Pineapple Sweet Potato Casserole

Every Southern Thanksgiving table seems to have its own version of the marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole, and this one swaps the usual brown sugar and pecan praline for a brighter combination of pineapple and orange juice. The fruit cuts the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes so the dish doesn’t taste like dessert masquerading as a side, even with marshmallows on top.

The technique is straightforward: mash, stir, bake, finish. The orange juice loosens the potatoes into a fluffy, almost whipped texture when beaten with the butter, and crushed pineapple folded in adds little juicy pockets throughout. The marshmallows go on near the end of baking so they melt and brown without burning. Pulling them off in those last 10 to 15 minutes is the make-or-break window. Set a timer.

Adding chopped walnuts and pineapple spears alongside the marshmallows turns this into something more Sunday-best looking.

Pro Tips

• Drain the crushed pineapple thoroughly. Excess juice waters down the casserole and keeps the marshmallows from setting.
• Roast the sweet potatoes instead of boiling for deeper flavor and a drier mash that holds up to the wet additions.
• Beat the potatoes with the orange juice until truly fluffy. A dense mash makes a heavy casserole.
• Watch the marshmallows like a hawk in the final minutes. They go from golden to charred in under a minute.

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the mash for a spiced holiday version.
• Top with a brown sugar and pecan streusel instead of marshmallows for a praline finish.
• Stir in a splash of bourbon with the orange juice for an adults-only twist.