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. 😉
Table Of Contents
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
- Preheat the oven.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Spoon into a greased baking dish.
- While potatoes are cooking, combine all topping ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Using a pastry cutter, cut in the cold butter until the topping has the feel of wet sand. Set aside.
- Cover casserole filling with the crumble topping.
- 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.
- Simply follow the above instructions through step 5.
- 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.
- 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.
- The day before you’d like to eat this sweet potato casserole, thaw both bags or jars.
- 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!}
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!
Sweet Potato Casserole
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
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Choose whether you will boil or bake the potatoes.
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.
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, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
-
When the potatoes are soft, remove them from the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
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...
-
While potatoes are cooking, combine all topping ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
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Using a pastry cutter, cut in the cold butter until the topping has the feel of wet sand. Set aside.
Assemble...
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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.
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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.
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Spoon into a greased 2-quart baking dish.
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Cover with the crumble topping.
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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.
...without giving up the foods you love or spending all day in the kitchen!
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Emily says
Beautiful pictures, Lindsey! Thanks for sharing your recipe too. I intend to use your recipe for our thanksgiving meal with our sweet potatoes we recently harvested from the garden.
Lindsey Dietz says
Emily,
I’m honored that my recipe will grace your Thanksgiving table! Please let us know how your family liked the sweet potatoes!
Elaine says
I’m Totally trying this tonight w/ some of our home grown sweet potatoes.
Yay. Thanks.
Kelly says
This looks so wonderful! Thanks for sharing and for the shout out on my homemade whipped cream recipe. Blessings to you for a Happy Thanksgiving, Kelly
jessica says
hi there
it would be awesome if you could have print friendly versions that do not print out the entire page etc… looks awesome:)
willowsprite says
Looks yummy. I have sweet potatoes so I’m going to try it. I always dice and roast them so this will be a nice change. Doesn’t roasting the nuts destroy the enzymes though?
Lindsey Dietz says
willowsprite, I suppose cooking the nuts in the oven will affect the enzymes, but cooking with heat does that to just about everything with enzymes, right? Personally, I am not all that concerned with the enzymes in the nuts, as I love a great-tasting dish, enzymes or not. 😉 if you are very concerned about that, you could leave the crumble topping off until you’re ready to serve, so that it would be “raw” in a sense. I love the flavor and crunch added by baking the topping, but feel free to experiment with this however you like.
willowsprite says
Ok, I was just a little confused because I clicked on the link for crispy nuts and it said if you end up cooking them after doing all that soaking and dehydrating to unlock the enzymes, you lose them after all that work!
Kelly says
Any chance you know how much sweet potato I should use if I’m using canned?
Thanks!
Lindsey Dietz says
Hi Kelly! Sorry, but I’ve never used canned sweet potatoes in this recipe. I bake and serve this out of a 2-qt. Corning Ware dish, and before the topping, the casserole fills it up about halfway. Maybe you can use that as your guide?
Cynthia says
my son is allergic to nuts but this recipe sounds and looks really good! Maybe I could subsitute the nuts with seeds instead? What kind of seeds do you think would be good to replace almonds and walnuts?
Dona Landrum says
I don’t typically have coconut milk on hand. Can raw milk or raw cream be used instead, and how much?
Alicia says
This was absolutely delish! The flavors combined so well and I felt good about eating this. I used sucanat. I can’t see why I will ever try another recipe other than this one! Thank you!
Babs says
I was wondering why you took the skins off? We leave the skins on all our potatoes – both white and sweet – for added nutrition (not to mention easier for the cook) Just curious. Thanks for this recipe!
Lindsey Dietz says
Great question! Once the potatoes are baked and cooled slightly, the skins literally slip right off so it’s not much more effort for the cook. I peel the potatoes as a matter of preference; that’s it. 😉 If you want to include them, go for it!
Robert says
I cooked this last year and our kiddos scarfed it as if they had never been fed. It is going on the table again this year, for sure!!! I plan to make extra to have to snack over the long weekend. 🙂
Lindsey Dietz says
Thank you so much for that comment, Robert! You’ve made my day! I love to hear when someone loves one of my recipes and it becomes a family favorite!