Easy Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams and Marshmallows
The Thanksgiving Shortcut That Completely Shocked Me!
I have been making my familyโs traditional sweet potato casserole for practically my entire life. Every Thanksgiving, I make it the same way, using seven fresh sweet potatoes, and it is one of those recipes that everybody looks forward to eating.
If you want to make my original recipe with fresh sweet potatoes, you absolutely can! Here is myย Traditional Family Sweet Potato Casserole. It is tried, true, and absolutely delicious. But let me tell you what happened this year. I decided to try something a little different. Instead of using my usual seven fresh sweet potatoes, I grabbed two big cans of Bruceโs Yams. Yes, BRUCEโS YAMS! The 40-ounce cans! I drained them really well, threw them in my mixing bowl, and followed my exact same family recipe. And when I tell you I was SHOOKETH! I could not believe how freaking delicious this casserole turned out.
Iโm talking about the same creamy, buttery, sweet potato goodness, the same traditional holiday flavors, and that delicious marshmallow topping that everybody fights over. Except I didnโt have to boil a single sweet potato. I didnโt have to peel anything. And I didnโt have to wait for those daggum potatoes to cook! Now, listen. Iโm not saying that canned yams are better than fresh sweet potatoes. Iโm not trying to start a Thanksgiving controversy.ย But what I AM saying is that this version was every bit as delicious as my traditional family recipe. And when youโre cooking Thanksgiving dinner, youโve got a turkey in the oven, a million side dishes to prepare, and your family is asking when dinner is going to be ready, THIS is the kind of shortcut you need in your life.
Now, I have one question. WHO IS BRUCE? Is Bruce an actual person? Is he a human being who decided to dedicate his life to sweet potatoes? Or is Bruce simply an idea wrapped around a sweet potato? I donโt know. But hereโs what I do know. We like Bruce. We love Bruce. We want some more of Bruce. I LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE BRUCE!ย And after making this casserole, I think you will too. Letโs make it!
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Why Youโll Love This Easy Sweet Potato Casserole
- No peeling or boiling!ย The canned yams are already cooked, which saves so much preparation time.
- A traditional family recipe!ย Weโre using the same delicious ingredients that Iโve used in my familyโs sweet potato casserole for years.
- Perfect for Thanksgiving!ย When youโve got a million things cooking, this shortcut makes your life so much easier.
- Sweet, buttery, and creamy!ย Brown sugar, cinnamon, orange juice, and butter create that classic holiday flavor.
- Loaded with delicious additions!ย Pecans add crunch, and raisins bring little bites of sweetness.
- Golden marshmallow topping!ย Large marshmallows cut in half create a beautiful, fluffy, gooey topping.
- Easy to prepare ahead!ย Assemble the casserole in advance and bake it when youโre ready.
Fresh Sweet Potatoes vs. Canned Yams
For years, I made my traditional sweet potato casserole using seven fresh sweet potatoes. And I still love that recipe! Actually, I have a trick that makes preparing fresh sweet potatoes easier. Instead of peeling them before boiling, I boil them with the skins still on. Once theyโre tender and cool enough to handle, you can practically squeeze the sweet potatoes right out of their skins! You can find that method in myย Original Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe.
But hereโs why Iโm loving this canned version. Bruceโs Yams are already cooked and ready to use. All you need to do is open the cans, drain them thoroughly, and add them to your mixing bowl. Thatโs it! No peeling, boiling, or waiting for potatoes to become tender. And the flavor? Absolutely delicious. One thing worth knowing is that the canned yams sold in American grocery stores are generally sweet potatoes. Theyโre simply labeled as yams, which is why they work beautifully in this recipe.
Pour the yams (I used Bruce’s Yams) into a colander and allow all the packing liquid to drain away. You donโt need to rinse them. Just make sure theyโre drained really well. Transfer the drained yams to a large mixing bowl.
Pour in your orange juice and butter.
Use a potato masher to mash that all together.
Add in brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, pecans, raisins, and fold everything together.
Spoon the sweet potato mixture into your prepared baking dish. Take your large marshmallows and arrange the marshmallow all over the top of your sweet potato casserole.
Bake until the sweet potato filling is heated through and the marshmallows are golden brown and gooey.
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My Traditional Family Thanksgiving Recipes!
Melissaโs Tips!
- Drain the Yams Thoroughly. This is the most important part of using canned yams. You want the sweet potatoes, not all the extra packing liquid.
- Donโt Overmix. The canned yams are already very soft. Mix just until everything comes together.
- Keep the Orange Juice. I know some people might think orange juice sounds unusual in sweet potato casserole, but trust me! Itโs one of the ingredients that makes my familyโs recipe special. It adds brightness and balances the sweetness of the brown sugar.
- Donโt Skip the Pecans and Raisins. I know everyone has their own traditional sweet potato casserole recipe. But this is how my family makes ours, and I absolutely love the texture that the pecans and raisins add.
- Watch Those Marshmallows! Marshmallows can go from perfectly golden to overly brown very quickly. Keep an eye on your casserole as it bakes. If necessary, loosely cover it with foil.
- Make It Ahead of Time. Thanksgiving morning is busy enough! You can prepare the sweet potato filling in advance and refrigerate it. Then add your marshmallows and bake when youโre ready.
๐ค Common Questions
No! I didnโt rinse mine at all. I simply drained them very well before adding them to the mixing bowl.
Yes! You can prepare the sweet potato filling up to two days ahead. Transfer it to your baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate. When youโre ready to bake, remove it from the refrigerator while the oven preheats, add the marshmallows, and bake until heated through. A chilled casserole may need additional baking time. For the best marshmallow topping, you can also bake the filling first and add the marshmallows toward the end.
Yes! My original recipe uses a 10-ounce bag of mini marshmallows. For this shortcut version, I used large marshmallows cut in half lengthwise. Either option is delicious.
Easy Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams and Marshmallows
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF. Lightly grease a baking dish.
- Open both 40-ounce cans of Bruceโs Yams and drain thoroughly in a colander. Do not rinse.
- Transfer the drained yams to a large mixing bowl.
- Add orange juice, sliced butter, and mash that together using a potato masher.
- Now, fold in the brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and pecans. Do not overmix.
- Transfer the sweet potato mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
- Cut large marshmallows in half lengthwise and arrange them all over the top.
- Bake at 350ยฐF for approximately 30โ40 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the marshmallows are golden brown. Check frequently and loosely cover with foil if browning too quickly.
- Allow to rest for 10โ15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
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Nutrition
Notes
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Allow the casserole to cool, then transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3โ4 days.
