Using canned yams in this deliciously tropical casserole keeps things easy! It's a delicous addition to your traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- With just five easy minutes of prep, this homemade Southern dish features a delicious twist on your favorite traditional recipe.
- It's decadent enough to add to your holiday feast but quick enough to make for weeknight dinners when you're craving something magical.
- Learn to get the perfect, creamy sweet potato consistency, and find out why pineapple is a great addition to this Christmas dinner classic!
The best things about the holidays are the recipes that are passed down from generation to generation. These traditions help create memories that last.
One thing that makes family gatherings even better is being able to prepare dishes in advance.
With this easy pineapple sweet potato casserole recipe, you can cook ahead of time. That leaves you free to enjoy happy holiday memories with the people you love.
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- Canned yams or canned sweet potatoes will work just as well as fresh, cooked sweet potatoes—use whatever you prefer.
- Want to keep the dish a little less sweet? Adjust the amount of brown sugar in the potatoes and the topping. You can reduce it by up to half.
- Only have walnuts in your pantry? That's okay! Feel free to use those, or you can skip nuts completely for an allergy-friendly dish.
- Some people like to use mini marshmallows for added sweetness—it is the holidays, after all! Add them during the last few minutes of baking.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Whip the sweet potatoes, butter, and eggs. Spread in a greased casserole dish and top with pineapple rings.
- Sprinkle the pecans and dried cranberries on top of the casserole.
- Dust with brown sugar and pour the melted butter and cinnamon on top.
- Bake until heated through.
🎥 Video
🥫 How to store leftovers
You can assemble this a few days ahead of time to keep holiday prep easier.
Refrigerate
Refrigerate pineapple sweet potato casserole in an airtight container and enjoy within four to five days.
You can also just cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap—I do this when I'm too tired to wash dishes!
Freeze
To freeze, I suggest sealing the casserole with a layer of plastic and then a layer of aluminum foil. It will keep well for about three months.
Reheat
To enjoy your leftovers, place the frozen casserole in the fridge overnight to thaw. Then, reheat small portions in the microwave or use the oven 'til it's warmed through.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Although it may seem odd to add eggs to a sweet potato casserole recipe, it's an important step! Eggs add lift and structure to the mashed sweet potatoes, making the casserole souffle-like. They also enhance the creamy texture.
- If you use fresh yams or sweet potatoes, be sure to wash and peel them.
- On the other hand, you can use canned yams to make prep faster. However, be sure to drain them of the liquid really well.
- Set the pineapple rings on a paper towel-lined plate while you prep the rest of the dish to get rid of excess moisture.
- Save the pineapple juice and use it to make pineapple sangria or easy Hawaiian BBQ chicken. Keep it in the fridge for a week or freezer for months.
- To make this recipe ahead of time, store the sweet potato filling in an airtight container for up to three days. When you're ready to bake, add the toppings and throw it in the oven!
👩🍳 FAQs
Not exactly, no. Yams actually have a white interior and are a little less sweet than sweet potatoes. Thankfully, what's often marketed in US grocery stores as canned yams are actually sweet potatoes—so you can use them both interchangeably in this casserole recipe.
Nope! Drain and pat dry some crushed pineapple. Then, stir it into the sweet potato mixture. I don't think it's quite as pretty this way, but it'll still taste fabulous!
The goal is to cook the sweet potato filling enough so that it's set and hot all the way through. Follow the timeline in the recipe card, and you'll be good to go!
It absolutely does! The citrusy flavor balances the earthy sweetness of the potatoes. In fact, many sweet potato casserole recipes add a pinch of orange juice, so this is a similar twist.
📚 Related recipes
- With a flavorful bourbon and vanilla kick, Bourbon Sweet Potato Crunch Casserole is a holiday game-changer. We love an updated classic!
- Switch up the consistency while maintaining the same yummy flavor. Try Sweet and Spicy Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes this year.
- Hop on the holiday pie bandwagon and serve Southern Sweet Potato Pie. It’s a guaranteed dessert hit and easy to prep ahead of time.
- Here are more of my favorite Thanskgiving side dish recipes.
🍽️ Serve with...
- Ham and Cheese Biscuits are a great way to use up holiday ham. Plus, the flavors go perfectly with a quick pineapple sweet potato casserole!
- It's not a proper holiday feast without some Baked Macaroni and Cheese. This classic side tastes just as good as Mom's used to.
- Wear your stretchy pants and finish off dinner with delicious Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Bread Pudding—it's a must-try for the holidays.
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📞 The last word
It doesn't get better than this easy sweet potato casserole with pineapple rings, pecans, and dried cranberries!
It's all the flavors of Thanksgiving and a nice change from classic sweet potato casserole. I don't know about you but I can always use another delicious side dish on the table.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars!
📖 Recipe
Sweet Potato Pineapple Casserole
Print Pin Recipe SaveIngredients
- 40 ounces cooked yams, drained if canned
- ½ cup butter, melted, divided use
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 20 ounces pineapple rings in juice, drained and reserve the juice for something else.
- ¼ cup chopped pecans, more to taste
- ¼ cup dried cranberries, more to taste
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Spray a 6-cup casserole dish with no-stick cooking spray.
- Whip the sweet potatoes with ¼ cup butter, and eggs until smooth and creamy.
- Transfer mixture into the casserole dish and top with pineapple rings.
- Sprinkle the cranberries and pecans evenly over the top.
- Sprinkle with the brown sugar.
- Mix the cinnamon and remaining butter and drizzle over the top.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes until casserole is heated through.
Notes
- If you use fresh yams or sweet potatoes, be sure to wash and peel them.
- On the other hand, you can use canned yams to make prep faster. However, be sure to drain them of the liquid really well.
- Set the pineapple rings on a paper towel-lined plate while you prep the rest of the dish to get rid of excess moisture.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Ellina Chernobilsky
Sounds delicious!!! Making it today for a Thanksgiving feast with my family. Thank you for an easy and yammie recipe.