This Southern sweet potato soufflé is made with baked sweet potatoes whipped with butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cream until silky smooth and fluffy, then topped with a sweet, crunchy pecan streusel. It's rich, comforting, and the perfect sweet contrast to all the savory dishes on a holiday table!
Sweet potato soufflé is a Thanksgiving tradition in our family. My mother-in-law makes it every year, and it wouldn't feel like the holiday without it on the table! It's also easy to make ahead, which is a big help when you're juggling a turkey and a full spread of sides.
Jump to:
- Quick Look
- Why This Recipe Works
- Sweet Potato Souffle vs. Sweet Potato Casserole
- Ingredient Notes
- How to Make Sweet Potato Soufflé
- Scott's Tips
- Can I Make Sweet Potato Soufflé Ahead?
- Storage and Reheating
- Marshmallow Topping Variation
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- 📖 Recipe
- You May Also Like
Quick Look
- Total time: About 2 hours, including baking the sweet potatoes (plus time for them to cool)
- Key ingredients: Sweet potatoes, butter, white and brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, heavy cream, and a pecan streusel topping
- Flavor: Sweet, buttery, and lightly spiced, with a crunchy brown sugar pecan top
- Method: Bake and mash the sweet potatoes, whip them with the filling ingredients, add the streusel, and bake
- Serves: 10
- Make-ahead: Prep the filling and topping up to 24 hours ahead, then bake before serving
If you make this sweet potato soufflé for your holiday table, please leave a star rating and a comment below. I'd love to hear if it becomes a tradition at your house too!
Why This Recipe Works
- Baked sweet potatoes: Baking concentrates the natural sweetness and keeps the filling from getting watery, which can happen with boiled potatoes.
- Whipped for a fluffy texture: Beating the filling with the eggs and cream for a couple of minutes gives it that light, soufflé-like texture instead of a dense mash.
- A crunchy pecan streusel: The brown sugar and pecan topping adds a sweet crunch that contrasts with the smooth, creamy base.
- Make-ahead friendly: You can prep both the filling and the topping a day early, so there's one less thing to do on Thanksgiving.
Sweet Potato Souffle vs. Sweet Potato Casserole
A classic French soufflé gets its airy texture from whipped egg whites folded into the base. This Southern version isn't a true soufflé, since it uses whole eggs, but whipping the eggs into the sweet potatoes still makes the base lighter and fluffier.
A traditional sweet potato casserole usually doesn't have eggs mixed into the sweet potatoes, so the texture is thicker and heavier. Casseroles are also often topped with marshmallows, while a soufflé is usually finished with a pecan streusel like this one.
Ingredient Notes
- Sweet potatoes: I recommend baking the sweet potatoes to bring out their natural sweetness. You'll need 4 to 5 large sweet potatoes for about 6 cups mashed. You can also peel, cube, and boil them if you prefer. Just drain them very well and let them steam dry for a few minutes before mashing so the soufflé doesn't turn out watery.
- Heavy cream: Cream adds richness and makes the filling extra creamy. Half-and-half works too, but I don't recommend low-fat milk.
- Butter: The butter for both the filling and the topping needs to be very soft. Set it out at least an hour ahead so it comes to room temperature.
- Eggs: Let the eggs sit out with the butter. Room-temperature eggs blend in more smoothly and help the filling whip up fluffier.
- Pecans: Chop them finely so the streusel bakes into an even, crunchy layer.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Sweet Potato Soufflé
Plan Ahead: The sweet potatoes must be baked and cooled before proceeding with this recipe, so plan accordingly!
- Bake the sweet potatoes. Bake them in a 425°F oven for about 1 hour, until very soft. Let them cool to room temperature, then peel off the skins and mash the flesh in a large mixing bowl with a fork or potato masher.
- Whip the filling. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the butter, cream, white and brown sugar, vanilla, salt, and eggs to the sweet potatoes. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth, light, and fluffy.
- Make the streusel. In a separate bowl, stir together the pecans, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the softened butter with a fork, or use your fingers, until the mixture forms small crumbs.
- Assemble. Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly in a 2½-quart casserole dish, then sprinkle the pecan topping over the top in an even layer.
- Bake. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the soufflé is set in the center and the topping is golden brown. Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Scott's Tips
- Let the sweet potatoes cool completely: Warm sweet potatoes can start to cook the eggs when you mix them in. Cooling them first also makes them easier to peel.
- Don't skip the whipping: Beating the filling for a full couple of minutes is what gives the soufflé its light, fluffy texture.
- Get the butter soft: Very soft butter blends smoothly into the filling and is much easier to work into the streusel.
- Check the center: The soufflé is done when the center is set and no longer jiggles when you gently shake the dish.
Can I Make Sweet Potato Soufflé Ahead?
Yes! Sweet potato soufflé is a great make-ahead Thanksgiving side. You can prep it the day before and bake it right before dinner.
- Prep the filling: Make the sweet potato filling as directed, then cover and refrigerate it.
- Prep the topping: Make the pecan streusel in a separate bowl, then cover and refrigerate it too. Both can be made up to 24 hours ahead.
- Bake on the day: Take the filling out of the fridge about 30 minutes before baking so it can come closer to room temperature. Spread it in your casserole dish, add the topping, and bake as directed.
Storage and Reheating
Storage: Cover the cooled soufflé tightly, or move leftovers to an airtight container, and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat in a baking dish covered with foil in a 350°F oven until warmed through. Smaller portions can be reheated in the microwave.
Marshmallow Topping Variation
This traditional Southern sweet potato soufflé has a pecan streusel topping, but some people prefer marshmallows or a combination of the two.
To make it with a marshmallow topping, replace the streusel with mini marshmallows and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the marshmallows are lightly browned. This is also a good option if you need a nut-free version, or you can simply leave the pecans out of the streusel.
Frequently Asked Questions
The two are often confused or mislabeled. Sweet potatoes are larger, with smooth, reddish skin and soft, orange flesh. True yams are smaller, with rough, dark brown skin like tree bark and lighter, starchier flesh.
You can, but canned sweet potatoes are often packed in syrup, so reduce or leave out the sugar in the filling. Drain them well, too.
Extra moisture in the sweet potatoes is the usual cause. That's why I bake mine. If you boil them, drain them very well and let them steam dry for a few minutes before mashing.
I don't recommend it. The whipped texture doesn't hold up well after freezing and thawing. Make it a day ahead in the refrigerator instead.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
📖 Recipe
Sweet Potato Soufflé Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Soufflé
- 4 Tablespoons butter, ½ stick, softened to room temperature
- 4-5 large sweet potatoes, around 6 cups mashed
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup heavy cream, or half and half
- ½ teaspoon salt
Topping
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons butter, ½ stick, softened
Instructions
Bake the Sweet Potatoes
- Bake the sweet potatoes in a 425°F oven for 1 hour until very soft. Then let them cool to room temperature. Remove the skin from the cooled sweet potatoes, then add to a mixing bowl and mash them with a fork or potato masher.
Prepare the Soufflé
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Add the butter, cream, sugars, vanilla, salt, and eggs to the mashed sweet potatoes and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer until very smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, add the topping ingredients and stir together. Use a fork to cut the butter in until well combined and small crumbs have formed. You can use your hands for this if you prefer.
- Scrape the sweet potato purée into a 2½ quart casserole dish and spread evenly. Then sprinkle pecan topping over the potatoes in an even layer. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the soufflé is set and the top is browned. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Sweet potatoes: Bake and cool the sweet potatoes before you start. If you boil them instead, drain well and let them steam dry before mashing.
- Butter and eggs: Let both sit out until room temperature so the filling blends smoothly.
- Make-ahead: Refrigerate the filling and topping separately for up to 24 hours. Let the filling sit out for 30 minutes before assembling and baking.
- Marshmallow topping: Replace the streusel with mini marshmallows and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F.
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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