Baked Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

a black, oblong baking dish fill of baked sweet potato casserole with a spoonful held above

Baked Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

Course: Side Dish, vegetable

Cuisine: Compliments many cuisines

Prep Time: 50 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Servings: people

Calories: 463kcal

Baked sweet potatoes and apples are combined with butter and maple syrup. Topped with brown butter and pecan streusel.

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Equipment

baking dish
2 sheet pans
skillet

Ingredients

Brown Butter and Pecan Streusel

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned
1 cup all-purpose flour 5 ounces/133 grams
1 cup chopped pecans 3.6 ounces/102 grams
1 cup oats 3.2 ounces/100 grams
½ cup brown sugar 2.5 ounces/68 grams
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Sweet Potatoes and Apples

5 sweet potatoes 3 pounds/1330 grams
3 Granny Smith apples 1½ pounds/730 grams
¼ cup melted butter 4 tablespoons
¼ cup maple syrup
1½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

Brown Butter and Pecan Streusel

Place a full stick of butter (8 tablespoons) in a small skillet. With the heat on medium, let the butter melt. You will see a lot of bubbles and the milk solids will rise to the top. Occasionally scrape the bottom of the pan to see if any of the milk solids are turning brown. Soon the white bubbles will turn into a foam on top of the butter. At this point, the butter should be turning a nutty brown color and a lot of brown residue is on the bottom of the pan. Pour the butter into a container off of the heat along with the brown bits. The color of the butter will continue to get darker because of carryover cooking. Let cool while continuing with the rest of the recipe.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, chopped pecans, oats, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the browned butter, stirring until all dry ingredients are coated. Makes 2½ cups.

Baked Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

Preheat oven to 375 °.
Generously butter a baking dish and set it aside.
Cover the sheet pans with foil. Prick the sweet potato with a fork on all sides, about 8-10 times. The sweet potatoes will leach some liquid as they bake. The foil will prevent them from sticking to the pan. Put in the oven for 50 minutes.
Core three Granny Smith apples and cut in half. Lay cut side down on the sheet pans. Place in the oven when the sweet potatoes have baked for 30 minutes.
After 50 minutes take both sheet pans out of the oven. The apples will appear to have almost melted. Remove the peel and remove any cooked flesh that still adheres to it. Place the apple flesh and all that is on the sheet pan into a medium-sized bowl. If there is any juice from the apples, pour that into the bowl as well. The only thing you are not using is the peel.
When the sweet potatoes have cooled enough to handle them, remove and discard the peel. Put the sweet potato in the same bowl as the apples. Mash together. How chunky is up to you.
Combine ¼ cup of melted butter, ¼ cup of maple syrup, 1 ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice.
Add the butter mixture to the mashed sweet potatoes/apples. Once completely mixed, spoon into the prepared baking dish.
Crumble the streusel on top of the sweet potato/apple mash. Cover the entire surface. You will probably have streusel leftover. It can be frozen and used at a later time.
Cover the baking dish with foil. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
After 40 minutes, remove the foil and put the baking dish back in the oven for approximately 20 minutes. Make sure the streusel has browned and that the interior of the casserole is 165 degrees. If it is not, put the baking dish back in the oven. Check after 5 minutes to see if the top is brown.
The casserole can sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. It retains its heat for a while.

Notes

This recipe can be prepared ahead of time.

Baking the sweet potatoes and apples can be done the day before. The streusel can be made at any time and frozen until you are ready to use it. Just defrost before sprinkling on the casserole.

The casserole can be prepared the day before. Take out of the refrigerator about 45 minutes before baking so that it isn't really cold going into the oven.

The baking times are approximate due to the size and shape of the sweet potatoes and the apples. Check the potatoes at the 45-minute mark and make adjustments. Check the apples after 15 minutes and make adjustments as well.

Nutrition