These baked sweet potatoes (with the yummiest marshmallow pecan topping) are the perfect easy alternative to a classic Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole dish and will leave you wanting more!
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Your Thanksgiving may look different this year (and you may even be in charge of cooking more than you have in years past), but that doesn’t mean that you need to skip out on all of the traditional Thanksgiving favorites! We’re keeping things super simple this holiday season with fun twists on classic recipes (think: Instant Pot mashed potatoes, simple sauteed green beans, old fashioned stuffing, oven roasted turkey, etc.!) that taste just as delicious as their traditional counterparts but are easy enough for anyone to whip up.
Next up? This incredibly delicious, no-fuss take on sweet potato casserole: ooey-gooey marshmallow pecan stuffed baked sweet potatoes! Enjoy this one as a dinner side or a delicious dessert!
Recipe Ingredients
While many Thanksgiving sweet potato recipes call for maple syrup, vanilla, and other ingredients, these stuffed baked sweet potatoes require just a couple of really simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Sweet Potatoes – to start, you’ll need 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds of sweet potatoes total).
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – in order to get a nice roasty, crisp on the outside of your sweet potatoes, you’ll need to rub them with some olive oil! You’ll need about 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil for this.
- Butter – HERE’S WHERE IT REALLY GETS GOOD! Each baked sweet potato will be topped with a tablespoon of butter (so you’ll need 4 tablespoons altogether),…
- Sea Salt – … a ¼ teaspoon of sea salt (1½ teaspoons altogether),…
- Cinnamon – …a ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (1 teaspoon altogether),…
- Marshmallows – …a ¼ cup of marshmallows – mini marshmallows or regular-size will work here – (1 cup altogether), and…
- Pecans – …2 tablespoons of chopped pecans (a ½ cup altogether)…YUM!
How to Make
This version of the classic sweet potato side dish is much easier (no electric mixer needed here!) than the one you may be used to but tastes every bit as delicious! Plus, everyone gets their very own personal marshmallow stuffed sweet potato this way! Here’s how you’ll throw this easy Thanksgiving side together:
- Prep – first, preheat your oven to 400°F, scrub your sweet potatoes clean, and get out a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper if you’d like!) or baking dish.
- Coat the Sweet Potatoes with Olive Oil + Bake – rub each sweet potatoes with olive oil, then place them on the sheet pan and sprinkle with a ½ teaspoon of salt. Bake for 40 minutes, or until they can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Cut the Sweet Potatoes Lengthwise – remove the potatoes from the oven, then make a slit lengthwise in the center of the potato and squeeze the ends to open it.
- Add the Butter + Spices – add 1 tablespoon of butter, a ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, and a ¼ teaspoon of salt to each potato, stirring to mix the butter, cinnamon, and salt into the sweet potato flesh with a fork.
- Top with Marshmallows + Pecans – next, top each sweet potato with a ¼ cup of marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of pecans.
- Bake – once topped, return the sweet potatoes to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the marshmallows are golden brown, then remove from the oven and serve.
Marshmallow Stuffed Sweet Potato Variations
While we LOVE this classic cinnamon, pecan, and marshmallow topping (seriously, it’s the best), you can totally get creative with this side and make it your own! Here are a few really tasty ideas:
- Add Chocolate Chips – I mean…YES. Chocolate chips make everything better, right? Especially melty chocolate chips! Throw in a few chocolate chips when you add the butter, cinnamon, and sea salt, and then top with the marshmallows to finish!
- Add Granola – sprinkle some granola over the marshmallows (just before baking!) to add a yummy crunch to the gooey mallow topping.
- Add Cranberries – toss fresh cranberries into the baked sweet potatoes at the same time as you add the butter, salt, and cinnamon! Then, top with marshmallows!
- Sprinkle Brown Sugar on Top – if you really want to get a nice caramel-y flavor, sprinkle just a little bit of brown sugar over top the marshmallows!
- Swap the Nuts – if pecans aren’t your thing (or you just don’t have them on hand), feel free to swap them for walnuts or pumpkin seeds!
We hope you love adding this sweet potato marshmallow recipe to the Thanksgiving table (this would be amazing on Christmas or any other holiday that you celebrate too!).
More Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallow Pecan Topping
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes about 2 pounds total
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup marshmallows
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Rub the sweet potatoes with the olive oil, then place on a sheet pan and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bake for 40 minutes, or until they can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven, then make a slit lengthwise in the center of the potato and squeeze the ends to open it.
- Add 1 tablespoon butter, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to each potato, mixing it into the sweet potato flesh with a fork.
- Top each sweet potato with 1/4 cup marshmallows and 2 tablespoons pecans. Return the sweet potatoes to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the marshmallows are browned, then remove from the oven and serve.
Recipe Notes
- For Dairy-Free: substitute your favorite vegan butter substitute or olive oil for the butter.
- For Vegetarian: use Dandies in place of regular marshmallows.
Nutrition
