This small batch sweet potato casserole is perfect for Sunday dinner and small holiday gatherings. In this recipe the sweet potatoes and marshmallows are the stars. The rest of the ingredients are simple, milk, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. That’s it.

An image of the sweet potato casserole in a white dish set on a white table with a beige linen and serving spoon.

Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is a holiday staple we look forward to. But if you're having a small gathering it may seem like too much. With this small sweet potato casserole you can satisfy your craving without having a ton of leftovers.

Serve this holiday side dish with other favorites like green bean casserole, creamed spinach and classic mashed potatoes.

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Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes
Whole Milk, reduced fat will also work
Butter
Brown Sugar
Salt
Cinnamon
Vanilla Extract
Mini Marshmallows

You will also need:

Small casserole dish (7½ x 5½ inch dish works well)
Masher, sturdy whisk or large fork
Colander/strainer

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F

Add the sweet potatoes to a large saucepan or pot and cover completely with water by a couple of inches. Place over high heat and bring the water to a boil (it will take about 5-6 minutes)

The diced, cooked, and drained sweet potatoes in a red and white pot set on a white table.

Cook for 15-20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are very tender. Drain them well. Use a strainer to get all the water out. Place them back into the pot they were cooked in or in a large bowl.

Roughly mashed sweet potatoes in a red and white pot set on a white table.

Mash them with a masher, sturdy whisk, or a large fork to break them up a bit.

The mashed sweet potato mixture in a red and white pot with a whisk to the right side.

Then add the milk, butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla. Continue mashing until smooth.

The mixture in a white and teal baking dish with the top smoothed out.

Add the mashed sweet potatoes to a small casserole dish and arrange it so that the top is flat. Use a silicone spatula or the back of a large spoon to smooth it out.

Marshmallows covering the casserole before baking.

Arrange the marshmallows on top of the sweet potatoes to cover the entire surface. Just place them, do not press down.

Bake the casserole for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are bubbly and the marshmallows are slightly melted and lightly browned on top. Let it set for a few minutes, serve and enjoy.

A spoonful of the sweet potatoes with marshmallows held up over the casserole.

Recipe tips

Cut the sweet potatoes roughly the same size so that they cook at the same rate.
Drain them well to get all the water out. If necessary, add them back to the pot and set it over the still hot burner (not on) to let excess water dry out.
Use a small casserole dish to get a nice thick layer. If the dish is too large then the layer of sweet potato will be thin, and the marshmallows will not cover the entire surface. We used a 7½ x 5½ inch ovenproof dish.
Don’t put the marshmallows on top of the sweet potatoes until right before ready to bake.
Place the casserole dish on a sheet pan just in case it bubbles over.

Make ahead and storing

To make this casserole ahead of time, make the sweet potato mixture as instructed and arrange it in the dish (without the marshmallows).
Cover the casserole with a lid or with a couple of layers of plastic wrap, ensure a tight seal. Refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Remove the dish from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before baking (provided that it is cool in your kitchen). Some casserole dishes do not do well with extreme changes in temperature. Try to get the chill out of the dish before baking.
Do not place the marshmallows on top until right before you are ready to bake.
Store leftovers in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

A close up image of the baked casserole with golden browned marshmallows on top.

📖 Recipe