This Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole is easy to make and perfect for a holiday dinner! It’s topped off with a delicious crumble topping made from pecans and almond flour for a delicious side dish everyone will love!

ssweet potato casserole topped with pecan crumble in a round serving dish

What is sweet potato casserole?

Sweet potato casserole is a classic Thanksgiving side dish made by mashing sweet potatoes together with ingredients like butter and cinnamon and then topping the mashed sweet potatoes with some sort of topping. This is often a topping of pecans but can also be a topping of marshmallows.

This Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole recipe is super easy to make. The only vegan swap needed for this recipe is replacing butter with vegan butter. The topping is made from a mix of pecans, almond flour, vegan butter and coconut sugar for a crumble topping that is healthier than average, but super delicious.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Vegan and gluten-free. This sweet potato casserole is of course vegan but is also a great gluten-free side to serve for the holidays! This recipe is also paleo!
  • Easy to make. You’ll love how simple this recipe is to make and can be made directly in a mixing bowl.
  • Can be prepared ahead of time. This casserole can be prepared ahead of time and then heated up in the oven before serving. It’s perfect to bring to a potluck or to prep the day before serving for the holidays.

Healthy sweet potato casserole ingredients

  • Sweet potatoes: this recipe calls for 4 medium to large sweet potatoes. the exact size doesn’t matter.
  • Vegan butter: if you prefer you can substitute this with coconut oil. If you’re making this recipe not vegan, you can use regular butter.
  • Spices: cinnamon and nutmeg which pair perfectly with the sweet potatoes!
  • Pecans: this is the main ingredient used in the pecan topping. Make sure to use unsalted pecans. If you don’t have pecans you can also substitute with walnuts.
  • Almond flour: just sprinkle to create a crumbly topping. This ingredient is optional and can be left out if needed.
  • Coconut sugar: This can also be substituted with brown sugar.

How to make vegan sweet potato casserole

Step 1

Start by preparing the sweet potatoes. Cook the sweet potatoes in the oven or in the microwave until tender. Then scoop out the sweet potatoes from the skin and add them to a bowl.

  • three sweet potatoes on a baking sheet
  • sweet potato in a clear mixing bowl

Step 2

Add the butter, salt and spices to the sweet potatoes and mash together with a potato masher or a fork.

  • sweet potato, butter and cinnamon in a clear mixing bowl
  • mashed sweet potatoes in a clear mixing bowl

Step 3

Spread the sweet potato mixture into a casserole dish and then set aside while you prepare the pecan crumble topping. For the topping preparation, add the pecans, almond flour butter and coconut sugar together in a mixing bowl.

  • mashed sweet potatoes in a round serving dish
  • pecans, butter, brown sugar and almond flour in a clear bowl

Step 4

Mix the crumble topping together with a spoon or a fork, then sprinkle over the sweet potatoes in the baking dish and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

  • pecan crumble topping mixed in a clear bowl
  • pecan sweet potato casserole in a round dish

What to serve with sweet potato casserole

Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole makes a delicious vegan side dish that can be served up for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other dinner! Here are some great recipes that you can serve with this casserole.

How to prepare this casserole ahead of time

If you are making this sweet potato casserole ahead of time to bring to a potluck or serve at dinner, prepare the recipe up until sprinkling the pecan topping onto the potatoes. Then rather than baking it right away, cover the dish and place it in the fridge.

When you are ready to serve the casserole, heat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20-30 minutes until warm.

How to store and reheat lefotvers

Store leftovers of this casserole in the casserole dish covered in the fridge, or transfer to an airtight container. Store for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers in the casserole dish in the oven at 350 degrees, or in a bowl or plate in the microwave.

Can I substitute squash for sweet potato?

Yes! If you love squash and prefer to use it in this recipe, simply replace the sweet potatoes with one large roasted butternut squash. You can use this guide on how to cook butternut squash to help you prepare the squash for this dish.

Sweet Potato Casserole tips

  • Bake the potatoes in the oven if you have time. Many sweet potato casserole recipes use boiled potatoes, but I recommend baking the potatoes in the oven. This will give them a nice roasted flavour and make for a tastier casserole.
  • Taste the sweet potato before adding it to the baking dish. Some sweet potatoes are sweeter and more flavourful than others, so taste the mashed potato mixture and adjust any seasoning if needed. Some people like adding a bit of maple syrup or brown sugar directly to the potatoes if they aren’t sweet enough for your liking.
  • Use unsalted pecans for this recipe. You want plain and preferable unroasted pecan for this casserole since the pecans will roast in the oven. (but if you can only find roasted pecans they’ll still work.)
  • Don’t use a baking dish that’s too big. You’ll end up with a thin layer of potatoes. This casserole is best with a nice thick layer.
  • If you can only get small sweet potatoes, use about 5-6 potatoes in this recipe.

More sweet potato recipes to try

a serving spoon scooping sweet potato casserole

If you tried this Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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a serving spoon scooping sweet potato casserole

Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

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  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Side
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Description

This Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole is healthy and topped off with a delicious pecan crumble! 

Ingredients

Units Scale

Sweet potatoes

  • 4 large sweet potatoes
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Pecan topping

Instructions

  1. Bake the sweet potatoes in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 30-40 minutes until tender. You can also microwave the sweet potatoes if you prefer to save time.
  2. Add the potatoes to a large bowl with the vegan butter, salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mash with a fork or potato masher.
  3. Spread the mashed potatoes into an 8×8 inch baking dish or a similar size. 
  4. To make the pecan topping, mix the pecans, almond flour, coconut sugar and vegan butter together in a bowl, then sprinkle over the potatoes.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Notes

You can prepare this dish ahead of time and bake it right before serving.

If your sweet potatoes seem a bit small, use 5-6 sweet potatoes. 

Don’t use a baking dish that is too big, otherwise, you’ll end up with a very thin layer of sweet potato. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/8th recipe
  • Calories: 170
  • Sugar: 5g
  • Fat: 7g
  • Saturated Fat: 2g
  • Carbohydrates: 28g
  • Fiber: 4.5g
  • Protein: 3g