The Only Topping You Need For Transcendent Sweet Potato Soufflé

Traditional sweet potato casserole recipes can be elevated with eggs and converted into fluffy, elegant soufflés that will upgrade any dining table. The velvety recipe made from puréed sweet potatoes blossoms in the oven and, when topped with the right ingredients, it can become an almost transcendent tasting experience. Spooning into one of these treats will have you wondering if you're eating an actual dessert or a serving of vegetables.

While some sweet potato casseroles also offer whipped recipe alternatives, count on soufflés to consistently deliver light, atmospheric dishes. When crunchy, buttery toasted nuts are sprinkled on it, the fluffy dish presents the perfect pairing of textured sweetness.

To take your sweet potato soufflé-making attempts to the next level, give each serving its rightfully deserved crown of chopped toasted pecans. Mixing pecan pieces with melted butter, brown sugar, flour, and salt will have you serving up a dish that's difficult to put down.

With a bit of preparation, the nuts you top your soufflé with will yield a dish with a satisfying combination of sugary, salty crunch and velvety spoonfuls of aromatic sweet potatoes. Depending on how many guests you're aiming to serve, measure 1 cup of pecans to 3 to 4 tablespoons of butter. While you can use brown sugar to sweeten the nuts, you can also substitute with your choice of sugar alternatives (honey or agave syrup lend tempting sweetness to the nutty topping). 

Toss melted butter and nuts together, mix in your sweetener of choice, add a touch of salt, and spoon in approximately 2 tablespoons of all–purpose flour. Sprinkle this nutty mixture on top of the soufflé as the final step before the dish is placed into the oven.

Once the soufflé rises and the middle of the dish firms up, you'll notice the toasted topping will have turned golden, and the pecan pieces will have caramelized. It won't take a culinary professional to detect the mouth-watering aromas that fill your kitchen when preparing this soufflé.

To add a salty bite to the pecans, you can include chopped pieces of bacon to entice the meat eaters at your table. Or you can opt to keep the topping vegetarian-friendly. Before serving either version of this luxurious treat to guests, however, let the soufflé rest for a few minutes. It won't last long once it is placed on the table.