Sweet potato casserole with canned yams and pecan topping

Sweet Potato Crunch

Sweet Potato Crunch is a traditional midwest recipe. This Sweet potato casserole with canned yams and a pecan crunch topping is simple to make and is absolutely delicious!

Sweet Potato Crunch is a traditional midwest recipe. This Sweet potato casserole with canned yams and a pecan crunch topping is simple to make and is absolutely delicious!

Sweet Potato Crunch – a casserole recipe that is on nearly every table during the holiday season. You can always find this side dish on my table for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

My favorite part about this recipe is that it can be made ahead of time and cooked the next day. Plus, sweet potato crunch uses canned sweet potatoes so the time to cook and cool potatoes are eliminated! 

Check out this video to learn how to create this Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams or Sweet Potatoes. 

How to Make an Easy Sweet Potato Casserole: 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, combine drained sweet potatoes, milk, eggs, sugar, butter, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla, and salt, mashing potatoes and stirring well.
  3. Pour into an oven-safe dish, set aside.
  4. In a small bowl, combine butter, pecans, and brown sugar until well blended.
  5. Sprinkle pecan mixture over casserole.
  6. Bake for 45 minutes, or until set.
  7. Let sit 10 minutes. Serve hot.

What’s the Difference Between Yams and Sweet Potatoes?

You can use either canned yams or sweet potatoes for this baked sweet potato crunch. However, there is definitely a difference between the two root vegetables. Here is a list of differences to help you decide which vegetable you prefer:

  • Yams are larger in size compared to sweet potatoes 
  • Sweet potatoes are more nutritionally dense than yams 
  • Yams are sweeter than sweet potatoes 
  • Sweet potatoes often have elongated ends while yams have rounded ends

In a large bowl, combine drained sweet potatoes, milk, eggs, sugar, butter, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla, and salt.

PRO TIP: The sweet potatoes need to be well-drained. I used a fine-mesh strainer and let them sit for at least 5 minutes to make sure all extra liquid was gone before mashing them for the sweet potato casserole.

Once all your ingredients are in the bowl, mash the sweet potatoes and stir well until all ingredients are combined. 

In a small bowl, combine butter, pecans, and sugar until well blended.

PRO TIP: You could swap the pecans for old-fashioned oats or marshmallows to make a sweet potato crunch no nuts or sweet potato crunch with marshmallows version. 

Slowly pour the mashed sweet potato mixture into your baking dish. Then, crumble on the pecan topping. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until set. Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving to allow the dish to cool. Serve warm.

Holiday Main Entree Recipe Ideas

  • Whole Beef Steak Tenderloin
  • Maple Chicken Thighs
  • Baked Pork Chops
  • Honey Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Honey Glaze
  • World’s Simplest Thanksgiving Turkey 
  • Grilled Porterhouse Steaks

Thankgiving Side Dish Recipes

  • Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Walnuts
  • Butternut Squash Casserole with Pecans
  • Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
  • Easy Cornbread Stuffing
  • Crockpot Green Bean Casserole
  • Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes

CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.

The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper. 

Sweet Potato Crunch is a traditional midwest recipe. This Sweet potato casserole with canned yams and a pecan crunch topping is simple to make and is absolutely delicious!

Pin Recipe Print Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Servings 8

  • 40 oz. can cut sweet potatoes in light syrup, drained
  • 1/2 cup 2% milk
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

Topping

  • 2 tbsp. butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup crushed pecans or walnuts
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar

  • Preheat the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  • Combine the casserole ingredients. In a large bowl, combine drained sweet potatoes, milk, eggs, sugar, butter, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla, and salt, mashing potatoes and stirring well. Pour into an oven-safe 9×9 inch dish or pan, set aside.

    40 oz. can cut sweet potatoes in light syrup, drained, 1/2 cup 2% milk, 2 eggs, whisked, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, softened, 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 tsp. salt

  • Combine the topping ingredients. In a small bowl, combine butter, pecans, and sugar until well blended. Sprinkle pecan mixture over casserole.

    2 tbsp. butter, softened, 1/2 cup crushed pecans or walnuts, 1/4 cup brown sugar

  • ⭐️Bake. Bake for 45 minutes, or until set. Let sit for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

CCK Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.

The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper. 

Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 237mg | Potassium: 584mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 20197IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 2mg

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Reader Interactions

Can you substitute canned yams for sweet potato?

Canned Sweet Potatoes. Yams and sweet potatoes are two totally different vegetables, but you can use canned yams and canned sweet potatoes ⁠— the ones you can find in U.S. supermarkets, at least ⁠— interchangeably. Either one (cut and undrained) will work well in this recipe.

Are canned sweet potatoes and yams the same thing?

Yes, all so-called “yams” are in fact sweetpotatoes. Most people think that long, red-skinned sweetpotatoes are yams, but they really are just one of many varieties of sweetpotatoes.

What's the difference between yams and sweet potato casserole?

African yams are much starchier than sweet potatoes and are closer to the texture of yucca. They taste earthy, a bit like a potato. Sweet potatoes are known for their smooth potato-like texture and sweet flavor.

Do you have to put eggs in sweet potato casserole?

Should I Put Eggs In My Sweet Potato Casserole? Yes, sweet potato casseroles are best with eggs. Eggs add structure to the dish so that it's more than just a sweet potato mash. It's important to make sure the sweet potatoes have cooled enough before you mix in the eggs, otherwise they'll just scramble in the bowl.

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