has a tree nut allergy…
Hi Deborah, You can definitely make this casserole without walnuts. Pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds are great nut-free alternatives that still add a nice crunch. You could also use a mix of breadcrumbs with olive oil and herbs for texture, or even sprinkle some parmesan on top if you’re okay with dairy. Hope that helps, and let me know what you end up trying!
Can you use canned sweet potatoes for this?
I haven’t tested this recipe with canned sweet potatoes, so I can’t say for sure. That said, I think it should work in a pinch!
Just make sure to drain them really well, since the liquid can affect the texture, and you might want to adjust the seasoning a bit depending on how sweet or soft they are. Let me know how it goes if you try it—I’d love to hear!
I followed this recipe completely but I never read when to add the garlic!!!! Crazy I had my son read it to and he did find it it either? Sorry not good for me !!!!
Hi Maria, the garlic is added along with the other spices when you warm up the butter!
I love sweet potatoes but hate those sugary sweet potato casseroles with the marshmallow topping. THIS is my kind of sweet potato casserole. Savory, slightly spicy, a bit crunchy on the top with a delicious creamy center. So good!
Seriously the best! That topping is absolutely delicious too. I cannot wait to make it again.
This sweet potato casserole hit the spot! I wanted a healthier way to prepare the usual dish and I am so delighted with this recipe! I made them in the microwave like you suggested. Great tip!
Thank you!
I am SO glad I stumbled across this recipe because I love sweet potatoes but struggle with coming up with new ways to enjoy them! This was a 10/10 for me (I especially loved the added texture of the walnut). Thanks so much for sharing!
What did you have with this casserole?!? I am trying to figure out what meat to have with it….
Any grilled meat would work – my husband likes to pair with pork tenderloin. But baked beans would also work and provide a nice smoky balance to flavors!