Sweet potato casserole: Discover 2 recipes for a traditional and a low-calorie version!

Am I the only one inviting too many guests over for Thanksgiving this year? Probably not. Ahh… I really want to “wow” them with something homemade and delicious for our festive feast, but I don’t have a clue on what it can be. I mean, we already have the roasted turkey, the green beans and cranberry sauce. But I am looking for a sweet recipe, other than a pumpkin pie because I myself am stuffed with eating pumpkin for the rest of the year… A colleague of mine mentioned something about baking a sweet potato casserole for her family and how they all loved it. Hmm, why not give it a try myself, it sounds pretty easy to be honest. Let’s see how we can make a tasty Thanksgiving treat for our loved ones by baking an easy sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and a low-calorie one! Yum!

How to make a traditional sweet potato casserole?

The first recipe we are about to use is very easy. Here is a list of the ingredients for preparing this tasty Thanksgiving side dish!

What you will need:

• 5-7 sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup/ 110 grams of light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of grounded cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons of orange juice/ or other citrus juice
• 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

To top:

• 10 oz/ 380 grams of mini marshmallows (a pack)

Preparation:

Okay, now that we have all the required ingredients, we can begin cooking! First, decide if you are going to boil them in hot water or roast them. If you are going to boil them, peel all the potatoes, cut them in tiny squares and place them in hot water for 15 minutes until they are tender. You can check if they are ready by using a fork. Meanwhile, put the oven to 350 °F / 180 °C. For a deeper flavour, go with roasting. Without peeling the potatoes, roast them whole for about an hour in a 400 °F / 200 °C oven, then let cool and peel. For tips and ideas on seasoning the potatoes before roast, read the paragraph on what to add to sweet potato to make it taste good.

When your potatoes are done boiling, drain them and then put them back in the pot. From now on, the steps for the boiled potatoes apply to the roasted ones as well. Add the butter, juice, cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla to the potatoes and mash it all in. Spread a small amount of butter on a large baking pan/tray. Take the sweet potato mixture and spread it evenly in the pan/tray. Place it in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove it and spread the marshmallows on top. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the marshmallow acquire a gold top. Serve to your loved ones and enjoy their delighted faces ! Great job!

What can I add to sweet potato to make it taste good?

If you are looking for the perfect way to season your potatoes before roasting them then you can go with adding a small amount of some sweet herbs and spices like rosemary, cardamom, coriander, or ground ginger. You can even mix things up a little by sprinkling a dash of salt and pepper.

Want to try the low-calorie version of the sweet recipe?

Let’s shake things up and go with a healthier approach to this delicious festive meal!

What you will need:

• 5 sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup/ 500 ml unsweetened milk
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/3 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg

To top:

• 1/4 cup/ 250 grams of whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/3 cup/ 70 grams of packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup/ 50 grams of chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup/ 30 grams of oats
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil

Preparation:

First, put your oven to 400 °F / 200 °C. Wash the sweet potatoes. Take a fork and poke about 5 holes per potato. Take a baking pan/tray and place a baking sheet on the bottom. Place potatoes and cover pan/tray with foil. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour. After roasting, let the potatoes cool for 5-10 minutes. Lower the oven to 350 °F / 180 °C. Take another baking dish like a 8×8 inch/ 20×20 cm pan and put a baking sheet on bottom. Leave it for now. Take the sweet potatoes and cut them open. Remove the skins and place the potatoes in a large bowl. Add the milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, salt, and egg. Beat the mixture until it is smooth. Add more milk if needed. When it is ready, evenly place it in the prepared empty dish.

For the topping, mix together the wheat flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans and oats. Stir in the melted coconut oil with a fork until a decent crumb forms. Spread this mixture all over the sweet potatoes in the baking tray. Put in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes, or until the top turns gold-brown. After it is done, remove from oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy your healthy Thanksgiving dish!

Mmm, this sweet potato casserole is just divine! I can’t get enough of it. Hopefully, you also managed to achieve the taste you are looking for with these two unique recipes for sweet potato casserole. And hey, if you are still looking for delicious ideas on Thanksgiving appetizers, why not try out our 5 easy and tasty recipes? Enjoy!