This Thanksgiving dish is the one that raises the most eyebrows for people who haven’t grown up eating it. This recipe for sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows is a must have in our family. It may seem strange to top an already naturally sweet vegetable with even more sugary, marshmallow sweetness. However, somehow the flavour combination is delicious! So just try it before you make a judgment call!
My top recommendation is to try to get American jet-puffed mini marshmallows. These are lighter and puff up when you heat them. I tried to make the same dish with British marshmallows and they melted into a puddle and got slightly hard when they cooled. Watch the marshmallows in the oven and remove the casserole when they start to turn brown. You don’t want them to burn!
In addition, if you think that this dish will just be too sweet for your taste, then you can leave the brown sugar out. Some British and French friends have commented that this is more like a dessert. However, for Americans this is considered a vegetable side dish.
One last tip is that this recipe for sweet potato should have the root with orange flesh rather than yellow or greenish. The orange makes for a more colourful casserole though if you can’t find that, other sweet potatoes can be substitutes. The sweet potatoes may sometimes be called yams.
Ingredients
6 large sweet potatoes
1/4 c. butter or more to taste
1/2 c brown sugar or more to taste
1/2 c. milk
Mini marshmallows (preferably jet-puffed)
Instructions
First, peel and cut the sweet potatoes into large pieces. The bring water to a boil in a large pot, and cook the sweet potatoes until they are very tender.
Next drain the water and then mash the sweet potatoes until smooth. Add milk, brown sugar, and butter and mix well.
The pour into a casserole dish and smooth the top.
Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 15 minutes. Cover with mini marshmallows and bake until they are toasted brown.
Suggested variations: top with a mixture of brown sugar and pecans
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