Healthy Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Oat Crumble – the perfect side dish for your holiday table. Easy to make, lots of flavor and gluten-free friendly too. The whole family will love this!
Post updated with some more instructions and new photos 2019. Originally published November 2017. Same delicious recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A healthier take on traditional sweet potato casserole but doesn’t compromise on flavor.
- Choose your favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes – on the stovetop, Instant Pot or using the oven.
- A vegan and gluten free friendly recipe using coconut oil, sweetened with maple syrup and made with gluten free oats.
- The pecan crumble topping! It’s to die for.
- Leftovers reheat well! This makes for a great addition to leftover Thanksgiving breakfast the next day (or two, or three).
Casserole Ingredients
- sweet potatoes – There are a variety of sweet potatoes out there but for this dish, use orange sweet potatoes for the classic taste and texture.
- coconut oil – used in place of butter to keep this recipe vegan. However, you can use butter or vegan-friendly butter too.
- non-dairy milk – your choice here! Use oat milk if looking for a nut-free recipe
- maple syrup – the sweetener of choice here. Only a quarter cup in the sweet potato filling. No need for all of the added white sugar here.
- vanilla – for a little flavor .
- oats – for the best crunchy oat topping ever! Trust me, you won’t miss the marshmallows.
- pecans – Pecans are a great addition to the oat topping but you can always omit if you need a nut-free recipe.
- brown sugar – Or coconut sugar works too.
- cinnamon & nutmeg – always gotta add a little spice
- salt – flavor enhancer
Ways to Cook Sweet Potatoes
BOIL METHOD: Cut the potatoes (with the skins on) into large chunks, and then let them boil until soft – about 20-30 minutes. Drain pot, then rinse the sweet potatoes under some cold water and gently peel the skins off.
BAKE METHOD: Poke holes in the sweet potatoes and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in oven at 400ºF for about 1 hour (check at 45 minutes.) Sweet potatoes are done when soft. Allow to cool before peeling
INSTANT POT METHOD: Place steamer basket in pot and add 1 cup of water. Place whole sweet potatoes (layering as needed) in pot, close lid and set valve to sealing position. Set to “Manual” and cook on high pressure for 17 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes. Rinse under cold water and peel skins.
Sweet Potato Mixture
In a large bowl using hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine cooked sweet potatoes, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and milk.
You can also use a potato masher here.
In regards to texture of the mashed sweet potatoes, I like to keep some texture. Mix and/or mash to your liking.
Pecan Oat Crumble Topping
I love love love this pecan topping! I much prefer it over marshmallow topping.
All you have to do is mix together the oats, flour, pecans, brown sugar, softened coconut oil (or use vegan butter) and spices. Mix well in a medium bowl until everything is evenly combined.
TIP: Use your hands to get extra clumps.
Assemble & Bake
Add the sweet potato mixture into a 9×13 casserole dish and add the pecan crumble topping, topping with additional whole pecans if you’d like.
Bake casserole for about 45 minutes until crumble is golden and let rest for 15 minutes or so before serving.
Even though this healthy sweet potato casserole is one of those dishes you typically see served around the holidays, I could totally eat this year round… Anyone else?!
Making Ahead
To make this casserole ahead of time, prepare the filling and add to casserole dish, cover and refrigerate overnight. You can make the crumble the day of, add to dish and bake as directed. Allow the casserole dish to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.
Storing & Reheating
Cover leftovers with lid and store in fridge. Reheat using your desired method (I just use the microwave). Leftovers are actually great on toast, yogurt bowls and pancakes!
More Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Lightened up Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash with Almond Butter Dressing
- Kale Butternut Squash Salad with farro, feta & cranberries
If you make this vegan sweet potato casserole, don’t forget to leave a comment and review! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn about the recipe too. XX Ashley
PrintBest Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
Healthy Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Oat Crumble – the perfect side dish for your holiday table. Sweetened with maple syrup and gluten-free friendly.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 9x13 casserole dish 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American Thanksgiving
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 4–5 large sweet potatoes
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 3 TBS coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 3/4 cup non-dairy milk, room temperature (canned coconut milk will provide richer texture but any milk works)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pecan Oat Crumble
- 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 1/2 cup 1:1 gluten-free flour, whole wheat white flour, or all-purpose (almond meal will also likely work)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup coconut or brown sugar
- 6 TBS softened coconut oil*
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
Instructions
- Cut sweet potatoes in large chunks (I left skins on) and place in large pot of water. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes then reduce to simmer about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender – check with fork. Drain and rinse with cold water. Peel skins once potatoes have cooled. See Notes for other methods of cooking sweet potatoes.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease/spray large casserole dish or 9×13 pan; set aside.
- Place peeled sweet potatoes in bowl of stand mixer with maple syrup, melted & cooled oil, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Use paddle attachment to gently combine. Keep some texture with the potatoes, but you want the mixture fairly smooth. You can also do this by hand using a potato masher.
- Transfer sweet potato mixture into prepared casserole dish; set aside.
- In a medium bowl combine ingredients for crumble: oats, flour, pecans, sugar, softened coconut oil, cinnamon and nutmeg. Use fork to combine or hands to mix together at end, leaving chunks.
- Sprinkle pecan oat crumble on top of sweet potato mixture, pressing gently into mixture.
- Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes, until crumble is slightly golden. Allow casserole to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
BAKE METHOD: Poke holes in the sweet potatoes and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in oven at 400ºF for about 1 hour (check at 45 minutes.) Sweet potatoes are done when soft. Allow to cool before peeling
INSTANT POT METHOD: Place steamer basket in pot and add 1 cup of water. Place whole sweet potatoes (layering as needed) in pot, close lid and set valve to sealing position. Set to “Manual” and cook on high pressure for 17 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes. Rinse under cold water and peel skins.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12th
- Calories: 252
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 47mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: healthy sweet potato casserole, vegan thanksgiving side dishes, sweet potato casserole with pecans
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Courtney says
I feel so special for making it on the blog (hair flip emoji). Sweet potatoes are my fav–may need to make this for the Hicks’ Thanksgiving! Love you lot, Ash!
Ashley says
<3 Lol Love you tooooo!
Lin says
Hi there, is the recipe with measurements posted anywhere? I just see the “what you will need” list but no exact measurements. Thanks!
Ashley says
Hi Lin! Definitely forgot to insert the recipe page code *slaps forehead* thanks for letting me know! 😀 It’s updated now!
Emily Weir says
I can not wait to try this at a Friendsgiving this holiday season!
Ashley says
Yay! Hope you all enjoy!
Alysia | Slim Sanity says
I have never ever tried sweet potato casserole! For some reason I have such a hard time moving away from just roasting them. Might need to change that soon 🙂
Emily Swanson says
Wow! That’s so cool that you have 3 weddings coming up; I love going to weddings! I do love fall, and I especially love all the pine trees in Colorado because they’re green all year long. However I do love the leaves falling too; I guess there are just different things to love about different seasons.
This sweet potato casserole is absolutely gorgeous Ashley; I love sweet potato casserole with a crunchy topping more than a marshmallow topping, so this is my favorite kind!
Cassie says
Oh my gosh, this looks DIVINE! I love the pecan oat crumble on top. I would probably eat this for breakfast/dessert/lunch/dinner/afternoon snack/ANYTHING!
Adrea says
Yaass need this for Thanksgiving!
Michelle @ Sunkissed Kitchen says
A new holiday favorite for sure! I love how the maple adds a bit of flavor without making this dish too sweet. The crunchy topping <3 <3
★★★★★
Paula Teubel says
Could this be made in a crock pot? I would love o bring this for a school pot luck.
Ashley says
Hi Paula, I haven’t actually tried this in a crockpot yet! I think most of it would come out just fine but the crumble topping wouldn’t really crisp up like it would in the oven.
Cristin says
I was thinking crock pot too. I think try roasting the crumble and parchment paper in the oven and then sprinkling but over the heated squash (what I’m doing instead of sweet potato)
Ashley says
Ah yes that could also work! Love the squash idea too.
Lauren says
Can the sweet potato mixture part be made a day in advance and then topped with the oat crumble when you pop it in the oven the next day?
Ashley says
Yes! That is actually what I plan on doing – I would bring the dish out about 30 minutes prior to heating the oven to let it sit to room temperature for a little bit. Then baking as normal.