Healthier Sweet Potato Casserole with Cinnamon Pear Balsamic and a Meringue Topping

Tradition calls for festive dishes like candied yams during the holidays but if you want a break from the butter-laden sweet potatoes smothered in overly sweet marshmallows we have an alternative that you will absolutely love. The inspiration came from a recipe we found on the Eating Well website but we tweaked it a bit using our own Butter Olive Oil. Additionally, this lighter healthier sweet potato casserole version gets a lot of its sweetness from crushed pineapple and our Cinnamon Pear balsamic vinegar. To top it off, we made an airy, lightly sweet meringue instead of the usual marshmallows. It was very easy to do; you can pipe it onto the casserole using a zipper-locking bag or just spread it on with a spatula. Give it a try this holiday season and you’ll find it just as delicious; even the kids asked for seconds!

INGREDIENTS

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

• 2½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into about 2-inch pieces
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon Olive This! Butter Olive Oil, plus a drizzle for the casserole dish
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons Olive This! Cinnamon Pear Balsamic Vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 8-ounce can of crushed pineapple, with juices
• ½ cup chopped toasted pecans

MERINGUE TOPPING

• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 2-inch chunks. Place into a large saucepan or stockpot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until chunks are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside to cool a bit.

Meanwhile, toast the chopped pecans by placing them in a dry skillet over low heat. Toss occasionally for about 15 minutes (while the potatoes are boiling).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare the casserole dish (8-inch square or similar 2-quart oven safe dish) by brushing a drizzle of the butter olive oil on the bottom and sides.

Transfer sweet potatoes to a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the can of crushed pineapple along with its juices. Pulse in the food processer about 10-15 times and then process until smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, evaporated milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, Butter olive oil, salt and Cinnamon Pear balsamic vinegar. Add the sweet potato mixture and stir to combine well.

Spread the sweet potato mixture into prepared casserole dish and bake until the edges are slightly bubbling, about 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

For the meringue topping, pour two egg whites into a clean bowl. Use a clean electric or stand mixer at high speed until soft peaks begin to form. Drizzle the granulated sugar into the mixture in a slow steady stream. Transfer the meringue into a pastry bag or if you don’t have one, use a zipper-locking bag. Cut about ¼- to ½-inch off one of the bottom corners of the zipper-locking bag. Alternatively, once the meringue is done you can simply spread it over the casserole in the next step.

Keeping the oven rack in middle position, turn on your broiler. Sprinkle the toasted pecans over the baked casserole. Dot with the meringue across the top, or if not using a pastry bag, spoon on and spread evenly.

Place casserole on oven rack under the broiler. Do not go anywhere. This will be quick (about 1 minute depending on your broiler) so you’ll want to keep an eye on it. We left the light on and kept opening the door; which is fine when broiling. Once the meringue is lightly browned, remove. Enjoy!

MAKES 8-10 SERVINGS

Have a comment? We’d love to hear from you. Have you tried this dish? Do you have a variation that you think others will enjoy? Leave us a comment below.