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Creamy sweet potato mash is mixed with brown sugar and cinnamon, then topped with golden-brown marshmallows in this classic holiday side dish! Dutch oven sweet potato casserole is the ultimate comforting and delicious addition to your Thanksgiving meal.
Best of all? It’s prepared, baked, and served right in the Dutch oven, so you can spend less time doing dishes!
There’s a lot to love about holiday meals, but sweet potato casserole is towards the top of the list for me.
It’s sweet and creamy, almost like dessert on your dinner plate! And with a toasted marshmallow topping, this Dutch oven sweet potato casserole is always a crowd-pleaser.
Every year for Thanksgiving, we make a big batch of Dutch oven green bean casserole and another of this sweet potato casserole! I love making my side dishes directly in the Dutch oven; it minimizes dishes and utilizes my colorful Dutch ovens as fun serving dishes.
Sweet potato casserole is such an easy holiday side dish, and it can be made ahead of time to keep the day of gatherings stress-free.
If you’re looking for a no-fuss, classic sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, this is my go-to recipe. You also won’t want to miss my other Dutch oven recipes for the holidays, especially Dutch oven mac and cheese and Dutch oven mashed potatoes.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One-pot dish: You’ll cook the potatoes, combine the ingredients, bake, and serve this casserole all in one Dutch oven. This keeps it super simple and cuts back on dishes!
- Easy side: Sweet potato casserole is so easy to make, but it’s such a fun and elegant addition to the Thanksgiving table or a wholesome fall meal.
- Creamy and delicious: This recipe brings all of the best fall flavors and creamy comfort ingredients into one cozy dish.
Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes: You’ll want to peel and dice these before getting started. Steaming them in small pieces is the best way I’ve found to cook the potatoes quickly.
- Butter: A good quality butter is always encouraged for the best flavor!
- Eggs: These act as a binder to set the casserole so it holds its shape on your plate.
- Marshmallows: Marshmallows make such a fun and delicious topping for the casserole! I recommend mini marshmallows, but regular-sized can work in a pinch.
Find the full list of ingredients with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
How to Make Dutch Oven Sweet Potato Casserole
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2. Add the sweet potatoes to your 6-quart Dutch oven and add water. Cover and cook on the stove over medium heat for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring once, until you can pierce them easily. If any water is left in the pot, drain it off.
Step 3. Take the pot off the heat. Add the butter, brown sugar, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Mash until smooth.
Step 4. Let it sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly, then stir in the beaten eggs.
Step 5. Smooth the top. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until the edges are set and slightly puffed.
Step 6. Scatter the marshmallows over the top in one snug layer. I like to make it pretty thick, but feel free to use as much as you would like. Increase the temperature to 450 degrees F and bake for 5 minutes at most. Keep an eye on them. The tops of the marshmallows burn easily.
Step 7. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips + Notes
- Let the sweet potato mash cool for those 5 minutes before the eggs go in; otherwise they can curdle.
- For the marshmallows, lay them in a single snug layer rather than piling them. They puff as they bake and close the gaps on their own.
- Watch the marshmallows closely in the oven. They go from golden to burnt in under a minute.
How to Prep Sweet Potato Casserole in Advance
A great tip for keeping Thanksgiving morning stress-free is to prepare as much of the food in advance as you can. This Dutch oven sweet potato casserole can easily become a make-ahead dish.
You can prepare your casserole up to a day or two ahead of the big feast. Simply make the sweet potato base as directed, but rather than baking it, cover and pop it in the fridge.
When you’re ready to serve the casserole, get it out of the fridge to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Then bake it and top with marshmallows as the recipe instructs. Check the center and ensure it’s hot after the first bake; you may need to add up to 10 additional minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Leftovers can be kept in the fridge in a sealed container for 3-5 days. Reheat your casserole in the microwave or oven and enjoy!
I have not tried that myself, but you certainly could. I would swap the butter for coconut oil or dairy-free butter, and use your favorite nut milk in place of the whole milk.
Absolutely! When I add pecans, I like to stir some into the casserole and add some on top with the marshmallows. Chopped pecans are best.
You can split the double portion into two Dutch ovens or two casserole dishes before baking. Alternatively, you can double just the casserole portion but keep the marshmallow measurement the same, then bake it all in the same Dutch oven, increasing the bake time to ensure the center is hot.
More Holiday Recipes
- Roasted Cheesy Bacon Butternut Squash
- Slow Cooked Cranberry Elk Meatballs
- Dutch Oven Apple Crisp
- Garlic Parmesan Brussel Sprouts
- Homemade Rolls with Freshly Milled Flour
If you tried this Dutch Oven Sweet Potato Casserole or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Dutch Oven Sweet Potato Casserole
Equipment
- 6-quart Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 4 large sweet potatoes about 4 pounds, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 4 cups miniature marshmallows (most of a 10 ounce bag)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Add the sweet potatoes to your 6-quart Dutch oven and add water. Cover and cook on the stove over medium heat for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring once, until you can pierce them easily. If any water is left in the pot, drain it off.
- Take the pot off the heat. Add the butter, brown sugar, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Mash until smooth.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly, then stir in the beaten eggs.
- Smooth the top. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until the edges are set and slightly puffed.
- Scatter the marshmallows over the top in one snug layer. I like to make it pretty thick, but feel free to use as much as you would like. Increase the temperature to 450°F and bake 5 minutes at most. Keep an eye on them. The tops of the marshmallows burn easily.
- Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Let the sweet potato mash cool for those 5 minutes before the eggs go in; otherwise they can curdle.
- For the marshmallows, lay them in a single snug layer rather than piling them. They puff as they bake and close the gaps on their own.
- Watch the marshmallows closely in the oven. They go from golden to burnt in under a minute.
