Fluffy BBQ-Style Sweet Potato Casserole

This version keeps the potatoes buttery and lightly salted, with all the sweetness living in a chunky brown‑sugar nut topping. It bakes in a pan and gets scooped with a disher, just like the restaurant version from Sauced BBQ in Lafayette, CA.

Snapshot

• Implements: sheet pan or wire rack; parchment paper; mixing bowl; hand mixer (or very sturdy whisk); rubber spatula; ricer (optional, for silky texture); 9×5 loaf pan (hotel‑pan vibe) or 1‑quart baking dish
• Oven: 400°F / 205°C for roasting potatoes (45–75 minutes), then 350°F / 175°C for baking (20–30 minutes), finish at 400°F for 3–6 minutes
• Batch size: see “Choose your pan & base amounts” below

Ingredients

Choose your pan & base amounts

A) 9×5 loaf pan (~8‑cup volume), fills ~⅔ up the sides

(yields ~6–8 BBQ‑style side servings; ~5–5½ cups whipped base)

• Sweet potatoes: 2½–2¾ lb (1.1–1.25 kg), whole, unpeeled
• Salted butter: 5 Tbsp (70 g), softened
• Heavy cream or half‑and‑half: 3–6 Tbsp (45–90 ml), to loosen (roasted flesh is drier, may need slightly more)
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt: ¾ tsp (use a bit less if your butter is very salty)

B) 1‑quart baking dish (~4‑cup volume), fills ~⅔ up the sides

(yields ~3–4 side servings; ~2⅔–3 cups whipped base)

• Sweet potatoes: 1¼–1½ lb (565–680 g), whole, unpeeled
• Salted butter: 3 Tbsp (42 g), softened
• Heavy cream or half‑and‑half: 2–4 Tbsp (30–60 ml), to loosen (roasted flesh is drier, may need slightly more)
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt: ½ tsp

Per‑cup base formula (easy scaling): For every 1 cup (230–240 g) mashed roasted sweet potato: 1 Tbsp (14 g) salted butter, 1–1½ Tbsp (15–22 ml) heavy cream or half‑and‑half, ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (use slightly less if using Morton).

Base is savory. No sugar, no cinnamon, no vanilla—sweetness is only in the topping.

Toasted nut topping (nut‑forward; browns reliably)

• Chopped walnuts or pecans: 1 cup (115–120 g) — toast first
• Light brown sugar: ⅓ cup (67 g)
• All‑purpose flour: 1 Tbsp (8 g) (use 2 Tbsp/16 g for a more crumbly, less nut‑forward top)
• Softened butter: 2 Tbsp (28 g) (softened, not melted)
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt: pinch

Note: This nut mixture also makes an excellent coffee cake topping. See my Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake Loaf recipe.

Method

1. Prep & toast the nuts.

   Heat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Spread chopped nuts on a sheet pan and toast 6–8 minutes until just fragrant and a shade deeper. Cool completely (warm nuts will melt the streusel butter).

2. Roast the sweet potatoes (drier, sweeter base).

   Heat oven to 400°F / 205°C.

   Scrub and poke each potato 4–6 times with a fork. Roast whole, unpeeled on a parchment‑lined sheet pan or wire rack until completely tender: 45–75 minutes depending on size, or 205–210°F internal.

   Cool 10 minutes, split, scoop out the flesh, and discard skins.

   Optional but recommended for silky, fluffy texture: Press through a ricer or mash well to break up any strings.

   Proceed to Step 3 (whipping).

   Note: Roasted flesh is drier than boiled/steamed, so expect to use a touch more cream to reach the same “soft‑mashed” fluff.

3. Whip the base (precise cream‑mixing sequence).

   Keep the mixing sequence you’re using now; just follow these per‑cup ratios so you can hit the exact texture no matter your yield.

   Per‑cup base formula (easy scaling): For every 1 cup (230–240 g) mashed roasted sweet potato: 1 Tbsp (14 g) salted butter, 1–1½ Tbsp (15–22 ml) heavy cream or half‑and‑half, ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (use slightly less if using Morton).

   • 3a. Start the whip without cream: Move the roasted potato flesh to a mixing bowl. Add softened butter and salt. Beat on low–medium for 30–60 seconds until mostly smooth and beginning to look fluffy. Scrape the bowl.

   • 3b. Add cream gradually: With the mixer on low, add cream 1 Tbsp at a time, beating 10–15 seconds after each addition. Stop when the texture is like soft mashed potatoes—peaks slump slowly, not runny. (Roasted flesh is drier, so you may need slightly more cream than with boiled potatoes. Small pan usually needs 2–4 Tbsp; loaf pan 3–6 Tbsp.)

   • 3c. Final aeration: Bump speed to medium for 20–30 seconds to add a little air. Taste for salt.

   • 3d. Pan & cool: Spread into your pan, smoothing gently (don’t press the air out). Cool 5 minutes so the topping won’t melt on contact.

   Target volumes for pan height:

   • 9×5 loaf pan (~8 cups) → ~5–5½ cups whipped base (⅔ up the sides)
   • 1‑quart dish (~4 cups) → ~2⅔–3 cups whipped base (⅔ up the sides)

   Roast an extra small potato as insurance; you can hold any extra mash covered in the fridge for tomorrow’s breakfast win.

4. Make the topping.

   In a bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, salt, and the cooled toasted nuts. Rub in the softened butter with fingers/fork until pebbly clumps form. Chill 10 minutes so the crumbs hold their shape.

5. Assemble & bake.

   Blanket the potatoes with the topping. Bake on the upper‑middle rack until the edges bubble and the top looks set:

   • 1‑quart dish: 20–25 minutes
   • 9×5 loaf pan: 25–30 minutes

6. Finish & serve.

   Increase to 400°F for 3–6 minutes (or a short broil) to brown the sugars. Rest 10 minutes, then scoop with a disher into warm bowls.

Notes, swaps, and guardrails

Why whip instead of bake with eggs?

Whipping the potatoes with butter and a bit of cream (and skipping eggs) keeps the base light and fluffy even after baking. It won’t set into a firm slice like a custard; it stays soft enough to scoop from a larger pan, just like the restaurant version.

Walnuts vs. pecans

Use whichever nut you like more:

• Walnuts lean a little earthier and are very close to what some menus list.
• Pecans skew sweeter and more classic “sweet potato casserole.”

Either way, keep the pieces on the chunky side so the topping has texture.

All sweetness up top

• If using dark brown sugar, add +1 tsp flour to the topping to keep crumbs distinct.
• Extra crunch insurance: Add 1–2 Tbsp panko or rolled oats to the topping.
• Pan height target: The weights above give ~⅔‑full in each pan before topping; that’s the right visual for a generous scoop.
• If the top looks glossy at 15–18 minutes: Lightly dust 1–2 tsp flour over shiny patches and finish on the top rack.

Make‑ahead and reheat

You can assemble the casserole earlier in the day:

• Assemble completely, cover, and refrigerate.
• Bake straight from the fridge at 350°F (put your ceramic pan into a cold oven, not a preheated one, you don’t want to crack it!), adding 5–10 extra minutes until hot and bubbling.
• Leftovers reheat nicely in the oven (covered) or microwave; they’ll be softer but still very scoopable.

Reheating the whole pan

Note: A ceramic lid traps steam and drips condensation back onto the nut topping. A loose foil tent sheds that moisture down the sides and keeps the crumbs from getting soggy.

1. Start safe for ceramic: Put the cold dish on a sheet tray and into a cold oven.

2. Cover: Tent with foil so it doesn’t touch the topping; crimp the edges lightly. If you want, poke 2–3 tiny vent holes in the foil.

3. Heat: Set to 325°F (163°C) and bake until the center is hot—aim for 165°F / 74°C. For a 2‑quart pan that’s ~½–⅔ full, expect 30–40 minutes from the moment you turn the oven on.

4. Crisp: Remove foil, move to the top rack, go 400°F for 4–8 minutes (or a brief broil) to re‑crisp the topping.

5. Rest 5–10 minutes, then scoop.