Description

A lighter take on classic sweet potato casserole, featuring roasted sweet potatoes tossed in a tangy maple Dijon sauce and topped with a crunchy pecan oat streusel. No marshmallows or heavy cream, just real food that’s perfect for Thanksgiving or any fall gathering.

Ingredients

Scale

3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard (optional)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
½ cup rolled oats (old-fashioned)
½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Peel 3 pounds of sweet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes.
Toss the cubed sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender and starting to brown at the edges.
While the potatoes roast, make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup maple syrup, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard (if using), 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and a pinch of cayenne. Set aside.
Make the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup rolled oats, ½ cup chopped pecans, ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg. Add 3 tablespoons cold butter cubes. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
Lower the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
Assemble the casserole: Transfer the roasted sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Pour the maple Dijon sauce over them and gently toss to coat. Transfer the mixture to a greased 9×13 baking dish and spread evenly.
Sprinkle the pecan streusel evenly over the sweet potato mixture.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly around the edges. If the topping is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Don’t skip roasting the sweet potatoes—boiling makes them waterlogged. Keep streusel butter cold for a crunchy topping. Let casserole rest 5 minutes before serving. For make-ahead, assemble without streusel, refrigerate, then add streusel and bake with extra 10 minutes.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (1/8 of ca
Calories: 320
Sugar: 20
Sodium: 450
Fat: 12
Saturated Fat: 5
Carbohydrates: 48
Fiber: 5
Protein: 4

Keywords: sweet potato casserole, maple Dijon, pecan streusel, Thanksgiving side dish, lighter casserole, fall recipe