Sweet potato casserole is a must at any holiday feast, but add a touch of wood smoke, and it goes next-level. Creamy, buttery sweet potatoes meet toasted marshmallows and a kiss of smoke for a side that’s rich, sweet, and downright irresistible.

Whether it’s part of your Thanksgiving lineup or a star at your next cookout, this smoked sweet potato casserole proves the smoker isn’t just for meat.

Why I love smoking this sweet potato casserole

• Oven space – Frees up your kitchen oven for all those other dishes.
• Perfect texture combo – Creamy mashed sweet potatoes meet crunchy walnuts and gooey toasted marshmallows.
• Easy to make ahead – Prep it up to three days before and smoke when it’s time to serve.
• Crowd-pleaser for any occasion – Great for Thanksgiving, potlucks, or your next BBQ spread.
• Simple ingredients, big flavor – No fancy steps, just classic pantry staples that taste incredible when smoked.

Testing this smoked sweet potato casserole

After plenty of testing, here are the tweaks and discoveries that have made this sweet potato casserole even better:

In previous versions of this recipe, I said to add the marshmallows before putting the potatoes in the smoker and then smoking them at a higher temperature. I’ve found that I wasn’t able to get as much smoke flavor on the sweet potatoes with that method. I now smoke the sweet potatoes at a lower temperature (250°F) for the first hour, then add the marshmallows, kicking up the temperature of the smoker to 400°F to get them nice and toasty. 

I also used to add the walnuts as a layer beneath the marshmallows, but it’s hard to get an even distribution of walnuts this way. I’ve switched to adding the walnuts during the mashing process to ensure they’re well-incorporated throughout the potatoes, then I add additional walnuts on top of the marshmallows at the end for a bit of extra texture.

I’ve also switched to using salted butter in lieu of unsalted. I don’t typically keep unsalted butter in the house, and I’ve found that salted butter doesn’t change the flavor much, so I’ve decided to use what I’ve got. 

Ingredients you’ll need

• Sweet potatoes – 4-5 large sweet potatoes. If you prefer to use canned sweet potatoes, skip the boiling process.
• Butter – salted.
• Brown sugar – You can substitute molasses or honey, but brown sugar will give the best flavor.
• Vanilla extract – Vanilla extract adds a touch of sweetness and vanilla flavor to the potatoes.
• Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon amplifies the fall flavor of this dish, but if you want even more, you could add nutmeg, pumpkin spice, or cloves.
• Salt and pepper
• Walnuts – Chopped walnuts add a nice crunch and earthiness, as well as help to balance the sweetness of the other ingredients.
• Marshmallows – The finishing touch for this dish is a layer of toasty marshmallows right on top. I like to use mini marshmallows for this casserole, but you can substitute full-sized marshmallows if preferred.

What if I don’t have a smoker?

You can make this on a grill or even in your oven. The only thing that will be missing is the smoky flavor.

If you opt to use a grill, you can cook the casserole at 350°F for 30-45 minutes because you don’t need to start as low for the smoke flavor.

How to make smoked sweet potato casserole

1. Prep the sweet potatoes

Peel the sweet potatoes.

Use a sharp knife to chop them up into chunks. You want to shoot for about 1” to 1-½” thick pieces.

I’ve found that laying the knife on top of the sliced potatoes and using the palm of my hand to smack down on the top of the knife is the easiest way to cut through. Sweet potatoes can be more dense than other varieties of potato, so a sharp knife is key – but don’t be afraid to give them a little whack!

Once you have chopped your sweet potatoes into chunks, add them to a stockpot with water.

Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the sweet potatoes simmer for about 20 minutes, or until they are fork-tender.

Once nice and tender, strain them in a colander and then add them back to the stockpot.

2. Mash

Add the butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, walnuts, cinnamon, salt, and pepper to the pot, and mash with a potato masher until creamy and well combined.

Some people like to leave chunks throughout, but I prefer that the mixture be smooth. It all depends on your personal preference.

Once the mixture is smooth and creamy, you can transfer it to an oven-safe casserole dish or aluminum pan.

Use the back of your spoon to smooth out the mixture on top so that it cooks evenly.

3. Fire up the smoker

Preheat your smoker to 250°F.

Place the casserole dish on the grates for one hour to allow for the sweet potatoes to soak up a good amount of smoke flavor.

After an hour, you should notice that the tops of the potatoes have darkened slightly. This is a good sign that they’ve gotten nice and smoky.

Take your marshmallows and spread them out over the top of your potatoes.

Kick up the temperature of the smoker to 400°F and let the casserole continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes to let the marshmallows get nice and toasty on top.

You’ll know it’s done once they are golden brown all over. 

The finishing touch is another sprinkle of walnuts on top for a bit more crunch, and it’s ready to enjoy!

This smoked sweet potato casserole takes a holiday classic and gives it that backyard BBQ edge. The creamy sweet potatoes, hint of smoke, and toasted topping make it the perfect balance of comfort and flavor.

If you make this version of one of your go-to sides, let us know in the comments how it compares and leave a star review.

Serve with these Thanksgiving classics

Twice Smoked Spiral Ham

Easy Smoked Turkey Breast: Texas Style

Smoked Turkey Wings (Dino Wings)

How to Smoke Turkey on a Pellet Grill

Print

Smoked Sweet Potato Casserole

Creamy sweet potatoes, buttery flavor, and toasted marshmallows come together for the ultimate sweet-and-savory crowd-pleaser, perfect for Thanksgiving or your next cookout.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 463kcal

Author Breanna Stark

Ingredients

• 3 lbs sweet potatoes
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 1 stick butter salted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp Kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 cup walnuts chopped, plus extra for topping
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows

Instructions

• Preheat your smoker to 250°F.
• Peel and chop the sweet potato into chunks about 1” to 1-½” thick. Try to keep the chunks as uniform as possible for even cooking.
• Add the cubed potatoes to a pot of water and bring it to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and let the potatoes simmer for 20 minutes until fork-tender.
• Strain the sweet potatoes into a colander and return them to the same pot that you boiled them in.
• Add the butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, Kosher salt, black pepper, and walnuts to the pot.
• Use a potato masher to mash the mixture until it’s smooth and creamy, then transfer the mashed sweet potatoes to an oven-safe casserole dish. Smooth the top out with a spoon.
• Place the casserole dish in the smoker and let the sweet potatoes smoke for one hour.
• Add the mini marshmallows to the top of the sweet potatoes, then increase the heat of the smoker to 400°F.
• Let them smoke for another 15-20 minutes until the tops of the marshmallows are golden brown and slightly crispy.
• Remove from the smoker, sprinkle with extra walnuts, and serve immediately.

Notes

Do I have to peel the sweet potato? We advise peeling it as the unpeeled sweet potato will change the texture of the dish and it may not be as smooth.

What type of wood should I use? Use mild woods like pecan, maple, or apple to complement the sweetness of the sweet potatoes without overpowering them.

Can I make this ahead of time? Yes! You can make it at least 3 days in advance and store it in your refrigerator until you are ready to smoke. 

Can I make this recipe in the oven instead? Of course, you can go the traditional route and make this recipe in the oven – but I prefer the smoker because it adds an extra layer of smoky flavor that really takes the dish up a notch. Plus, it saves room in the oven/kitchen for all of the other amazing Thanksgiving food that you are whipping up!

Nutrition

Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 346mg | Potassium: 672mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 24489IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 2mg