Allergy-Friendly Sweet Potato Casserole

This year, grace your holiday table with a sweet potato casserole so versatile (almost) anyone can eat it no matter their dietary needs, and so good your family and friends will request it not only in November or December… but July, too! This recipe is or can easily be made gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free, GAPS and Paleo-compliant!

I’m putting myself on the line here…

This sweet potato casserole hasn’t won any awards, or a blue ribbon at the State Fair, or anything like that.

YET, I freely admit that I never liked sweet potatoes until I created this recipe. I make it for my family year-round, take it to cookouts and potlucks, and share it with many friends and family! It’s so good!

So that is why it’s The Best Sweet Potato Casserole Ever. 😉

Why I Love This Recipe

1. It doesn’t have the traditional marshmallow topping.

Maybe you love marshmallow toppings, and if you want to stick with it, I promise I won’t mind. I personally can’t stomach the thought of putting store-bought marshmallows on such a healthy dish. And unfortunately, all the homemade marshmallows I’ve tried melt into a white puddle during baking. It’s a yummy white puddle, but seriously lacks in presentation if you know what I mean. 😉

2. And, it’s versatile!

You can adapt it to just about every eating style out there!

• GAPS? Sure, use butternut squash (unless you’re allowed sweet potatoes), ghee or coconut oil, and raw honey.
• Grain-free/gluten-free? Absolutely! This recipe doesn’t call for a smidge of traditional flour, but uses coconut flour instead.
• Dairy-free? Yep. Substitute ghee or coconut oil for the butter in the crumble topping.
• Paleo? Depends on what version of Paleo you’re following. Some say “yes” to sweet potatoes; others say “no”.
• Egg-free? Feel free to leave the eggs out completely or substitute a flax or chia egg.
• WAPF? Yes! Use soaked/dehydrated nuts in the topping, and you’re good to go.

Not following any particular eating style? Well, put this casserole on your holiday table this year, and I promise no one will ask you if it’s health food.

We have a friend who loves this casserole so much that he asks me to bring it every time we are invited to their home for supper — even in June! He eats it for dessert!

If you have extra sweet potatoes, toss them in a skillet the next day to make a delicious 30-Minute Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash.

Ingredients Needed

• Sweet potatoes — Or butternut squash!
• Eggs — Choose organic and/or pastured eggs if possible. If you need to omit the eggs, use an egg substitute instead such as a flax egg or chia egg. Here’s how to make a flax or chia egg.
• Full fat coconut milk — Here’s how to choose the best coconut milk for your family’s needs.
• Sweetener of choice — Choose between raw honey, maple syrup, or coconut palm sugar. I like coconut palm sugar best in this recipe.
• Coconut flour — I don’t recommend substituting for coconut flour, as it is a grain-free, nut-free flour with unique characteristics! Learn more about coconut flour here.
• Spices — Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and all spice.
• Sea salt – We recommend a mineral-rich salt.
• Nuts of choice — I recommend almonds and walnuts, preferably soaked and dehydrated first to improve their nutrition and make them easier to digest. Learn how to soak and dehydrate nuts here!
• Unsweetened shredded coconut
• Chia seeds
• Butter — Preferably grass-fed. Or use coconut oil or ghee.

Supplies Needed

• Large pot — For boiling the potatoes. Or bake the potatoes instead using a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
• Medium-sized mixing bowl — Use this for making the crumble topping.
• Pastry cutter — For cutting the butter or coconut oil into the crumble topping. You can use a fork instead.
• Potato masher — Or use your hand mixer or stand mixer.
• 2-quart baking dish — Such as a glass casserole dish.

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

1. Preheat the oven.
2. To boil the potatoes: Peel them and cut into large chunks. It doesn’t matter how big they are as long as they are all about the same size. Put sweet potato chunks in large pot and fill with water until potatoes are covered. Bring to a boil over high heat, and boil until soft (but not mush) when pricked with a fork. Once soft, drain water away. Reserve potatoes in the pot.
3. To bake the potatoes: Cut the ends off the sweet potatoes, and prick each potato several times with a fork. Set on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, and bake until soft. When the potatoes are soft, remove them from the oven and turn the oven temperature down. Carefully, remove the skins from the sweet potatoes. They will be VERY hot, but it is much easier to get the skins off when the potatoes are hot than when they are room temperature or cold. You can use a butter knife to help get the skins off more easily.
4. Transfer the peeled potatoes to a large mixing bowl (or use the pot you boiled them in). You can even use the bowl of your stand mixer. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, a hand mixer, or your stand mixer.
5. Add the rest of the casserole ingredients to your mashed sweet potatoes — eggs, coconut milk, raw honey, coconut flour, salt, and spices. Mix until well combined and fluffy.
6. Spoon into a greased baking dish.

1. While potatoes are cooking, combine all topping ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
2. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the cold butter until the topping has the feel of wet sand. Set aside.
3. Cover casserole filling with the crumble topping.
4. Bake until golden brown on top, and enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

Make-ahead instructions (Can you freeze sweet potato casserole?)

Yes! You can make the recipe as written to freeze, or better yet, double or triple it! Then you’ll have plenty on hand throughout the holiday season for unexpected guests or a last-minute holiday party.

1. Simply follow the above instructions through step 5.
2. Instead of spooning the sweet potato filling into a glass baking dish, let cool, and spoon into a gallon-size freezer bag or 2-quart Mason jar. Freeze.
3. Mix up the crumble topping following the recipe instructions above, and freeze it in a smaller bag or jar right next to the sweet potatoes.
4. The day before you’d like to eat this sweet potato casserole, thaw both bags or jars.
5. The next day, once thawed, spoon the filling into a dish, top with the crumble topping, and bake!

How to store sweet potato casserole

Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to one week. It will stay good frozen for at least several months!

Can you make sweet potato casserole in the Instant Pot?

Yes! Here’s our Instant Pot variation of this classic holiday side dish.

Looking for more holiday recipes?

• Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes (5 Complete Allergy-Friendly Meal Plans!)
• Perfectly Moist Turkey, Every Time
• 10-Minute Make-Ahead Instant Pot Gravy {that’s grain-free & gluten-free too!}
• How To Make No-Fail Caulitatoes
• How Do I Make Cranberry Sauce In The Instant Pot? #AskWardee 050
• Pumpkin Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Frosting
• Instant Pot Grain-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Grain-Free Apple Pie Shortbread Bars With Crumb Topping
• Instant Pot Chai Spiced Apple Cake {grain-free & dairy-free!}
• 7 Tips For Holiday Baking While Healing Your Gut

Did you make this sweet potato casserole? If so, please give us a rating on the recipe card below. I’d love for you to prove me right on my claim that this is the best sweet potato casserole ever. Then snap a photo and tag us on social media so we can see your holiday feast!

3.72 from 7 votes

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Sweet Potato Casserole

I love a couple of things about this recipe. First, it doesn't have the traditional marshmallow topping. The second thing I love about this recipe is its versatility. You can adapt it to just about every eating style out there! GAPS? Grain-free/gluten-free? Dairy-free? Paleo? Egg-free? WAPF? Yep, yep, and yep!

Course Dessert, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Holiday, Thanksgiving

Servings 8 servings

Calories 603 kcal

Author Lindsey Dietz

Ingredients

For the sweet potato casserole:

• 5 to 7 sweet potatoes scrubbed clean; or butternut squash for GAPS
• 2 organic or pastured eggs optional; can substitute a flax or chia egg, or omit completely
• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
• 2/3 cup raw honey OR maple syrup or coconut palm sugar*
• 1/4 cup coconut flour sifted
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

For the nut crumble topping:

• 1 cup almonds crispy , coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts crispy, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup almonds crispy, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup grass-fed butter cold and cut into chunks (or coconut oil or ghee)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Choose whether you will boil or bake the potatoes.

To boil the potatoes...

1. Peel them and cut into large chunks. It doesn't matter how big they are as long as they are all about the same size.
2. Put sweet potato chunks in large pot and fill with water until potatoes are covered.
3. Bring to a boil over high heat, and boil until soft (but not mush) when pricked with a fork.
4. Once soft, drain water away. Reserve potatoes in the pot.

To bake the potatoes...

1. Cut the ends off the sweet potatoes, and prick each potato several times with a fork.
2. Set on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, and bake until soft, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
3. When the potatoes are soft, remove them from the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Carefully, remove the skins from the sweet potatoes. They will be VERY hot, but it is much easier to get the skins off when the potatoes are hot than when they are room temperature or cold. You can use a butter knife to help get the skins off more easily.

To make the crumble topping...

1. While potatoes are cooking, combine all topping ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

2. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the cold butter until the topping has the feel of wet sand. Set aside.

Assemble...

1. Transfer the peeled potatoes to a large mixing bowl (or use the pot you boiled them in). You can even use the bowl of your stand mixer. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, a hand mixer, or your stand mixer.
2. While mashing or mixing the potatoes, add the rest of the casserole ingredients -- eggs, coconut milk, raw honey, coconut flour, salt, and spices. Mix until well combined and fluffy.
3. Spoon into a greased 2-quart baking dish.
4. Cover with the crumble topping.
5. Bake for 15 minutes.

Recipe Notes

*In this recipe, I like coconut palm sugar best.

 

*If you want to serve it as a dessert, some homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top would be divine.

 

*Consider this casserole for breakfast! It re-heats nicely in the oven. I can't think of anything better than to serve it with a side of crisp bacon!

 

*Double or triple the recipe and freeze the extra to have throughout the holiday season. It never hurts to have extra food that is quick and easy to prepare for unexpected guests, a last-minute holiday party, or church gathering. Store the sweet potatoes in a gallon-size freezer bag or 2-quart Mason jar, and keep the crumble topping in a smaller bag or jar right beside it. Simply thaw, spoon into a dish, top, and bake!

 

*Don't limit this casserole to November and December. Enjoy it throughout the months that sweet potatoes are in season.

Nutrition Facts

Sweet Potato Casserole

Amount Per Serving (1 Cup)

Calories 603 Calories from Fat 333

% Daily Value*

Fat 37g57%

Saturated Fat 16g100%

Trans Fat 0.5g

Polyunsaturated Fat 8g

Monounsaturated Fat 11g

Cholesterol 71mg24%

Sodium 489mg21%

Potassium 786mg22%

Carbohydrates 64g21%

Fiber 11g46%

Sugar 31g34%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 20460IU409%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 155mg16%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.