Name: 3-Ingredient Sweet Potato Casserole With Maple Pecans
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 2 hours
Yield: 8–10 servings
Ingredients: Olive oil (for pan); 5 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 1/2" pieces; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more; 1 1/4 cups pure maple syrup, divided; 2 cups pecan halves (about 7 ounces); 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided

Bright orange sweet potato pure covered with pecan halves in a deepdish oval casserole.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Hampton

Active Time
30 minutes
Total Time
2 hours

In Epi's 3-Ingredient Recipes series, we show you how to make great food with just three ingredients (plus staples like oil, salt, and pepper).

Maple syrup pumps up the flavor of puréed sweet potatoes and provides a sweet glaze for extra-peppery candied pecans in this classic Thanksgiving side.

Ingredients

8–10 servings

Olive oil (for pan)

5 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 1/2" pieces

2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more

1 1/4 cups pure maple syrup, divided

2 cups pecan halves (about 7 ounces)

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil a 3-qt. baking dish. Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 12 minutes. Drain; let sit in colander 15 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat 1/2 cup syrup in a large skillet over medium-high. Add pecans, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until syrup has evaporated and pecans are glazed, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and let cool.
Step 3
Purée potatoes, 1 1/2 cups water, and remaining 3/4 cup syrup, 1 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a food processor until smooth. Transfer potato mixture to prepared baking dish.
Step 4
Coarsely chop pecans and sprinkle evenly over potato mixture.
Step 5
Bake casserole until top is lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Let sit 15 minutes before serving.
Do Ahead
Step 6
Casserole can be assembled, without topping, 2 days ahead; cover and chill. Candied pecans can be made 2 days ahead; store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Leave a Review

Reviews (15)

Entire family LOVES this and asks for it every Thanksgiving. Just watch the pecans carefully so they don't burn. Medium heat might be a little better. I do not add the entire 1.5 C. of water either. maybe 1/2 C. 1.5 C. would be too runny. I divided sweet potatoes and ran in food processor in two batches. I cook the entire 6.5 lb. bag of sweet potatoes with no other adjustments. That reduces sweetness just a little. Will try adding a little butter next time and maybe heavy cream
- Karen C
- Denver, CO
- 11/7/2022
This was good overall and extremely simple to make. The sweet potatoes themselves were good but not as interesting as some other recipes I've made for sweet potato casserole, but the pecans were great. They'd be perfect for topping any sweet potato casserole recipe.
- Vidkun
- Austin, Texas
- 12/20/2020
Love this
- Denisev60
- North Carolina
- 10/5/2019
This was really good. Everyone at my Thanksgiving dinner loved it. That said, there is no way this was all going to fit in my food processor. I have an average sized one and 5.5 lbs of potatoes, plus water, was never going to fit. I ended up using an immersion blender and that worked pretty good. I also added a little Aleppo Pepper I had around and that gave it a nice kick.
- churchka
- Minneapolis, MN
- 11/26/2018
This is a really great recipe. I did not puree the sweet potatoes, but cut them into about 3/4 in cubes and roasted them after barley par boiling the unpeeled, whole potatoes (prepared the day before Thanksgiving). I also made the maple pecans (minus the pepper) the day before and stored them as directed in the original recipe. On Thanksgiving, I put the cubed potatoes in a greased baking dish, tossed with about 1/2 cup of the remaining maple syrup and about 1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper. I put the topping on and followed the rest of the original recipe. The combination of the sweet potatoes, the pecan maple glaze and the cayenne pepper resulted in compliments from everyone!
- jba1227
- USVIUSVI
- 1/1/2018
Everyone in my family loved this. I made it with 3 3/4 lbs. sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup maple syrup, no water in potatoes. Pecans I made as written, except no pepper.
- kimberleyah
- Arlington, MA
- 11/26/2017
Very, very sweet. Would probably dial back on the maple syrup in the potatoes.
- jordane23
- Oakland
- 11/25/2017
Best sweet potatoes I have ever made. I did reduce the water and syrup in the potatoes and added 2 tbsp of butter and a healthy dollop of molasses instead. Yummy!
- monnalena
- St Petersburg, FL
- 11/23/2017
Great dish. I would absolutely make again, it will probably become a Thanksgiving standard for our family.
- shfried
- Overland Park, KS
- 11/10/2017
Awesome recipe... Simple to make and elegant to serve. Will definitely make again!
- jewelsinthenight57
- Central Florida
- 11/26/2016
This was AWESOME! Would definitely make again!!
- jewelsinthenight57
- Central FL
- 11/26/2016
This was outstanding!! It was quite simple and the flavor was awesome. The water made the texture light, creamy and sublime. I think we would put fewer nuts on next time. We would still prepare the same quantity of nuts, but save some to savor on the side!
- Anonymous
- Seattle, WA
- 11/25/2016
I make this every year because everyone loves the balanced sweet and spicy flavors. And it’s soooo easy. I make extra pecans because they are addictively tasty.
- Anonymous
- 11/22/2022