Plus, you are going to sound ultra-impressive when you casually mention that you are bringing a souffle. Though the word “souffle” suggests a dish that’s fussy (and you can allow your friends to assume as much), sweet potato souffle is EASY (even easier than Cornbread Stuffing!).
The Sweet Potato Bake Debate
One of the great battles of our time (not to be dramatic or anything) is whether or not Thanksgiving sweet potatoes should include mini marshmallows.
The process to make sweet potato souffle is more like making a casserole: prepare filling, add delicious topping, then bake.The primary difference between a casserole and souffle is the texture of the sweet potatoes. Because eggs are beaten with the sweet potatoes in a sweet potato souffle, they become fluffy and light, just like a classic souffle.
I am a hard NO, preferring instead a more savory take like these Glazed Sweet Potatoes.My sister Elizabeth? She loves the marshmallow version so much, she could practically eat it for breakfast.
This recipe for sweet potato souffle is the ideal middle ground. It’s sweeter than the Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes in my cookbook or my Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole, but nowhere near as cloying as the marshmallow variety.
How to Make Sweet Potato Souffle
Fluffy sweet potato souffle is Southern by origin and remains popular at Thanksgiving throughout the South. Traditionally it is VERY sweet; most of the recipes I found contain more sugar than Sweet Potato Pie.
While most recipes require that you boil, drain, and mash the potatoes first, I found I could cut down on the sugar significantly if I roasted the sweet potatoes.Roasting concentrates the sweet potatoes’ natural sugars, making the souffle taste sweeter (if you’ve made Roasted Sweet Potatoes you know what I’m talking about).
Roasting works with what this delicious, healthy vegetable gives us naturally, instead of covering it up with more sugar than a dessert.
The Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes. My fave holiday side! Sweet potatoes are packed with fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, and antioxidants.
Eggs. The key to the fluffy sweet potato souffle’s airy texture.
Pecans. I love the texture, crunch, and nutty flavor pecans lend to this not-too-sweet topping. (They are also an excellent excuse to bake Pecan Pie Bars.)
Butter. Butter adds rich, necessary holiday flavor to both the sweet potatoes and the pecan topping. You can either use room temperature or melted butter. Milk. Helps make the sweet potato mixture extra creamy. I used 1% milk, but you can use any milk you have on hand. Sugar + Maple Syrup. I tried to keep this sweet potato souffle healthy relative to most by cutting down on the amount of sugar used compared to many traditional recipes. Instead of using only refined sugar, I opted to add a little maple syrup for natural sweetness. It’s also a divine pairing with sweet potatoes and pecans.
Vanilla. Adds warmth and coziness. Vanilla is surprisingly wonderful in sweet potato bakes.Cinnamon. Cinnamon and sweet potatoes are a dream team. (Hello, Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes.)Flaked Coconut. While optional, I love the touch of extra nuttiness it adds to the topping. The flavor is not strong, so even if you are not typically a coconut fan, you will likely enjoy it here.
The Directions
Storage Tips
To Store. Refrigerate leftover souffle in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or gently in the microwave.To Freeze. Freeze souffle in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
Mixing Bowl. I love this space-saving glass mixing bowl set.Casserole Dish. This beauty is not only functional but will look gorgeous on your holiday table.Baking Sheet. Perfect for roasting and baking sweet and savory recipes alike.
The marshmallow casserole fanatics, the nay-sayers, and even those who in other circumstances are sweet potato averse will all find something to love in this spiced, sweet, and savory sweet potato side dish.
The sweet potatoes most typically available in North America are large with orange flesh and smooth skin.Yams have a brown, tough, bumpy skin similar to bark and are the size of small potatoes.The texture of yam flesh tends to be more starchy and dry than a sweet potato.Yams are not readily available in North America. Chances are what you are seeing at the store is a sweet potato. Carry on!
Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
45 mins
Cranberry Turkey Meatballs
30 mins
Air Fryer Chicken Breast
48 mins Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked the recipe. Depending upon your family’s selection of topics, I can’t promise the same peace for your dinner table discussions, but at least we can all agree on sweet potato souffle!
Healthy Green Bean Casserole
55 mins
Brussels Sprouts Slaw
20 mins
Butternut Squash Casserole
1 hr 20 mins