Sweet Potato Casserole With Canned Yams

This sweet potato casserole with canned yams saves you the work of peeling and boiling fresh sweet potatoes. I use drained Bruce’s yams for a buttery, vanilla-flavored filling with a little texture instead of a completely smooth purée. A brown sugar pecan topping adds another layer of sweetness and goes on toward the end of baking so the pecans don’t spend the entire cooking time in the oven.

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams

1. Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 350°F and have an 8×8-inch baking dish ready.
2. Drain the canned yams. Open the 40-ounce can of Bruce’s yams and drain the syrup completely. There’s no need to rinse the sweet potatoes.
3. Prepare the sweet potato filling. Add the drained yams to a large bowl with the granulated sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix with a hand mixer until combined, leaving some small pieces of sweet potato for texture rather than blending everything completely smooth.
4. Taste and add the eggs. Taste the filling and adjust the salt before adding the eggs. The mixture should taste slightly saltier than you want the finished casserole. Beat the eggs separately, then mix them into the sweet potato filling.
5. Bake the filling. Transfer the mixture to the 8×8-inch baking dish and bake for 40 minutes.
6. Make the pecan topping. While the filling bakes, combine the chopped pecans, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, and melted butter in a bowl. Mix until everything is evenly combined.
7. Add the topping. After 40 minutes, carefully remove the casserole from the oven. Spread the brown sugar pecan mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes.
8. Finish baking. Return the casserole to the oven for another 25 minutes. This gives the pecan topping time to brown without exposing it to the entire baking time.
9. Cool and serve. Remove the casserole from the oven and allow it to cool slightly before serving.

Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams

• Don’t overmix the sweet potatoes. I prefer leaving a few small pieces throughout the filling instead of mixing everything until it’s completely smooth. It gives the casserole a little more texture.
• Give the filling time to bake before adding the topping. The sweet potatoes benefit from a longer bake, but the pecans don’t need to be in the oven that long. Adding the topping during the final 25 minutes helps prevent the nuts from getting too dark.

Can You Make Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams Ahead of Time?

Yes! This sweet potato casserole reheats very well, making it a great option when you’re preparing several dishes for Thanksgiving or another holiday meal.

Bake the casserole completely, including the pecan topping. Let it cool briefly, then cover and refrigerate it within two hours of cooking. When you’re ready to serve, reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the casserole in the oven for about 30 minutes, until heated through. If the pecans start getting too dark during reheating, loosely cover the dish with foil.

What to Serve with Sweet Potato Casserole

• Smothered Turkey Wings – Tender turkey wings covered in a rich homemade onion gravy that balances the sweetness of the casserole.
• Southern Cornbread Dressing – Homemade cornbread dressing with sage, onions, and celery for a classic Thanksgiving combination.
• Southern Baked Mac and Cheese – Creamy macaroni with plenty of melted cheese and a golden, cheesy topping.
• Smothered Green Beans – Fresh green beans cooked with bacon, onions, and garlic for a savory vegetable side dish.

More Sweet Potato Recipes

• Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole – A slow cooker version made with fresh sweet potatoes and a sweet pecan topping, perfect for saving oven space during the holidays.
• Savory Sweet Potato Casserole – Fresh sweet potatoes with browned butter, garlic, rosemary, and a seasoned breadcrumb topping for a less-sweet alternative.
• Candied Sweet Potatoes – Sliced sweet potatoes baked in a buttery brown sugar sauce until tender and coated in a sweet glaze.
• Crockpot Candied Yams – Sweet potatoes slow-cooked with brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg for another holiday side dish.