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Our 2019 Thanksgiving Menu and Guide.
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Switching things up this Thanksgiving with this Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole with Sweet ‘n’ Savory Bacon Pecans. The classic sweet potato casserole we know and love, but topped with sweet and savory bacon pecans. These sweet potatoes are buttery, hinted with cinnamon, and lightly sweetened. The pecan streusel topping is just a touch spicy, perfectly sweet, herby, and a little salty too. When baked together the potatoes and topping create the perfect balance and make for the BEST sweet potato casserole. Make these ahead of time for an easy holiday side dish that everyone will love.
It’s the second week of November and I very much have Thanksgiving on my mind. Anyone else?
It’s been a little tricky to get my menu fully planned, photographed, and written up in between traveling for HBH Super Simple. But I’m excited to finally say that I will be sharing my full menu this week! Are you guys in planning mode? Hoping so, because I have some good recipes coming, and it all starts with this casserole.
I’m sure I have said this before, but when it comes to Thanksgiving I really love a traditional menu. Herby roasted turkey, buttery mashed potatoes, popovers, vegetable sides, and of course, sweet potato casserole. Some of you may be surprised to hear this, since I love to share all kinds of different recipes, but when it comes to both Thanksgiving and Christmas, I’m all about tradition. And the older and more traditional the better.
The classics keep things simple and perfect every time. It’s why we look forward to the holidays so much. All the traditions!
That said, every year I try to create a few new dishes that are spins on the classics. They still feel like the classics, just updated a bit. My brothers only care about the turkey, mashed potatoes, and rolls, so I keep those basic (but good). But when it comes to the vegetables? I have some room to play with, and have a little fun.
Enter this sweet potato casserole. It’s just like my grandma’s sweet potatoes, but with a sweet, savory, and salty pecan crumble topping…that everyone loves.
Let’s talk about the sweet potatoes…
Like most sweet potato casseroles, this bourbon sweet potato casserole is so simple and easy to make. The longest part of the process is roasting the potatoes. But nothing is hard and you might even have all the ingredients on hand right now.
So…start with the sweet potatoes. Yes, you can buy canned sweet potatoes, but I highly recommend roasting fresh potatoes for best flavor and color. If you have an instant pot, you can cook the potatoes quickly in there. If not, go the oven route. It’s my preferred method.
Once the potatoes are fork tender, peel away the skins (then use them to make these sweet potato skin chips) and then mash. Then add in a touch of light brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, melted butter, and a splash of bourbon, and that’s it. This is my grandma’s base recipe and it never fails. Simple, but so delicious, and not overly sweet, which I think is really nice.
Question: are you a sweet or savory, sweet potato casserole person? I prefer a savory casserole…with just a touch of sweetness!
Now about those bacon pecans…
While the potatoes are roasting, start working on the bacon pecans.
Oh, these bacon pecans. Basically, this is a topping of candied bacon with pecans, and it’s incredibly delicious. Sweet and savory with a little crunch from the pecans, and saltiness from the bacon. I added sage and a little rosemary to bring in some savory flavors and balance out the sweetness. These herbs may sound like an odd addition but go with me on this because it’s so GOOD.
Also, if rosemary isn’t your thing, or you’re worried it may overpower the other flavors, then simply leave it out. My dad’s not the biggest rosemary fan. He sometimes complains that it’s overpowering. Use your best judgment here and go with your own personal taste.
Put it all together…
Last up, layer the topping over the sweet potatoes in a casserole dish and bake. It’s simple, nothing too fancy, and so EASY. While this bakes, your house will smell incredible, just like Thanksgiving should. You’ll soon find out that every bite is just as delicious as it smells.
These potatoes are sweet and buttery and the topping is crunchy. It’s the sweet potato casserole your Thanksgiving table needs. Promise.
And finally, you can easily prepare this ahead of time and freeze, and yes, it travels well too. If you’re on side dish duty this Thanksgiving, this is your dish!
If you make this bourbon sweet potato casserole with sweet ‘n’ savory bacon pecans, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole with Sweet ‘n’ Savory Bacon Pecans.
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 426 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)
- kosher salt
Sweet ‘n’ Savory Bacon Pecans
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups raw pecans roughly chopped
- 6 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper using more or less to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped sage
- 1-2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Poke a few holes in the sweet potatoes and bake for 1 hour or until soft and tender. When the sweet potatoes are cooked, slice them in half and allow to cool.2. Meanwhile, make the bacon pecans. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain onto a paper towel. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, pecans, butter, cayenne, sage, and rosemary (if using). Stir in the bacon.3. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Peel the skins away from the flesh of the sweet potato. Add the sweet potatoes to a mixing bowl. Mash well. Mix in the brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, milk, butter, eggs, and bourbon until combined. Season with salt.4. Spoon the sweet potato mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the pecans evenly over top. 5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the pecans are golden. Serve warm topped with flaky sea salt.
Notes
To Make Ahead: Prepare the casserole through step 4. Cover and store the assembled casserole in the fridge for up to 2 days. To bake, remove the casserole from the fridge while the oven preheats, then bake as directed.
To Make Gluten Free: Use an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour.
This post was originally published on November 11, 2019
I made this for T-day and have to say: it was a wild hit! Most were weary of it not having marshmallows on top or being “traditional sweet potatoes” but they LOVED it and want more this in the future. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
That is so great! Thank you Kati! xTieghan
Amazing! Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, loved this. THE hit of the meal. I made it DF GF using oat milk, rice flour and vegan buttery spread. I also upped the # potatoes to 6 but left all else the same. I also replaced the brown sugar in the sweet potatoes with maple syrup. Awesome. This will return to the thanksgiving table every year.
Wow I am so glad this turned out so well for you! Thank you Deb! I am sure others will love your modifications! xTiegan
I made this for Thanksgiving, yesterday! HUGE hit. Everybody loved it. Will definitely make it again for Christmas!
I am so glad this recipe turned out so well! Thank you Jen! xTieghan
Made this for Thanksgiving! This was actually the first sweet potato casserole I have ever made! My in-laws and husband said this was the best sweet potato casserole they have ever had! It was absolutely delicious! The spiciness of the topping went really well with the sweetness of the casserole! We used Maker’s 46 for the bourbon!
That is so great to hear Kailey! I am really glad everyone loved this! Thank you! xTieghan
I’ve hosted Thanksgiving for twenty years, and always made sweet potatoes with marshmallows. I made this recipe today, and my family absolutely loved it. I’ve been informed that this is the way sweet potatoes shall be made from here on.
YES!! That is so amazing! I am so glad you all loved this recipe Suzanne! xTieghan
I knew I had to make one of your recipes for Thanksgiving because you’ve never steered me wrong. And yup, this turned out AMAZING. Every single person in my family asked me for the recipe. Thank you for another perfect recipe!
Yes! So happy to hear that Alexa! Thank you so much for trying this! xTieghan
Lol- ok, ‘this’ recipe, ‘these’ sweet potatoes…Obviously bourbon compromises properly constructed comments like my previous one, lol. No matter the case, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!! Xoxo❤️
Hahah not a worry! Just so glad you loved these! xTieghan
This recipe is bomb! My family and friends all requested it again this year so guess it’s my dish now 🙂 JUST MAKE IT, everyone will love.
I am so glad this turned out so well for you Janae! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
Just prepped this to bake for Thanksgiving tomorrow, tasted all the elements, and it is UNREAL delicious!!!!!!!!!!!! Make this stat! Also added the rosemary to the pecans, and it completed it well.
Going to make a version of these pecans to snack on because I’m now hooked ?
Yes! So glad this turned out so well for you Rebecca! Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Hi! Do you know roughly how many lbs of Potatoes you use? 4 Medium is hard for me to gauge and I need to double or triple your recipe!
Thanks,
Amanda
Hi Amanda! I would say it is roughly 3-4 pounds of potatoes. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
Just made this for the fourth year in a row. It is perfect, and we stick to the recipe as written. It’s got depth, not too sweet, just enough savory and all around delicious! Thank you!!
Hi Jill! I am so glad you loved this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
I made it for friends- giving and it was so great I’m making for thanksgiving tomorrow- I did leave out the savory spices the second time- my family is picky but it’s going to be my new recipe.
Hi Penny! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! Thank you so much for trying it! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! xTieghan
I am making this tomorrow for Thanksgiving. It sounds so yummy. Only problem is we can’t eat pecans. I’ll try sunflower seeds. I’ll come back and tell you how it goes. I live in Arkansas and today it was near 70. I’m sure it will get cold soon.
I am so glad you’re making this and I hope it turns out amazing for you Jane! Thank you! xTieghan
Having a thanksgiving week rather than day/night and made this of course!! It was to-die-for delicious!!??The bourbon really made this and the topping was perfect- in fact I think the savory made the overall recipe & sweetness pop!! Thank you for this Tieghan- they are a true keeper and so is everything you do!!??
That is so fun! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Gia! Thank you! xTieghan
Delicious! Tried this last year and it was a hit, can’t wait to have it again this year!
That is so amazing! Thank you Erika! xTieghan