A fluffy brown butter sweet potato soufflé topped with a crunchy brown sugar pecan sage crumble, toasted brown sugar meringue, and a caramelized cinnamon sugar brûlée. A fun, elevated twist on the classic Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole!
Sweet potato casserole has always been one of those Thanksgiving dishes that walks the very fine line between side dish and dessert, and personally, I see absolutely nothing wrong with that! This version has everything I love about the classic, but with a few little upgrades. Roasting the sweet potatoes gives them a deeper, caramelized flavor, while brown butter adds richness to the fluffy soufflé-like filling. The pecan crumble brings a buttery crunch, and fresh sage adds just enough savory flavor to balance all that sweetness.
And instead of the usual marshmallows, we're making a homemade brown sugar Swiss meringue. It's thick, glossy, and piled high in big fluffy swoops before getting a dusting of cinnamon sugar and a little attention from the kitchen torch. Finish with crispy sage and toasted pecans, and you've got a sweet potato casserole that's dressed for the occasion!
Here are the Ingredients for this Brown Butter Sweet Potato Brûlée:
Produce: Sweet Potatoes, Fresh Sage
Dairy: Unsalted Butter, Salted Butter, Heavy Cream
Eggs: Large Eggs, Egg Whites
Nuts: Pecans
Baking & Pantry: All-Purpose Flour, Light Brown Sugar, Dark Brown Sugar, Superfine Sugar, Vanilla Extract
Spices & Seasonings: Ground Cinnamon, Ground Nutmeg, Kosher Salt, Flaky Sea Salt
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Brown Butter Sweet Potato Brûlée
A fluffy brown butter sweet potato soufflé topped with a crunchy brown sugar pecan sage crumble, toasted brown sugar meringue, and a caramelized cinnamon sugar brûlée. A fun, elevated twist on the classic Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole!
Ingredients
- 4 lbs sweet potatoes (about 5–7 medium)
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 5 tbsp cold salted butter, cubed
- 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 4 large egg whites
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Cinnamon Sugar (can make my mixing some white sugar with a pinch of cinnamon)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and lightly rub the cut sides with butter or neutral oil. Arrange cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 35–50 minutes, until completely tender and caramelized. Allow to cool slightly, then scoop the flesh from the skins. Let sit for 5–10 minutes to release excess moisture. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, stirring occasionally until it turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat.
- Add the roasted sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl along with the browned butter, heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth and fluffy. Once the mixture has cooled slightly, beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Spread evenly into a buttered 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, combine the pecans, flour, dark brown sugar, chopped sage, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and work it into the dry ingredients using your fingers or a pastry cutter until coarse crumbles form. Sprinkle evenly over the sweet potato filling, leaving some larger clusters for extra crunch.
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for 35–45 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges with just a slight jiggle in the center and the crumble is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15–20 minutes before adding the meringue.
- Fill a saucepan with 1–2 inches of water and bring to a gentle simmer. In a clean, heatproof bowl, combine the egg whites and brown sugar. Place the bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom does not touch the water. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160°F, approximately 4–7 minutes. Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed for 5–8 minutes, until thick, glossy, and stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla and salt toward the end.
- Spoon the meringue over the baked casserole in large, fluffy dollops. Use the back of a spoon to create dramatic swoops and peaks, leaving little pockets of the pecan sage crumble exposed.
- In a small bowl, combine the superfine sugar and cinnamon. Lightly sprinkle over the meringue, then use a kitchen torch to toast the peaks and caramelize the cinnamon sugar until golden brown. Work carefully, keeping the torch moving to prevent burning. Serve warm!
Notes
Make Ahead Tips: This casserole is perfect for prepping ahead of Thanksgiving! Roast the sweet potatoes and prepare the soufflé filling up to 2 days in advance. Spread into a buttered baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate. The pecan sage crumble can also be made ahead and stored separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, sprinkle the crumble over the sweet potatoes and bake at 350°F for 40–50 minutes, or until the center is set and the topping is golden brown. Prepare the brown sugar meringue the day of serving, ideally just before serving, for the fluffiest texture. Finish with cinnamon sugar, toast, and garnish.
If You Don't Have a Kitchen Torch: Once the casserole is fully baked, prepare the meringue and spread it over the top in large, fluffy swoops. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon sugar, then place the casserole under the oven broiler on a rack approximately 6–8 inches from the heating element. Broil for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, watching constantly, until the meringue is golden brown and the cinnamon sugar begins to caramelize. Rotate the dish if needed for even browning. Let cool slightly before garnishing with crispy sage and pecans.
Note: Make sure your baking dish is broiler-safe before using this method. Some enameled baking dishes, particularly certain ceramic or enameled cast iron pieces, are not recommended for direct broiler heat. Also, the broiler will toast the meringue but may not create the same crisp brûléed sugar finish as a torch.
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