Easy Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

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Every family has a few dishes that are essential to any holiday meal. Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows is one of ours. It’s easy to make and can be prepared ahead of time and finished in the oven just before serving, which will make your holiday preparations a bit easier.

My youngest child has been asking for sweet potato casserole for weeks. I don’t know why I don’t make it more often. Most of my kids love it, and even my husband will eat it though he’s generally not a big fan of sweet potatoes.

Now, I know that many people prefer their sweet potatoes covered in a crunchy crust of pecans and brown sugar, and I do enjoy that from time to time. This recipe, however, is my family’s favorite. My mom makes it every time her girls gather for a meal. I think there are a couple of reasons.

First, we love it. Did I mention that already?

Second, it’s really easy to make. Honestly, once you get past peeling the potatoes, it’s so simple to do, and if you’re like me, you have several pairs of willing hands to help with the peeling. (I am so glad they still think it’s fun to help in the kitchen!)

The only thing that can be a little complicated about this recipe is, essentially, the lack of a recipe. As my mom says, “You just taste it ’til it tastes right!”

I know there are some of you that start to panic at the thought of preparing a dish without measuring ingredients, but relax. You really can’t go wrong.

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

First, peel your potatoes. How many? It depends on the size, but I start with 4 – 6 medium to large sweet potatoes.

Once they are peeled, chop them into roughly one-inch squares.

Put them in a pot and cover with water then bring to a boil and cook until very tender. Drain then put them into your stand mixer or mash by hand.

Add butter, milk, vanilla and sugar (or brown sugar) to taste and until the mixture is smooth. I usually put about 1 stick of butter, 1/4 – 1/2 cup of milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla and about 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Sometimes, if the potatoes are more naturally sweet, we omit the sugar and even the vanilla. You’ll find that not all sweet potatoes are created equally so the amount of sugar you need can vary quite a bit. Just taste it and add ingredients until you like the flavor.

Pour the mixture into a baking dish and spread evenly. A 9 x 13 dish is what we usually use. (If you are preparing the dish ahead of time, cover it now and put it in the fridge then remove about an hour or so before serving to bring to room temperature before baking.)

Top with marshmallows. Our family prefers regular-sized marshmallows, but feel free to use the mini ones if you prefer.

Leave a bit of space between the marshmallows because they will spread and rise, and you really don’t want them overflowing in your oven. Bake in a 375 oven for about 15 minutes until marshmallows are toasty.