Brown Butter Orange Sweet Potato Casserole

This Orange Brown Butter Sweet Potato Casserole takes traditional sweet potato casserole to the next level. There’s a sweet, spiced sweet potato filling and the casserole is finished with the classic topping – gooey toasted marshmallows! This casserole is so easy to make and the perfect holiday side dish.

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The Best Orange Brown Butter Sweet Potato Casserole 

I feel like sweet potato casserole is quintessential Thanksgiving food. It’s one of those dishes that you don’t make any other time of year outside of a holiday but everyone looks forward to it. I love a sweet potato casserole with a crisp topping but this year I wanted to make sure we had another more classic recipe to enjoy – the one with marshmallows.

You know it wouldn’t be an All the Healthy Things recipe if I didn’t elevate the classic though and this is not your grandmama’s sweet potato casserole. It’s filled with warm spices, delicious orange zest, and lots of sweet, melty toasted marshmallows for the perfect topping. Trust me, this is going to be everyone’s new favorite.

Watch How to Make this Recipe

More Reader Favorite Sweet Potato Recipes

• Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
• Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Coffee Cake
• Vanilla Cardamom Sweet Potato Pancakes
• Sweet Potato Cornbread Muffins
• Brown Butter Sweet Potato Bread with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
• Almond Butter Sweet Potato Muffins

Recipe Ingredients

Mashed Sweet Potatoes: my favorite sweet potatoes to use are garnet sweet potatoes. They have a reddish skin and a beautiful orange color.

Butter: because the flavor of the brown butter is really on display in this recipe, you want to use the good stuff! Use your favorite tasting butter and be sure to grab unsalted.

Half and Half: this helps to give the casserole just the right consistency.

Maple Syrup: adds just a touch of sweetness to the sweet potatoes and works well with all of the flavors in the dish.

Orange Zest: this adds just the right hint of brightness to the casserole. Orange works so well with the natural flavor of the sweet potato as well as all of the spices.

Spices: speaking of spices you’ll need cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger to give the casserole its flavor.

Vanilla: a must have!

Egg: you’ll need one large egg for this recipe to help it set a bit. Don’t worry, the filing will be the perfect consistency.

Mini Marshmallows: I like to use mini marshmallows for this recipe. You’ll pile them high after baking the casserole to melt and toast for a few minutes.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Butter – you can swap the butter for your favorite vegan alternative if you need to keep this recipe dairy free.
• Half and Half – you can easily swap out half and half for whole milk or another dairy free alternative like almond milk or coconut milk.
• Maple syrup – I prefer the flavor of maple syrup in this recipe over honey but you could use honey if you prefer!

How to Prep Your Sweet Potatoes for this Recipe

Roast: This is my preferred way of cooking the sweet potatoes in this casserole, because it is incredibly easy, develops flavor, and is also a very hands-off way of prepping the sweet potatoes. All you have to do is prick the sweet potatoes on the outside with a fork or knife and then roast them on a lined sheet pan for forty-five minutes to an hour until tender. You can check out this post on how to roast sweet potatoes for all my favorite tips and tricks!

Boil: If you do not want to roast the sweet potatoes, boiling them is another great option. All you need is a large stock pot filled with water to do this. You can boil the sweet potatoes whole, with the skin on, or peel them and dice them into large chunks. Boil the sweet potatoes until tender.

Microwave: If you are really pressed for time, you can also microwave your sweet potatoes. To do this, just prick the sweet potatoes on the outside with a knife or fork, four or five times. Place a single potato on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave for five minutes. The potato should be fork-tender all the way to the center once it is done. If the potato is still hard, you can continue to microwave it for one minute at a time until fully tender.

How to Make Orange Brown Butter Sweet Potato Casserole

Step One: Make the brown butter. To do so, add the diced butter to a small skillet or pot over medium heat. Allow the butter to “cook,” stirring continually as you see the foam start to dissipate and brown bits begin to form. Once the butter is golden brown and has a nutty aroma, transfer it to a heat-safe dish, and set it aside to cool slightly. 

Step Two: Next, add the mashed sweet potato, brown butter, half and half, maple syrup, orange zest, spices, vanilla, and whisked egg to a large mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. 

Step Three: Transfer the sweet potatoes to a deep 10-inch pie dish that has been greased with nonstick cooking spray. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the potatoes evenly in the dish. 

Step Four: Next, place the casserole in the oven, and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. 

Step Five: Remove the casserole from the oven, and sprinkle mini marshmallows on top. You can use your hands to press the marshmallows into the casserole if needed! Then, place the casserole back in the oven, and bake for 5 to 10 minutes until the marshmallows start to toast and become golden brown. 

Tips for Prepping Ahead of Time 

1. Cook the sweet potatoes ahead of time. One way to prep this casserole in advance is to cook your sweet potatoes in advance. Once they are cooked, just store them in the fridge until you are ready to make the casserole.
2. Prep and assemble the sweet potato casserole. If you want to go ahead and do most of the work, you can prep the sweet potato casserole in advance. Then, store it covered in the fridge until you are ready to bake the next day. Let the casserole come to room temperature before baking.

How to Store 

Store leftovers in an airtight container or covered with foil. They will keep fresh in the fridge for 4-5 days. 

To reheat the leftovers I recommend using the microwave instead of the oven. You don’t want the marshmallows to become tough and over toasted. Just warm individual portions in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute at a time. 

More Delicious Holiday Recipes 

Making this recipe for Thanksgiving? Here are few more of our reader favorite Thanksgiving recipes to add your menu this holiday season:

• Healthy Cranberry Sauce
• Brussel Sprouts Au Gratin
• Gluten Free Honey Cornbread Muffins
• Honey Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Fall Harvest Salad with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Balsamic, and Cranberries

Get all of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes, here!

I hope you give this Orange Brown Butter Sweet Potato Casserole recipe a try! It’s an easy, flavorful protein option that’s great for meal prep. If you do give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews and ratings help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you trust and love.

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Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: Eat Love Eat