This sweet potato and apple casserole is the perfect sweet and savory side dish for the Thanksgiving table. It’s made with nourishing, wholesome ingredients like sweet potatoes, apples, maple syrup and pecans.
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Why you’ll love this apple & sweet potato casserole
This sweet potato apple casserole is easy to make, absolutely delicious, and a fun healthy spin on classic sweet potato casserole.
It has just the right amount of natural sweetness from apples and sweet potatoes that’s brought out by maple syrup.
Unlike traditional sweet potato casserole it’s topped with a perfectly roasted, crunchy pecan topping and the sweet potatoes are perfectly balanced by tart and sweet apples. It’s so good!
As a dietitian I’m not super worried about nutrition during a holiday meal- I care much more about spending special time with friends and family and enjoying good food! But, it’s nice to have a few healthy recipes on the table too to round things out!
With all that said, this holiday side dish is the perfect new addition to your next Thanksgiving dinner or holiday menu. Let’s get into what you need to make it.
Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this easy, delicious side.
- Sweet potatoes: First you’ll need a few large sweet potatoes. I love sweet potatoes for holiday dishes because they’re so versatile and are perfect for both sweet and savory flavors. I recommend very thin 1/4 inch slices instead of thick slices so that they’re ultra tender when they bake.
- Apples: You can use any kind of apple that you like. Braeburn, Cortland, Gala apples, Granny smith apples, Macintosh and Honeycrisp are commonly used for baking because they hold up pretty well and have great flavor. You can use any combination that you like.
- Maple syrup: Maple syrup adds just a little bit more sweetness to the sweet potatoes and apples.
- Cinnamon: This casserole is seasoned super simply with cinnamon, perfect for the holiday vibe.
- Salt: Just a little bit of salt enhances the sweet flavors of this dish.
- Pecans: Pecans add the most delicious flavor and nuttiness to the topping. You can either add chopped pecans or leave them whole.
- Butter: You’ll need a little bit of butter to mix into the casserole and to coat the pecans with sugar.
- Brown sugar: Just a little bit of brown sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness for the pecan topping.
How to make sweet potato and apple casserole
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large bowl combine apple slices, sweet potatoes, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt and melted butter. Toss very well until apples and sweet potatoes are evenly coated.
- In a small bowl make the pecan topping. Combine pecans, melted butter and brown sugar. Mix until pecans are thoroughly coated with brown sugar and butter. Note: If you like a heavy topping, use 1.5-2 cups of pecans.
- Add the sliced apple and sweet potato mixture to a large prepared baking dish or casserole dish (lightly sprayed with cooking spray or oil). Cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes in the preheated oven until sweet potatoes and apples are tender. Baking time may vary, add an additional few minutes if sweet potatoes are not tender enough.
- Uncover, top with pecan and brown sugar mixture topping and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Storage information
Store leftover sweet potato apple bake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Variations
- Instead of sweet potato, try butternut squash slices instead.
- Top with chopped walnuts instead of pecans.
- For a lower sugar variation, omit the maple syrup.
- Add mini marshallows on top if you love a traditional sweet potato casserole.
- If you like a little bit of citrusy brightness, add a teaspoon or two of lemon juice or orange juice.
More holiday side dishes
- Arugula Pear Salad with Toasted Pecans & Feta Cheese
- Cottage Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Hot Honey Carrots with Feta Cheese
- Sweet & Tangy Bell Pepper Slaw
- Crispy Feta Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic
- Crispy Parmesan Carrot Sticks
- Lipton Onion Soup Potatoes
- Easy Charcuterie Skewers
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Walnuts and Brown Sugar
Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 large sweet potatoes peeled and sliced about 1/4" thick
- 3 large apples peeled and sliced about 1/4" thick
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp butter melted
- 1/4 tsp salt
Pecan topping
- 1 cup pecans roughly chopped or whole, more if you like a heavy topping
- 1 tbsp butter melted
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large bowl combine sliced apples, sweet potatoes, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt and melted butter. Toss very well until apples and sweet potatoes are evenly coated.
- In a small bowl make the pecan topping. Combine pecans, melted butter and brown sugar. Mix until pecans are thoroughly coated with brown sugar and butter. Note: If you like a heavy topping, use 1.5-2 cups of pecans.
- Add the sliced apple and sweet potato mixture to a lightly oiled large casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes until sweet potatoes and apples are tender.
- Uncover, top with pecan and brown sugar mixture topping and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
