Purple sweet potatoes – who knew?! I thought it would be fun to use them in my version of my friend Jan’s sweet potato casserole with praline topping. Of course, “regular” sweet potatoes or yams work well here.
Jan’s recipe was adapted from one she found in Cooking Light over fifteen years ago. I put my spin on her recipe, adding more pecans and spice to the topping. The original recipe called for one egg white, but I threw in a whole egg, added a bit more butter and then some cream instead of the evaporated milk. The folks at CL probably would not approve…
Many thanks to Frieda’s Produce for sending me a generous bag of these purple beauties. Although the potatoes were provided at no cost to me, I received no compensation for this post.
TIP: This entire dish can be assembled a day ahead of serving, an ideal Thanksgiving “side”. Refrigerate overnight, then allow the casserole to come to room temperature – an hour or so – before baking.
- Topping:
- ¾ cup pecans, chopped and toasted
- ¾ cup all purpose unbleached flour
- ⅔ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- ½ stick unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- Potatoes:
- 3 pounds purple sweet potatoes
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- ½ cup cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- For the topping, combine all the ingredients and set aside.
- Cook the potatoes, peeled and quartered, in boiling water until tender, about 20 minutes.
- Drain well.
- Using either a standing or handheld mixer, mash the potatoes with the sugar.
- Combine the cream, egg, vanilla and salt. Stir into the mashed potatoes.
- Add 1 cup of the topping to the potatoes and mix together.
- Butter a 2 quart casserole or soufflé dish. Spoon in potatoes and spread crumbles of the topping over the potatoes.
- Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes, or until the topping has browned.
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Beautiful dish Liz and I am all about make-ahead dishes for the holidays! Hope u have a wonderful Thanksgiving this year.
Best wishes to you and your family, Beth – Happy TG!
Wow what a color! I’m so impressed that the sweet potatoes retained their color after cooking, I’ve used purple carrots, cauliflower, sprouts, beans and potatoes before and all disappointingly turned a shade of green after cooking!
To tell the truth, I’m not sure that the bright purple is that appealing to me when I think of eating the dish…
Those are the most vivid purple yams I have ever seen, how beautiful and delicious, I love the praline topping and I think adding the whole egg, butter and cream will make it even better, I’m sure it’s great the other way also but it’s the holidays where we can enjoy a little excess. Just beautiful!
Thanks, Suzanne – Happy Turkey Day-
I just discovered purple sweet potatoes. Their color is fantastic!
Yes, it blew me away when I started peeling them for my dish.
Eat these all the time out in Hawaii, they are incredibly tasty and healthy. A superfood really, you could literally live off of them. The purple color is the same antioxidant that is found in blueberries.
Ive been making this dish for a few years now. For a tropical twist, use coconut cream or milk in lieu of the dairy. Adds just a hint of coconutty richness.
I’ve only had sweet potatoes when in Hawaii, never knew you could get them State-side….so pretty, AND tasty!
The color is pretty wild but I liked the flavor, Steve.
Beautiful! I bet this is wonderful.
These are gorgeous! I’ve seen them but haven’t bought them , so thanks for this great recipe for them. i can’t do the nuts, but pine nuts should work fine i would think!
Sure, pine nuts would be delicious here.
Beautiful! The color of those potatoes is so amazing, I don’t buy them often enough, and love this idea of using them in a puree type dish
lovely!
Thanks – the color is super intense, even after cooking the dish –
Wish they sold them year round. They are hard to find. I love the flavor n color.
The color of the potatoes is stunning. I love their flavor too. This is a beautiful and festive dish perfect for the holiday table.
Thanks, Lynda, the color certainly is startling, isn’t it?
Wow, the color! I have some of those on the counter and I thought of something like this, but I am like you…not sure about wanting to eat them. I sure want to look at them, though!
Agree with you, Dorothy – happy Thanksgiving!
Wow, what amazing color, I’ve never had purple sweet potatoes before. I love how they look, and the praline topping sounds amazing. Happy Thanksgiving Liz!
Of course, Suzanne, the topping is the best part – Happy Thanksgiving.
I’m all about the praline topping! I’ve tried the purple fingerlings, but not the purple sweet potatoes – they are definitely a vivid purple, but I know my family would prefer the traditional orange 🙂 I’ll have to try them in some other dish. Happy Thanksgiving to you and Larry, Liz!
Happy Thanksgiving, Priscilla – I’m wondering if you are celebrating in New England with your family or back home. Yep, orange will be on my table – but the praline topping rocks.
…and they stay purple! GREG
Indeed they do…
The color is fabulous Liz, this recipe is another keeper, I love your choices of ingredients. I am wishing you a wonderful happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
Best wishes for a happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Wendy – thanks, as always, for your support.
Looks like a very colorful Thanksgiving! What a beautiful color, I’ll look for these at the farmer’s market on Saturday.
I made purple sweet potatoe casserole with brown sugar, self rising flour, butter & pecan topping for our church Christmas meal Sunday night. They loved it and not much was left over. Got these from W Columbia SC farmers market. Marsha
So glad it was a success. I have a dear friend in Greer, SC – visited several times. Happy holidays!
This recipe sounds amazing! I can’t wait to try it. I just discovered purple sweet potatoes and omg they really are so sweet. With the praline topping I bet this is so delicious! One quick question though (I am a newbie cook) when you say cream I am assuming you mean heavy cream right?
Yes, heavy cream –