Our lightened-up version of Sweet Potato Casserole is creamy, perfectly spiced and just sweet enough. The pecan topping adds a delicious savory crunch. Gluten-free, dairy-free.
Why You’ll Love This
Here’s a lightened-up take on the classic Thanksgiving side dish: Sweet Potato Casserole. Creamy, a bit lighter (we skip the marshmallows), and flavored with warm spices, maple syrup and coconut milk. The pecan crumble gets toasty and imparts a divine caramel flavor.
As a chef, I have always loved creating healthy recipes that feel indulgent, blending the best of both worlds to satisfy the palate while nourishing the body. This dish does that!
sweet potato casserole recipe Ingredients
- Yams or sweet potatoes: Whichever you prefer!
- Coconut milk: Adds a subtly sweet and nutty taste, while achieving a creamy texture. Feel free to sub half n half or heavy cream.
- Maple syrup: Adds delicious sweetness. We tried making this with less, but found the flavor to be just right with 1/3 cup. Feel free to adjust to taste!
- Ginger, nutmeg, chipotle powder, and cinnamon: Chipotle powder is optional, but GOOD! These warm spices infuse so much flavor into the dish.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the sweet flavors of the casserole.
- Eggs: Gives the filling a more custard-like texture.
- Butter: Balances the sweetness of the casserole by adding a rich and savory taste. Or sub coconut oil.
- Pecan Crumble topping: raw pecans, pumpkin seeds, coconut sugar (or brown sugar), butter, salt, and sage leaves.
How to Make Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
Preheat oven to 350F.
1. Prep the yams. Peel the yams, then cut them into 2-inch chunks. Add to a large pot with a steamer basket, fill the bottom with water and bring to a boil. Steam, covered for 35 minutes until fork tender.
2. Make the spiced coconut milk. In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk, maple syrup, ginger, nutmeg, chipotle powder, cinnamon, vanilla, eggs, salt, and pepper.
3. Prepare the Pecan Crumble topping. Add 1 cup of pecans and the sage leaves to a food processor and crush until achieving a coarse meal. Chop the remaining pecans or leave them whole. Add the pecan sage meal and the remaining pecans to a medium bowl, along with the pumpkin seeds, coconut sugar, butter and salt. It’s easiest to combine everything with your hands, or you can try using a fork.
4. Combine. Drain any liquid on the yams and let cool for 10 minutes. Add yams to the food processor in two batches to whip ( or use a potato masher). Transfer whipped yams to a large bowl and add the butter. If the yams are too cool (room temperature), you may need to melt the butter first. Add the spiced coconut milk and mix everything together with a spoon or spatula.
5. Assemble. Transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 casserole dish (ungreased works fine). Spread out the surface and sprinkle the Pecan Crumble over the top in an even layer.
6. Bake. Bake for 40 minutes until the topping is lightly toasty and smells delicious!
Chef’s Tips
- Adjust maple syrup to taste, depending on your sweetness preference. I found that 1/3 cup was just right, but feel free to adjust.
- Don’t add all of the pecans to the food processor. Leaving some whole or halved pieces not only makes this casserole pretty, but it also adds delightful texture!
- You can bake the potatoes instead, but the texture may not be as smooth. The flavor is even richer though!
- Use a food processor. This gets the potatoes extra creamy! You can use a potato masher to mash if needed, but for a super creamy casserole, use the food processor. A hand mixer could work too.
Storing Sweet potato Casserole
Store leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. Reheat in a 350 F oven to crisp up the topping.
Serving Suggestions
This is one of the BEST Sweet Potato Casseroles, and I think it makes a beautiful and delicious addition to the holiday table. See our 65 Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu Ideas for wonderful pairing options! We like to pair it next to something a little more savory, like Oven Roasted Turkey and Fresh Cranberry Sauce or Wild Rice Pilaf.
If the casserole wasn’t too sweet for your taste buds, don’t forget about dessert! Try our Luscious Pumpkin Cheesecake or Cardamom Apple Cake.
Of course this is a popular recipe for Thanksgiving, but it is also a welcome addition to the Christmas or Easter table.
FAQs
For the best creamy texture, it is better to steam the potatoes and use a food processor. If you’re less concerned about a whipped texture, then you can bake the potatoes for deliciously rich flavor.
The eggs bind everything together, helping to stiffen up the mixture so it less like mashed sweet potatoes. The eggs also add custardy flavor and keep the texture light and fluffy.
In this recipe, yes! We want a super smooth texture, so the skins can get in the way of that.
Hope you enjoy this easy Sweet Potato Casserole recipe!
xoxo
More Thanksgiving Sides You’ll Love!
Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: one 9 x 13 pan
- Category: side dish
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Our lightened-up version of Sweet Potato Casserole is creamy, perfectly spiced and just sweet enough. The pecan topping adds a delicious savory crunch. Gluten-free, dairy-free.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds yams or sweet potatoes
- 1/2 cup coconut milk (or sub half n half or heavy cream)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup (adjust to taste, we tried less but found better flavor with this amount)
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder (optional but GOOD!)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (adjust to taste)
- 3 tablespoons of butter (or coconut oil)
Pecan Crumble Topping
- 1 1/2 cups raw pecans
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 2 tablespoon butter, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5–6 fresh sage leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Prep the yams. Peel and cut yams into 2-inch chunks and place in a large pot with a steamer basket insert. Add water to the bottom of the steamer basket, and bring to a boil. Steam covered on the stove for 35 minutes until tender and a fork goes in easily.
- While yams are cooking, in a medium bowl whisk together the coconut milk, maple syrup, ginger, nutmeg, chipotle powder, cinnamon, vanilla, eggs, salt and pepper.
- Make the Pecan Crumble topping: Crush 1 cup of the pecans and the leaves of sage by pulsing in a food processor to get a coarse meal. Roughly chop the remaining pecans (or leave them whole) add to a medium bowl and combine with the pecan sage meal, pumpkin seeds, coconut sugar, butter and salt. It is easiest to do this with your hands or use a fork if preferred.
- Combine. Drain any liquid on the yams, and let cool for 10 minutes. For the smoothest texture, whip yams in a food processor in two batches (or use a potato masher). Place whipped yams in a large bowl with the butter (melt butter first if yams are too cooled off to melt) and add the coconut milk spiced mixture. Cream together with a spoon or spatula until fully incorporated.
- Assemble. Scoop the sweet potato mixture into a 9 x 13 casserole dish (ungreased works fine). Spread out evenly and sprinkle the pecan topping over the top.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 40 minutes until the topping is lightly toasty and smells delicious.
Notes
You can bake sweet potatoes whole, but I prefer chopping and steaming them. Yams can sometimes be stringy, baking whole can affect the texture. But also makes a richer flavor. Your choice!
The food processor get the sweet potatoes dreamy creamy. But a potato masher will do the trick if need be.
Store leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat in a 350 F oven to crisp up the topping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅔ cup
- Calories: 264
- Sugar: 11.5 g
- Sodium: 155.3 mg
- Fat: 14.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 31.9 g
- Fiber: 4.8 g
- Protein: 4.4 g
- Cholesterol: 32.8 mg
