Food Recipes Sweet Potato Casserole With Coconut 4.2 (133) 11 Reviews This tropical twist on sweet potato casserole is sure to have your dinner guests coming back for seconds. By Charlyne Mattox Charlyne Mattox Charlyne Mattox is the food and crafts director at Country Living and former staff food editor at Real Simple. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 27, 2024 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Chris Court Hands On Time: 15 mins Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Servings: 8 Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe Sweet potato casserole is an American classic, particularly around the holidays. Though most families may have their go-to recipe, it can be fun to switch it up every so often - and maybe discover a new family favorite. This version of sweet potato casserole is topped with shredded coconut and chopped pecans (plus plenty of sugar) for a crunchy crown that loads each bite with crispiness, plus some added nutrition. Feel free to cut back on the sugar or use maple syrup, depending on your sweetness preferences. To get ahead, you can prepare this casserole a day in advance pop it in the oven about an hour before you intend to serve it. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces kosher salt 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut ½ cup packed light brown sugar ½ cup chopped pecans ½ cup granulated sugar ⅓ cup whole milk ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces 3 large eggs 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Directions Simmer potatoes until tender and drain: Place the potatoes in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and add 2 teaspoons salt. Reduce heat and simmer until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Preheat oven and make coconut topping: Meanwhile, heat oven to 325°F. In a small bowl, combine the coconut, brown sugar, pecans, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add sweet ingredients to potatoes and mash: Add the granulated sugar, milk, butter, eggs, vanilla, and ½ teaspoon salt to the potatoes and mash until smooth. Transfer potatoes to baking dish, top, and bake: Transfer the mixture to an 8-inch square or another shallow 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the coconut mixture. Bake until heated through (tent loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly), 30 to 35 minutes. Sweet Potato Casserole Variations Cut the sweetness: Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, so you can cut the white sugar in this recipe in half to reduce the sugar content and still enjoy a sweet casserole.Add some maple flavor: Swap out white sugar for pure maple syrup to add some autumnal flavor to the sweet potato casserole.Jazz up the topping: Have fun with the coconut topping. Add craisins! Add walnuts and pistachios! Toss in some oats! No sweet potato casserole has to be exactly the same, and mixing in whatever you find tasty and crunchy can make for a wonderful dish.Make it vegan: This recipe can easily be adapted to be plant-based by swapping in margarine or plant based butter and an alternative milk. Coconut milk will amp up the coconut flavor in each bite. Swap out eggs for banana, a common substitute, though apple sauce can work too. 5 More Easy Sweet Potato Recipes to Try: Sweet Potato Risotto Sweet Potato and Kale Tortilla Soup Sweet Potato Latkes Cheesy Roasted Sweet Potatoes Loaded Sweet Potatoes with Coconut and Kale Frequently Asked Questions How do you keep sweet potato casserole from being runny? Eggs help bind the sweet potatoes together for a thick casserole that won't be runny. Is it better to boil or bake sweet potatoes for a casserole? You can boil or bake sweet potatoes to make casserole. Sweet potatoes can be baked whole, and then peeled and sliced before mashing for the best results. Are sweet potatoes healthy? Sweet potatoes are a nutritious vegetable loaded with vitamin A, minerals, and fiber. They're considered a complex carbohydrate. Save Rate Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 446 Calories 23g Fat 57g Carbs 6g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 8 Calories 446 % Daily Value * Total Fat 23g 29% Saturated Fat 12g 60% Cholesterol 110mg 37% Sodium 464mg 20% Total Carbohydrate 57g 21% Total Sugars 39g Protein 6g 12% Calcium 79mg 6% Iron 2mg 11% *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.