Pecan Crumble Topped Sweet Potatoes

Looking for an easy sweet potato dish for Thanksgiving? Pecan crumble-topped sweet potatoes are an easy and delicious addition to Thanksgiving – or any other meal. They are naturally vegan and can be made nut-free and gluten-free as well.

I’m very much aware that Thanksgiving is in November, and it is very much not November now.

But these pecan crumble topped sweet potatoes are too good not to enjoy more than once a year. The topping is crisp-crunchy and studded with pecans. Underneath are creamy, buttery baked sweet potatoes, with just enough brown sugar to bring out their natural sweetness. Perfection.

When yams and sweet potatoes are in season, I like to order a 40-pound case and enjoy them as often as possible before they go bad. I’ve done this at both local and chain grocery stores (last year I got mine from Sprouts).

If you want to do the same, make sure you order yams and not sweet potatoes. In the food supplier world, “sweet potatoes” gets you white sweet potatoes. They are not quite as sweet and tasty, and they are missing the characteristic deep orange color.

Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes/yams Fresh is the only way to go here. Please – don’t even bother with canned yams. I used about 8 large yams for a 9×13-inch pan.
• Brown sugar Sweet potatoes and brown sugar are a natural pair. Sweet potatoes are sweet on their own, so not too much sugar is needed for this recipe.
• Smart Balance Feel free to use a different margarine, coconut oil, or straight up butter instead. A little fat does a lot for carrying flavor.
• White and whole wheat flour If you are going for gluten-free, both can be subbed with oat flour. The texture may be slightly more crumbly, but equally delicious. A gluten-free all-purpose flour blend could be used as well.
• Cinnamon Just enough to spice up the topping and blend all those beautiful fall flavors together.
• Chopped Pecans These add a wonderful crunch to the topping and fit right in with all the other Thanksgiving flavors. I’m partial to pecans for this recipe, but walnuts could be used as well. And feel free to leave them out if you have a nut allergy in the family.

Equipment

• Baking Pans I use a large baking sheet to bake the sweet potatoes on, but a couple of 9×13-inch pans work as well.
• Silicone pan liners I’ve found no shortage of uses for these pan liners. These are especially helpful in keeping the sappy goo oozing out of sweet potatoes from permanently affixing itself to the baking sheet.
• Potato masher This is great for mashing and mixing the sweet potatoes, while still leaving some rustic lumps in the mix. We also use it for mashed potatoes and mock tuna salad.
• Pastry blender A fork or fingers work fine to make the crumble topping as well. Last Thanksgiving I had some little helping hands do the mixing for me.
• Baking dish/casserole We used all but one of our 9×13-inch pans on Thanksgiving, and we have quite a few. Most of ours came second hand, but if you are shopping for a new one I suggest getting one that comes with a lid. You can use any shape of dish that is large enough (Hello, Corningware), but it’s easiest to fit a bunch of rectangles into the oven on Thanksgiving.
• Mixing bowls We have four sets of mixing bowls (not counting some small miscellaneous bowls). Our most used ones are these and these from Sam’s Club, and I also really like this set for when you need to microwave ingredients. We also have a plastic set similar to this that we use less often. A set with lids comes in handy if you are prepping the pecan crumble topping ahead and storing it.

How to Make

1. Start by baking the sweet potatoes until they are very soft. Give them a scrub under running water, then place on a lined baking sheet. Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner first to prevent the sweet potato sugar lava from becoming a permanent fixture on your favorite baking sheet.
2. Bake the sweet potatoes at 350 degrees for 45-90 minutes, or until the yams are very soft when poked with a fork. The time will depend on the size of the sweet potatoes. Set aside to cool slightly. Baked sweet potatoes are much easier to peel when they are still warm, but cool enough to handle.
3. Place the baked sweet potatoes in a 9×13-inch baking dish and dot with Smart Balance, coconut oil, or butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Using a fork or potato masher, mash the sweet potatoes, incorporating the Smart Balance and brown sugar as you go. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Mix together, then add the Smart Balance and work in with your fingers or a pastry blender. Stir in the pecans.
5. At this point, everything can be set aside if you happen to be prepping ahead. Cover the yams and the topping and refrigerate until you are ready to bake and serve them. If you are making this for right now, proceed below.
6. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the yams. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until topping is evenly browned. Serve immediately. Cool any leftovers, then cover and refrigerate.

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