Vegan and Vegetarian
Sweet Potato Soufflé
Call it sweet potato soufflé or sweet potato casserole—either way it’s the holiday side that tastes like dessert. This version keeps the base silky and not too sweet – thanks to maple, vanilla, milk, and eggs – and crowns it with a toasty…
- Serves 8
Sweet Potato Soufflé topped with a crunchy pecan-oat streusel and a scattering of marshmallows. This crowd-pleasing sweet potato casserole bakes beautifully in the oven or the air fryer and deserves a spot on your Thanksgiving table!
Call it sweet potato soufflé or sweet potato casserole—either way it’s the holiday side that tastes like dessert. This version keeps the base silky and not too sweet – thanks to maple syrup, vanilla, milk, butter and eggs – and crowns it with a toasty pecan oat streusel, plus a light scatter of mini marshmallows to please EVERYONE.
Why you’ll ❤️ it
- Side-dish energy, dessert vibes
- Bake in the air fryer to free up the oven
- Not too sweet – lighter on the sugar
- Crunchy pecan-oat topping = texture win
- Make ahead friendly!
What’s the Difference Between Sweet Potato Casserole and Soufflé?
The terms are often used interchangeably so what’s the difference? Both of these dishes use a mashed sweet potato base and a sweet crunchy topping and both (sometimes) feature marshmallows.
The only slight difference is that a sweet potato soufflé has a super-smooth sweet potato mash enriched with eggs, making it lighter and more aerated. It’s not a true soufflé in culinary terms – do not expect it to puff up in the oven!
Bake the Soufflé
In the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the soufflé is set and the topping is a deep golden brown. Scatter with the marshmallows if using and place under the broiler for a couple of minutes until the are lightly toasted.
In an air fryer: Preheat to 340°F (170°C), place the baking dish in the air fryer basket and cook for 30 minutes. Add the marshmallows if using and increase the heat to maximum. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the marshmallows are toasted. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Serving suggestions: This sweet potato soufflé pairs beautifully with roast turkey and gravy, glazed ham, roast chicken, pork tenderloin, stuffing/dressing, cranberry sauce, green beans, roasted carrots, Brussels sprouts, soft dinner rolls or cornbread.
- Make Ahead: Make the filling and topping up to 2 days ahead and store in separate containers in the fridge. Assemble the casserole and bake.
- Storage: The soufflé keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge, covered. Reheat in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 12–18 minutes or in the air fryer at 300°F (150°C) 6–8 minutes.
Recipe
Sweet Potato Soufflé
Sweet Potato Soufflé topped with a crunchy pecan-oat streusel and a scattering of marshmallows. This crowd-pleasing sweet potato casserole bakes beautifully in the oven or the air fryer.
- Serves 8
Ingredients
For the filling
- 4 large sweet potatoes ((approx. 3 lbs / 1.3kg weight))
- ¾ cup (230ml) maple syrup
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter (, melted)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120ml) whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (, optional)
- ⅓ tsp salt
For the topping
- 1 cup (115g) chopped pecans (or a mix of walnuts, pecans and almonds)
- ½ cup (100g) dark brown sugar
- ⅔ cup + 1 tbsp (65g) quick-cook oats (See Note 1)
- ⅓ cup (75g) unsalted butter (, melted)
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 cup (50g) mini marshmallows ((optional))
Method
Roast the potatoes
- 1
In the oven: Preheat to 400°F (200°C). Rinse the sweet potatoes, dry thoroughly, pierce with a fork and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cook for45-60 minutes or until completely soft – a knife should easily pierce all the way through.
- 2
In the air fryer: Preheat to 375°F (190°C), place the sweet potatoes in the basket with space between them so the air can circulate. Air fry for 30-40 minutes, flipping over halfway, or until soft and caramelized.
Prepare sweet potato filling
- 3
Allow the potatoes to cool slightly then peel off the skins. Place the flesh into a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- 4
Beat in the maple syrup, butter and vanilla.
- 5
Add the milk, eggs, cinnamon and salt. and beat on low speed until the mash is completely smooth.
Make the topping and assemble
- 6
Place the chopped nuts, brown sugar, salt and oats in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add melted butter and stir together until small and larger clumps form to make the streusel topping.
- 7
Grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter. Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes into the baking dish and level. Sprinkle with the streusel to cover.
Bake the soufflé
- 8
In the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the soufflé is set and the topping is a deep golden brown. Scatter with the marshmallows if using and place under the broiler for a couple of minutes until they are lightly toasted.
- 9
In an air fryer: Preheat to 340°F (170°C), place the baking dish in the air fryer basket and cook for 30 minutes. Add the marshmallows if using and increase the heat to maximum. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the marshmallows are toasted. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Note 1: You can use ⅓ cup (45g) all-purpose flour instead of the oats. Make Ahead: Make the filling and topping up to 2 days ahead and store in separate containers in the fridge. Assemble the casserole and bake. Storage: The soufflé keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge, covered. Reheat in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 12–18 minutes or in the air fryer at 300°F (150°C) 6–8 minutes.
Equipment
- Digital scales
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing Bowl
- Cordless Hand Mixer
- Ninja Megazone Air Fryer
Nutrition
- Calories603 kcal
- Carbohydrates79 g
- Protein7 g
- Fat30 g
- Saturated Fat14 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat11 g
- Trans Fat1 g
- Cholesterol99 mg
- Sodium451 mg
- Potassium776 mg
- Fiber7 g
- Sugar44 g
- Vitamin A24809 IU
- Vitamin C4 mg
- Calcium141 mg
- Iron2 mg
