Savory Sweet Potato Casserole with Candied Bacon

4.54 from 15 votes

Savory Sweet Potato Casserole with Candied Bacon

🍠🥓😍 If you thought sweet potato casserole couldn't get any better, wait until you taste it topped with candied bacon and pecans! The sweet potatoes are smooth and creamy and the candied bacon topping is the perfect texture and flavor contrast! A WONDERFUL family-favorite side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, holiday parties and events that's easy to prepare with make-ahead directions!

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 35

Course: Sides

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy sweet potato casserole, savory sweet potato casserole, savory sweet potatoes, sweet potato casserole with bacon, sweet potato casserole with pecans

Servings: servings

Calories: 354cal

Author: Averie Sunshine

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes

4 large sweet potatoes peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces
¾ cup brown sugar packed* (See Notes)
¼ cup pure maple syrup real maple syrup not pancake syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
3 tablespoon heavy cream or half-and-half
¼ cup salted butter melted** (See Notes)
2 large eggs

Candied Bacon

4 slices thick cut bacon cut into ⅛-inch pieces
1 cup pecan halves
½ cup brown sugar packed* (See Notes)
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or as needed so you can drizzle the mixture (real maple syrup not pancake syrup)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon smoked paprika or paprika
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest optional but strongly recommended

Instructions

Because of the various stages of this recipe (boiling, baking, baking), make sure you know what you’re doing and where you’re going next so read the recipe in full, before beginning!
To a large stockpot, add the sweet potato chunks, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil over high heat until sweet potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
If you're making this straight through (and not making ahead), preheat your oven now to 350F.
To the large bowl with the sweet potatoes brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, cream, butter, eggs, and beat with a handheld electric mixer on medium-high speed until combined and fluffy.
Spray a 2-quart casserole dish or similar-sized baking dish with cooking spray, and transfer the sweet potato mixture into the dish. If you're making ahead, stop now, cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate.*** (See Notes)
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, add the bacon, pecans, toss to combine; set aside. Tip - Parchment paper is not optional here unless you love doing stubborn dishes with a baked-on sugary glaze.
To a small bowl, ad the brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, smoked paprika, salt, lemon zest, and mix to combine. Tip - If your mixture is too thick to drizzle, add a bit more maple syrup to thin it slightly. You don't want it too runny either, it should still be thick.
Slowly and evenly drizzle the liquid mixture over the bacon and pecans and stir lightly to coat evenly.
Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until well toasted.
Sprinkle the candied bacon and pecans over the top of the sweet potatoes.
Bake on the middle rack fora bout 35 to 40 minutes, or until set. Tip - If the top appears to be browning too quickly, cover it with foil after baking for about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking.
Allow to cool momentarily before serving. Recipe is best warm and fresh but extra will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Notes

*You can use either light or dark brown sugar. Dark gives a more robust and more caramelized flavor than light due to its higher molasses content, but if you tend to keep light on hand, that’s fine.

**For the salted butter, if you don’t keep it on hand, use unsalted butter and then add about 1/2 teaspoon salt.

***If you're doing the make-ahead sweet potato prep, make sure to let the casserole dish sit out at room temp for at least the whole time you’re baking the bacon so that’s is not going straight from the fridge to oven. I suggest letting it sit out at room temp for 1 hour, just to be safe. It would be too chilled if it sat in the fridge overnight and the potatoes may not fully warm through before the bacon and pecans were fully candied and browned.

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