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an orange sweet potato casserole with small pineapple pieces in the filling and a thin golden buttery-cracker crust in an ordinary baking dish
Rachel Kim

Canned Yam Sweet Potato Casserole

Canned sweet potatoes are already cooked, which saves time but makes draining the most important step in the recipe. Let the syrup run off thoroughly before you mash, and drain the pineapple too so the filling doesn't loosen into a sweet puddle. The fruit gives this version a little tartness under a buttery cracker crust. There's no extra sugar in the filling because the canned potatoes have already spent time in syrup. If the can says yam, check that the contents are the familiar orange sweet potatoes; a true tropical yam is a different ingredient with a different texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups drained canned cut sweet potatoes in light syrup from about two 29-oz cans
  • 1 can crushed pineapple 8 oz, drained thoroughly
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted, for filling
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup crushed buttery round crackers
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter melted, for topping
  • 1 tsp unsalted butter for the dish

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 2-quart baking dish. Drain the canned sweet potatoes in a colander for 10 minutes, then measure 4 cups; drain and gently press the pineapple separately.
  2. Mash the sweet potatoes until mostly smooth. Mix in eggs, filling butter, milk, salt, cinnamon and vanilla.
  3. Fold in the drained pineapple and spread the mixture in the baking dish.
  4. Toss cracker crumbs with the topping butter and scatter over the filling. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the crust is golden and the center reaches 160°F.
  5. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving so the fruit-studded filling holds together on the spoon.