Sweet Potato Soufflé

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, Published Nov 10, 2025

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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!

A casserole dish filled with sweet potato casserole, topped with toasted marshmallows and a nutty crumble. A metal spoon rests in the dish, showing a serving has been scooped out.

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!

A baked sweet potato casserole topped with a brown crumbly layer and a line of toasted mini marshmallows in the center, with a large serving spoon resting on one side. Two small decorative pumpkins are nearby.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Soufflé

I have lightened up the traditional recipe, using real maple syrup to sweeten the mash and using far less sugar in the crunchy topping. The result is still sweet but not overwhelmingly so, allowing the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes to shine through.

Sweet potatoes: I have roasted them to concentrate the flavor and keep the mash from turning watery. You can also use canned sweet potatoes if you like.
Maple syrup: Gentle sweetness and caramel notes that complement the sweet potato perfectly.
Vanilla extract: Use the real stuff, not essence if possible.
Melted butter: Used both in the filling and topping.
Milk: Whole milk or evaporated milk for rich, silky texture.
Eggs: Large eggs at room temperature.
Optional spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice.
For the topping: I used a medley of pecans, walnuts and almonds plus quick-cook oats, dark brown sugar, melted butter. Our family is on the fence about marshmallows, but I HAD to add a handful since my son loves them! Feel free to use or not.

A top view of various baking ingredients in bowls, including chopped nuts, pumpkin puree, butter, maple syrup, eggs, brown sugar, cream, marshmallows, oats, salt, and vanilla extract, arranged on a light surface.

How to make Sweet Potato Souflé

Roast the potatoes

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.

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 40-50 minutes or until soft and caramelized.

Note: You can bake the sweet potatoes up to three days ahead and keep chilled in an airtight container until needed.

Two images side by side: on the left, two whole sweet potatoes in an air fryer basket; on the right, a cooked sweet potato split open on a plate, revealing its orange interior.

Left: Three baked sweet potatoes with slits down the center on a white plate. Right: Peeled sweet potatoes and a large dollop of peanut butter in a mixing bowl with a mixer.

Prepare sweet potato filling

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.
Beat in the maple syrup and vanilla. Add the milk and eggs and beat on low speed until the mash is completely smooth.

Four images show steps of making sweet potato casserole: adding vanilla to mashed sweet potatoes, adding eggs and milk, blending the mixture with a mixer, and scooping the mixture into a baking dish.

Make the topping and assemble

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.
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.

Four-step collage showing a sweet potato soufflé being made: mixing melted butter with a pecan topping, spreading the topping on mashed sweet potatoes, adding mini marshmallows, and the finished baked casserole with toasted marshmallows.

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.

A rectangular baking dish filled with sweet potato souffle casserole, topped with pecan crumble and a diagonal line of toasted mini marshmallows. A serving has been scooped out, with a spoon resting in the dish.

👉 Please leave a comment and rating if you try this Sweet Potato Soufflé recipe, follow me on Pinterest for more easy recipes and don’t forget to tag me on @Instagram or TikTok so I can see your creations.

Sweet Potato Soufflé

What’s the Difference Between Sweet Potato Casserole and Soufflé?

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Soufflé