Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams Recipe {Video} - Tammilee Tips (2024)

This easy Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams recipe is the perfect holiday and Thanksgiving side dish! It takes less than 30 minutes to make this sweet potato casserole from start to finish, saving time, energy, and stress during the holidays.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams

You may wonder why I am posting about the best Sweet Potato Casserole recipe in springtime instead of the fall, but trust me, there is a reason. I was cleaning out the pantry to determine what ingredients we had stocked up when I came across two cans of yams.

When asked what we want to bring to a family Thanksgiving, this is the dish I think of. It takes a few minutes to prep, and then the oven does the rest of the work.

You don't have to stress over this side dish at all! Plus, using canned yams saves time peeling, chopping, cutting, and processing fresh yams to make this dish.

We firmly believe in serving sweet potato casserole with marshmallows more often than on Thanksgiving. We always make a loaded Texas Roadhouse Sweet Potato, so why not make a whole casserole? Holiday meals are special for a reason, but I love making easy sweet potato casserole more often.

I also realized I had never shared my canned sweet potato casserole, which I think of as a cheater side dish for the holidays because of how easy it is.

It takes less than 30 minutes to prepare this side dish, start to finish, using canned yams instead of fresh sweet potatoes. This dish has the perfect balance of sweet and savory in a quick and easy holiday side dish.

This is southern sweet potato casserole is one of my all time favorite Thanksgiving Recipes! Though I have to admit I make it all year long.

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of the simple ingredients needed to make an epic Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams! The printable recipe card at the bottom of the post includes specific measurements and step-by-step instructions.

• Canned Sweet Potatoes
• Butter
• Brown Sugar
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Vanilla Extract
• Mini Marshmallows

Optional Add-Ons: Chopped Pecans, Maple Syrup, Pumpkin Pie Spice

Please ignore the white sugar photographed above; it is supposed to be brown sugar. I looked at the photo I took the next day and realized that I had grabbed the wrong sugar container for the picture.

Don't worry; I used brown sugar in this sweet potato casserole recipe. When I realized I had taken the picture wrong, I had already recycled the can from the sweet potatoes, so please forgive me for making you wonder what was happening.

Butter - I used unsalted butter but you can easily use salted butter to enhance the flavor.

Nutmeg - If you or someone in your family is not a fan of nutmeg you can easily leave it out of the recipe.

Mini Marshmallows - we like to top the sweet potato mixture with mini marshmallows and bake them for a few minutes. You can also top with toasted pecans.

Eggs - I have always made this without an egg in it because honestly when I first started making it I forgot to throw one in and we loved the flavor and stuck with it. You can definitely add in an egg when you mix the butter, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg into the sweet potatoes.

Equipment Needed

• Non-Stick Cooking Spray
• Large Bowl: We are big fans of this glass batter bowl with a handle. It makes it easy to mix ingredients and keeps the mixing bowl steady on the counter.
• Potato Masher
• Measuring Spoons
• Silicone Microwave Cover: We swear by these to keep the microwave from getting splattered with melted butter.
• 9x13 Baking Dish
• Hand Mixer: If you like mashed sweet potatoes with no thicker pieces, you can use a hand mixer to mash the canned yams.

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

I've included complete instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here's a quick version.

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Drain sweet potatoes and add to a large bowl. Mash sweet potatoes to the desired consistency.
3. Mix in cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, brown sugar, and melted butter.
4. Spread the mixture into a 9x13 prepared baking dish/ casserole dish.
5. Bake in preheated oven, sprinkle with mini marshmallows, and bake until melted and starting to turn golden brown.

Preparation and Storage

Make-Ahead: This Sweet Potato Casserole recipe is make-ahead-friendly! Follow the instructions through step four, cover the casserole with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for up to a day before baking. Add the marshmallow topping and pecans when it’s time to bake.

Storage: Cover the dish in plastic wrap or store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for three to four days.

Freezing/How to Freeze: Freeze your Sweet Potato Casserole leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe container and enjoy them within four months.

How to Reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes. This sweet potato casserole also reheats nicely in the microwave.

Recipe Variations

Substitutions:

I used unsalted butter, but you can easily use salted butter to enhance the flavor.

If you or someone in your family is not a fan of nutmeg, you can leave it out of the recipe.

Vegetarian Option: If you swap the mini marshmallows with a gelatin-free alternative, this holiday side dish is vegetarian.

Vegan Option:

To make a vegan sweet potato casserole, just leave out the egg like I did and use vegan butter. Skip the marshmallows and go for a pecan brown sugar streusel topping.

To make a brown sugar streusel, combine ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, ½ cup pecans, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and four tablespoons vegan butter to create a crunchy topping.

Gluten-Free: Gluten-free eaters should skip the mini marshmallows or look for a brand with a gluten-free label, as not all marshmallows are gluten-free.

Smaller Serving Size: I make this in a 9x13 casserole dish to feed a crowd. You can easily half this recipe if you serve a smaller group and bake it in an 8x8 casserole dish.

Make It Spicy: We’ve seen folks add chipotle or cayenne pepper for spice.

Larger Group/More Servings: The written recipe makes 12 servings. Scale it up to your desired yield; it doubles and triples easily!

Sugar-Free: The written recipe contains 44 grams of sugar per serving. Replace the brown sugar and mini marshmallows with sugar-free options to make it sugar-free, and make sure your canned sweet potatoes also have no sugar added.

Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Casserole

• Don’t forget to preheat your oven to 350°F!
• We like to top the sweet potato mixture with mini marshmallows and bake them for a few minutes. You can also top it with toasted pecan topping.
• I had always made this without an egg because when I first started making it, I forgot to throw one in, and we loved the flavor and stuck with it. You can add an egg when you mix the butter, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg into the sweet potatoes.

What to Serve with Sweet Potato Casserole

No holiday side dish perfectly balances sweet and savory flavors like our Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams and a gooey mini marshmallow topping!

Here are some menu planning suggestions for your next Thanksgiving, Christmas, or holiday feast.

Sides: Pineapple Stuffing, Carrot Soufflé, Creamed Corn Casserole, Crock Pot Mashed Cauliflower, Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes, Jiffy Cornbread with Sour Cream, Green Bean Casserole

Main Dishes: Crock Pot Turkey, Crock Pot Bourbon Maple Pork Loin, , , Crock Pot Orange Glazed Ham, Crock Pot co*ke Glazed Ham, Bourbon Baked Ham

Desserts: Eggnog Cookies, 4 Ingredient Christmas Crack, Easy Holiday Reindeer Chow, Church Window Cookies, No Bake Cherry Cheesecake Dip, Easy Eggnog Cake with Eggnog Glaze, Ambrosia Salad, Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball, Cranberry Fluff Salad

Drinks: Eggnog White Russian, Spiced Cranberry co*cktail, Cranberry Moscow Mule, RumChata Pudding Shots, Pomegranate Breeze Martini, Mulled Cherry Cider co*cktail

When to Serve

• Dinner
• Potlucks
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas
• Any Holiday Dinner!

Great Holiday Side Dishes

Orange Dreamsicle Salad

Southern Style Green Beans

Creamed Corn Casserole

Mashed Cauliflower

CrockPot Stuffing

Cracker Barrel Carrots

Find this featured recipe in our best side dishes for ham collection!

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