Our favorite holiday side dish is better than ever! This paleo or vegan sweet potato casserole recipe is a naturally sweetened combination of mashed sweet potato filling and a crunchy maple pecan topping your whole family will LOVE.
Since 2016, this paleo sweet potato casserole recipe has been a staple on our holiday table and hundreds of your holiday tables. It’s THE BEST!
- It’s EASY to make. No fancy skills or special equipment required! You won’t need any fancy flours or hard-to-find ingredients either.
- It’s DELICIOUS. Velvety smooth sweet potato puree is topped with a crunchy maple pecan topping. Every bite has a delicious combination of textures and balanced flavor.
- It’s HEALTHIER than classic sweet potato casserole. This gluten-free sweet potato casserole is naturally sweetened, easily dairy-free, and paleo AND vegan friendly. It works for so many different dietary needs!
- It’s a CROWD FAVORITE. This is always one of the first Thanksgiving side dishes to disappear! The creamy sweet potatoes, the perfect crunch of the pecans? ALWAYS a hit!
- It’s MAKE-AHEAD FRIENDLY. Another great thing about this classic side dish is that you can absolutely make it in advance, which frees up time on Thanksgiving Day!
Here’s all you need to get started on this healthy sweet potato casserole recipe…
Simple Ingredients To Start
So, what makes this paleo/vegan sweet potato casserole different from traditional sweet potato casserole? A few simple ingredient swaps! Let’s take a look:
- Fresh Sweet Potatoes. To start, you’ll need peeled, diced sweet potatoes. Look for orange-flesh sweet potatoes, rather than purple sweet potatoes or white sweet potatoes. (Some stores in the U.S. label these as yams).
- Dairy-Free Milk. Next up is your favorite non-dairy milk. Use whatever you drink at home–almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, coconut milk, and soy milk all work! (For paleo, avoid soy milk.)
- A Little Fat. Next, you’ll need some melted butter, ghee, melted vegan butter (like Earth Balance), or melted coconut oil. Choose the one that fits your dietary needs best!
- Pure Maple Syrup. No white sugar or brown sugar here! Maple syrup (NOT pancake syrup!) adds just the right amount of subtle sweetness to both the sweet potato filling and the crunchy pecan topping.
- Salt & Vanilla. Some kosher salt and vanilla extract round out the flavors beautifully.
- Eggs or An Egg Substitute. For paleo, feel free to use regular eggs. For vegan, use 2 Tablespoons powdered egg substitute (such as Ener-G egg replacer or The Neat Egg), or 1 Tablespoon cornstarch).
- Raw Pecans. For the maple pecan topping, you’ll need RAW pecans. If you use toasted or roasted pecans, they’ll burn in the oven. Start with raw pecans for best results!
- Cinnamon. A little bit of cinnamon adds the perfect finishing flavor!
How To Make Vegan or Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
First, Make The Sweet Potato Filling
- Cook Sweet Potatoes. Place sweet potato cubes in a large pot and cover by at least 2-3 inches of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until fork tender (potatoes will pierce easily with a fork). Drain sweet potatoes.
- Combine. Transfer cooked sweet potatoes to a large bowl. Add milk, butter/oil, syrup, salt, vanilla, and egg/egg sub.
- Mash with a potato masher, fork, or hand mixer until no lumps remain. If needed, add 2-3 Tbsp additional milk if your mixture seems too thick. (For perfectly smooth mash, you can work in batches and puree in a food processor or blender!)
- Transfer. Pour the mashed sweet potato mixture into an 8×8 or 2 quart baking dish and smooth the surface. (You can make the sweet potato casserole up to this point the day before Thanksgiving, if desired. Simply cover the baking dish and refrigerate)
Next, Make The Pecan Topping & Bake
- Preheat. When ready to bake the sweet potatoes, preheat the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
- Combine. In a medium bowl, combine pecans, butter/oil, syrup, cinnamon, and salt.
- Sprinkle pecan crumble mixture on top of the sweet potatoes.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees.
- Remove foil and bake another 20-25 minutes. If pecans begin to brown too quickly, simply cover with foil again.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy warm from the oven. Store leftovers covered with plastic wrap or foil in the fridge 2-3 days. (You *can* transfer it to an airtight container, but I find the layers preserve better in the casserole dish.)
A Tip For Holiday Meals
If you’ve got multiple things in the oven (like for Thanksgiving Dinner!), allow yourself some extra time. If your oven is set to a lower temperature or full of other dishes, you’ll need to bake this closer to an hour. Be sure to watch your pecans, so they don’t burn. (I only remove the foil when there’s about 20 minutes to go.)
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Paleo or Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
Make-Ahead Tips. For best results, I recommend making the sweet potato filling and pecan topping and storing them separately until right before baking. You can keep them both in the fridge 1 day in advance, then assemble right before baking the next day.
Vegan Notes. For vegan, be sure to use dairy-free milk, vegan butter or coconut oil in place of butter, and either cornstarch or powdered egg substitute. If using powdered egg substitute, follow the directions on the package. Most call for about 1 Tbsp of water per 1 Tbsp of powder.
Double The Recipe. If you’re feeding a crowd, feel free to double the recipe to fit a 9×13 casserole dish! The bake time & instructions will stay the same.
CAN I MAKE THIS WITH MARSHMALLOW TOPPING INSTEAD? If you prefer your sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, you can use vegan marshmallows or try this paleo marshmallow fluff or this vegan marshmallow fluff topping!
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Healthy Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Paleo (or Vegan!) Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Mash Ingredients:
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes about 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1/3 cup non-dairy milk I use unsweetened almond milk, cashew milk, or coconut milk
- 3 Tablespoons butter ghee, vegan butter, or coconut oil (melted)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs 2 Tbsp egg substitute (such as Ener-G egg replacer or The Neat Egg), or 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
Pecan Topping Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups pecans roughly chopped
- 2 Tablespoons butter ghee, vegan butter, or coconut oil (melted)
- 3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch kosher salt or sea salt
Instructions
Make The Sweet Potato Mash:
- Cook Sweet Potatoes. Place sweet potato cubes in a large pot and cover by at least 2-3 inches of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil 8-10 min or until fork tender (potatoes will pierce easily with a fork). Drain sweet potatoes.
- Combine. Transfer cooked sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add milk, butter/oil, syrup, salt, vanilla, and egg/egg sub.
- Mash with a potato masher, fork, or hand mixer until no lumps remain. If needed, add 2-3 Tbsp additional milk if your mixture seems too thick. (For perfectly smooth mash, you can work in batches and puree in a food processor or blender!)
- Transfer. Pour the mashed sweet potatoes mixture into an 8×8 or 2 quart baking dish and smooth the surface. (You can make the sweet potato casserole up to this point the day before Thanksgiving, if desired. Simple cover the baking dish and refrigerate)
Make The Topping & Bake:
- Preheat. When ready to bake the sweet potatoes, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine. In a medium bowl, combine pecans, butter/oil, syrup, cinnamon, and salt.
- Sprinkle pecan streusel topping over the sweet potato mash.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees.
- Remove foil and bake another 20-25 minutes. If pecans begin to brown too quickly, simply cover with foil again.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy warm from the oven. Store leftover sweet potato casserole covered in the fridge 2-3 days. (You *can* transfer it to an airtight container, but I find the layers preserve better in the casserole dish.)
- **If you’ve got multiple things in the oven (like on Thanksgiving), allow yourself some extra time. If your oven is set to a lower temperature or full of other dishes, you’ll need to bake this closer to an hour. Be sure to watch your pecans (I only remove the foil when there’s about 20 minutes to go).
Notes
- Vegan Notes. For vegan, be sure to use dairy-free milk, vegan butter or coconut oil, and either cornstarch or powdered egg substitute. If using powdered egg substitute, follow the directions on the package. Most call for about 1 Tbsp of water per 1 Tbsp of powder.
- Double The Recipe. If you’re feeding a crowd, feel free to double the recipe to fit a 9×13 casserole dish! The bake time & instructions will stay the same.
- Make-Ahead Tips. For best results, I recommend making the sweet potato filling and pecan topping and storing them separately until right before baking. You can keep them both in the fridge 1 day in advance, then assemble right before baking.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Originally shared November 2016. Updated Nov 2021, then updated and republished again October 2024.
I made this for Thanksgiving, and it was so delicious! My friend who doesn’t typically like sweet potatoes could not stop eating it and asked for the recipe. This is definitely a keeper! Thank you for sharing!
Oh, hooray!!! That’s so wonderfu! I’m so glad it was a win for you and your friend!
I spontaneously made this recipe because I happened to have sweet potatoes and vegan marshmallows. I made the base as directed using oat milk, coconut oil, and cornstarch. For the topping I added an extra drizzle of maple syrup, a sprinkle of coconut sugar, my vegan marshmallows, and some pumpkin seeds. It honestly blew me away! I will try this with the pecan streusel asap. Thank you for sharing!!
Delicious! I’m so glad you loved it!
perfect! I used coconut oil and almond milk to avoid dairy. I’m thrilled.
Delicious1 So glad it was a win for you!
Hi, I just found your recipe. And I am planning to make it tomorrow. I have a question, why is the baking time so long considering the sweet potato puree is already cooked? 🙂
Hi, Helen! It’s to help evaporate some of the liquid and to let the filling firm up and cook through. 🙂
Been making this recipe for years! Never disappoints and everyone loves it
So glad it’s a win for you!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a kind review!
Thank you for a wonderful recipe! I’ve made this for many Thanksgiving dinners and my family loves it! I’ve used 4 cans of Farmer’s Market Organic Sweet Potato Puree for a double batch and it works great! Last year I made it with EnerG egg replacer and it was okay, but everyone definitely prefers it with real eggs. Thanks again for a wonderful recipe! Happy Thanksgiving!
THANK YOU for sharing! So good to know about the canned sweet potato puree!
Wanted to send you an update…this Thanksgiving I couldn’t find the cans of organic sweet potato puree so I bought organic fresh sweet potatoes. I baked them with the skins on at 400F around 45 minutes-1 hour then removed the skins easily once cool and followed your recipe from there. Everyone raved about the sweet potatoes this year! I guess I’ll be making this from fresh instead of canned from now on! Thanks again for a wonderful recipe!
Hooray! Thanks so much for sharing!
I printed this out years ago and have used it so many times that I just printed a fresh copy. I get compliments every time I make this sweet potato casserole. The only change I made was that instead of dicing and boiling the potatoes, I bake them the night before and easily peel off the skin the next day before making the casserole. It adds some natural sweetness.
That’s a GREAT way to get ahead! Love that tip!
This sounds great, Becca Boo! Do you do anything to them before baking them (cut, poke holes, wrap in foil, etc.)? Also, how long do you bake them for and at what temp? Thank you so much!!
Hi there!
I’m very interested in making this recipe for Thanksgiving after reading all of the fabulous reviews. We are dairy, egg, and *somewhat* nut free due to food allergies. Do you have any recommendations on an alternative to pecans for the topping? We are able to have almonds or hazelnuts, but that’s pretty much it for nuts.
One other question – I’m debating making it with the marshmallows if there aren’t many good alternatives to the nuts. Is it the same instructions/cooking time with the marshmallows – just add them in place of the streusel topping?
Thank you!
Hi Lib! I haven’t made this with any other nuts, but I think hazelnuts would be delicious. MANY readers have added marshmallows and loved it! I’ve never used marshmallows, but many recipes that do tend to add the marshmallows right before baking. I’d probably add them after removing the foil for the second part of the bake time.
Awesome thank you so much!
Hello – I’m very interested in this recipe for Thanksgiving! I’m wondering, could I sub out the regular sweet potatoes for canned sweet potatoes instead (saving on cooking time and chopping)? If so, how many cans would you recommend and what do you think total cooking time would be?
Thank you!
Hi, Becca! I haven’t made this with canned sweet potatoes before, so I can’t advise you from experience.
Here’s my best guess: the ultimate bake time should be the same since either way you’re starting with cooked sweet potatoes. I *believe* you’d need around 5 cups of mashed sweet potato mash, and 1 (15-ounce) can will give you about 1 cup of mash. So approximately 5 (15-ounce) cans? Again, I haven’t tried this, so you might have to do some googling!
Another thing to keep in mind is that the flavor and texture will be different using canned sweet potatoes. They’ll have a wetter texture than fresh and the flavor will also be a little different.
Okay, thank you!
In a rush without pecans, made the bottom filling and topped with a flour slurry to serve during Sukkot. So pleasantly flavored. It taste sweet yet is not a sugar bomb that weighs down the stomach. Will be making again next week for Canadian Thanksgiving, and will definitely make the effort to include the pecan topping. I know it will be even more delicious. Thinking this may become my new holiday sweet potato dish.
Oh, wow! I’m so glad it was a win for you! Happy Thanksgiving and Chag Sameach!
I don’t know which part of the dish I like more – the topping or the filling? Both are amazingly delicious. It is an amazing side dish all the way around.
I served this at a Thanksgiving potluck dinner with five couples. Everyone raved about the casserole and begged for the recipe. It will be part of my regular holiday menu in future years.
Oh, I’m so happy to hear that Jan! It’s my FAVORITE and is always my most-requested dish with my family & friends, too!
This was amazing! I followed the recipe using the vegan notes – used the coconut oil option for the butter and cornstarch for the egg to be (mostly) AIP compliant. I reduced the amount of maple syrup in the topping by half and it was still plenty sweet. I baked the potatoes in the oven for an hour instead of boiling them, because I think that gives them a nice flavor. Everyone at Thanksgiving loved it and demanded that I use this recipe from now on. Thanks for a great recipe with clean ingredients!
I’m so glad it was a win for you, Tiff. This review totally made my day!!!
Absolutely delicious. Trying to somewhat replicate a relative’s recipe from years back, I did add about a half cup of minced fresh pineapple. Turned out amazing. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Ooh! That sounds delicious! So glad it was a win for you, Melissa!
Will this still be nice if I use butternut squash as the filling? Or even carrots? Combo household of sweet potato lovers and someone with a sweet potato allergy.
Great question Johnna! I’d say butternut squash would be your closest bet, but it tends to have a LOT more water than sweet potatoes. You may consider making a butternut squash puree + garnishing with a toasted pecan/cinnamon/maple topping rather than trying to replicate the casserole exactly.
Hello, I bought sweetened condensed coconut milk and I’m wondering now if it will work for this recipe? Thank you. I’m trying this recipe for the first time! It sounds delicious!
Hi Laura! I probably wouldn’t use it for this recipe. It would make the filling significantly sweeter and would alter the texture.
Ok thanks so much. Unsweetened coconut milk it is! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi! I’m making it this year and was wondering if I can make it ahead and freeze it if I want to make it a week before.
Hi Cassandra! You can definitely make the sweet potato filling and freeze it in the casserole dish. For best results, I recommend mixing up the pecan topping right before baking so the pecans don’t get soggy. Then, you’ll want to thaw the casserole in the fridge overnight, pop on the topping & bake as directed!
As always with frozen veggies, the filling may be slightly more watery after thawing, but it shouldn’t be a deal breaker!
Hello! I have a strange question, but hoping there is an answer. Can the pecan topping be pulverized in the food processor before adding to the casserole? A fine meal texture, or possibly an almost nut butter texture. I have some sensitive members of the group who don’t enjoy crunchy chunks of food, but would love the flavor of candied nuts.
Hi Abigail! For this casserole, I wouldn’t recommend it, since the topping would likely burn and get soggy. You can finely dice the pecans. Or, you can use our Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole topping and pulverize the pecans for that one. (The butter, sugar & flour in that recipe will help protect the pecans.)
I have 2 questions. If you use the butter option with the maple syrup, does that evoke the taste of pancakes in this dish? Is it a hint of pancake flavor lol? The 2nd question is, could macadamia milk and macadamia oil be used in this recipe and keep the harmony of flavors??
Hi Cassie! No, I do not taste even a little bit of pancakes in this dish! If you used pancake syrup (rather than pure maple syrup), you definitely would, but with the pure maple syrup and butter, it’s just delicious flavor.
Second, I haven’t used macadamia oil before so I can’t attest to that, but macadamia milk should work so long as you like the flavor.
I made this for Thanksgiving for the first time. I had a couple people ask for the recipe and one tell me it was the best sweet potato casserole they’d ever had! I doubled the recipe but still only did about a 1/4 cup of syrup and did sprinkle some marshmallows on top at the end. It has now been my “desginated” dish to bring to family gtherings.
I’m SO happy to hear that Elle! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful, kind review!
I make this every year (I sub in Japanese purple sweet potatoes) and it’s always a family fave!
I’m so happy to hear that!
I don’t ever leave comments on recipe sites, but had to for this one! This will be my 4th or 5th time making this. It is delicious! Make it exactly as the recipe says to and it always turns out amazing. I don’t always eat paleo/vegan but I love to incorporate paleo recipes and this is a winner!
Ashlee – THANK YOU for taking the time to leave such a sweet, thoughtful comment. Happy Thanksgiving!
I’ve made this sweet potato casserole ( I double the recipe ) the last few years for Thanksgiving, and, my family LOVES it! I make it a day ahead and then as the recipe directs, finish the topping the day of. One tip I’ve learned when making this ahead is making sure to pull the casserole out about an hour before baking so the inside is cooked/hot after baking. Sometimes I add marshmallows on top and that makes it extra delicious 😋 It’s a 10/10!
AAAAH! This totally made my day! I’m so glad you loved it!
I made a double batch of this sweet potato casserole (in a 9×13 pan) for our big family Thanksgiving and had a conversation with one of my brothers before dinner about his loathing for stuffing & sweet potato casserole. During dinner he looked at me with wide eyes after trying my sweet potatoes and said, “this is SO good! This is the first time I have ever enjoyed sweet potato casserole.” It was a huge hit and several people wanted to take the leftovers home with them. Thanks, Emily, for being a great source for “the perfect recipe” everytime!
Sharlee, this review is EVERYTHING!!! You completely and totally made my day!
We typically serve a savory sweet potato dish at Thanksgiving, but this year we served this one as well since it’s dairy-free. To my surprise, THIS recipe won the raves from everyone. I was even told that this one could replace the savory stand-by recipe in future years!! I felt like it was a HUGE success – so yummy. I’ll definitely make it again.
I’m SO GLAD to hear this!!! It’s my family’s most requested Thanksgiving recipe!
This was a big hit! I was kind of sad there were no leftovers, at all! No other dish had that honor, and I received a text after saying that the sweet potato casserole was the best dish there. Can’t wait to make it again at Christmas!
Liz – THIS REVIEW IS EVERYTHING! Yes! It was like that for my family this year, too! Always the first dish to go and always gets rave reviews! Happy Thanksgiving, and thanks again!
If I make this recipe the night before what would be the recommendation for reheating it?
When you make it in advance, I recommend making the filling and topping separate & adding the filling and baking the whole casserole the day of. If you need to bake the whole thing in advance (I get it!), you’ll want to cover the dish with foil so the pecans don’t burn as you reheat. Then just pop it in the oven for 20-30 minutes or so to heat through.
Hi! This sounds delicious! My husband is recently dairy and gluten-free, so this sounds perfect for Thanksgiving. Do you have to use maple syrup? Sugars tend to make him break out, so trying to avoid if possible/
It does impact the flavor to make it sweeter, but structurally, you’ll be able to get by without it in the filling. The topping won’t be quite the same flavor-wise, but again, if you’re used to eating things unsweetened, it’ll probably be ok!
Absolutely delicious! My whole family liked it. I used eggs, almond milk, and coconut oil and made it ahead as the recipe mentions. I ended up baking it for an additional 20 minutes at 400 beyond what the recipe calls for. ( Perhaps that was from prepping in and refrigerating it ahead of time). Thank you for the recipe!
Hooray! So glad you enjoyed it Amanda. THANK YOU for taking the time to leave a review!
So happy to try your recipes,I appreciate your kind thoughts and generosity.Thank you for sharing.Healthy and delicious
I just made this for my family for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit! Everyone was going back for leftovers for days. I like that it’s not at all too sweet–it is not a dessert. I used Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer and the finished dish was very cohesive, good texture. Love the pecan topping as well, it’s the main event. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
YAY!!! I’m so glad you liked it Kent! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review–I appreciate you so much!
Wonderful recipe! I have made it two Thanksgivings in a row and people like it better than the typical sweet potato casserole. I added some coconut sugar to the nut topping and it was delicious.
That’s SO WONDERFUL to hear!!! I’m so glad you loved it. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review Kaylee! I appreciate you!
This is the best sweet potato casserole I have ever had! It was a HUGE hit for Thanksgiving even for people who do not like sweet potatoes. Thank you!
Donna – You completely made my day! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a kind, thoughtful review. It’s one of my FAVORITE holiday recipes–so glad you loved it too 🙂
I just made this for Thanksgiving yesterday (November 2021). The organic sweet potatoes I get at my CSA are HUGE (about 2 pounds each), moist and very sweet! I made a double recipe & used 4 eggs (fresh from the farm so I used 2 smaller ones and 2 larger ones). I actually cooked the sweet potatoes in my instant pot 2 days before (cut into larger pieces and the skins came right off) and put in a container in the fridge. On Thanksgiving day, I added the ingredients for the mash into the same container I had in the fridge with my cooked sweet potatoes and used my potato masher to mix it up. I know my potatoes are already moist, so I only added 1/2 of the almond milk and only 1/2 of the syrup for the mash. I spread it into 2 8×8 pans. In a bowl, I melted Spectrum organic palm oil shortening in place of butter in the microwave and mixed the rest of the topping ingredients and topped the pans. I had my oven on 375 (with my stuffings) and cooked it about 5 minutes less and they were perfect! My daughter asked for left overs to take home. I will definitely make this again. So some people may need less milk depending on your potatoes. I knew mine were already moist and very sweet. I used to bake sweet potatoes wrapped in foil in my oven until I can squeeze them and now use my Instant pot. Delish!!!! This recipe is perfect way to let the sweet potatoes shine!
Wow! Thanks so much for sharing your notes! 🙂
Thank you, Emily! This recipe is wonderful! I’ve made it with chia egg. It turned out well: firm on the plate and delicious. I could not even imagine that it can be so good vegan. Thank you so much!
Oh, hooray!!!!
I just made this for thanksgiving and my entire family loved it, I will be making this recipe again it was delicious.
YAY! I’m so glad Amber. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Is the cooking time the same if I double the recipe? Anything else to keep in mind when doubling? Thank you!
It should be very similar, so long as you have it in a 9×13 pan. Just keep an eye on the pecans as it bakes so they don’t burn 😊
My sis isn’t a big fan of sweet potatoes but loved this! I used 2/3rds ghee & 1/3rd refined coconut oil, no eggs, just 1/4 light coconut milk. Also, half the maple syrup in batter and almonds due to nut allergies! Did a ghee/coconut oil refined combo too n the topping! Awesome recipe. Thanks
Shawn – I’m SO glad that you loved it!!! THANK YOU for taking the time to leave a star review and your comments–they’re so helpful to me and to other readers with allergies. Happy Thanksgiving!
I love this recipe! I made this on a chance around Thanksgiving. My family likd it so much, we have made it 3 other times. I’m currently making it for Easter.
I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. I appreciate it SO MUCH!
I’ve actually been making this recipe for a few years. It is our favorite! I usually double it so we have extra leftovers.
Kelly – You totally made my day. THANK YOU for taking the time to leave a review! It’s so helpful, and SO appreciated!
I followed this recipe exactly. I’ve never used egg replacmt before.
I used an 8×8, but a little higher sides than a typical pyrex casserole.
I don’t know what happened, but it wasn’t cooked thru. Too wet (similar to when i make gluten free breads,
muffins. never seems to fully cook). So i put in for another 25 min, turned up to 385. Was busy
in kitchen, burned the pecans. I wish i had seen that comment above recipe, u can skip altogether or
use cornstarch. The sweet potato mixture was excellent consistency going into oven. I guess there’s something I didn’t get right. So many ppl here happy w results. With the extra cooking time, was edible, but still a bit too moist.
Thank you
I’m so sorry Donna! It’s always such a bummer when a recipe doesn’t turn out the way you hope it will. I hope you’ll get to try it again in the future with the other adjustments. So sorry it wasn’t a win for you this year. Happy Thanksgiving!
For the egg replacer, do you know if banana or applesauce would work instead? I’m making this for a dinner and will have a vegan friend there. I don’t have the powder and am wondering if I can use something I have here already!
Jenny – If you don’t want to go the egg replacer route, I’d actually recommend you use a little less milk (1/4 cup instead of 1/3) so the sweet potato mash is thicker or use 1 Tbsp. of cornstarch in the filling to help it set up and thicken.
Thanks! I am using a 9×13 pan, which is 3 qrts. I made it in an 8×8 (2qrts). It was outstanding but for thanksgiving I need a bigger pan. So 3 or 4 eggs?
I add 4 eggs when I double the recipe.🙂
If I want to double the recipe, do I need 4 eggs? It seems like a lot of eggs.
Laura – I add 4 eggs when I double the recipe. It has never tasted or felt “eggy” for me. It just helps bind the mixture together and helps it set up. 🙂
Hi Emily! Can I make this without the egg yolk and just egg whites? If so, should I use any extra egg whites?
Thank you!
Jamie
Jamie – I think you’d be just fine using egg white instead of a whole egg. I’d say 1-2 egg whites would do it!
I was asked by every family at the table for this recipe. It was a big hit!
Lynne – I’m SO HAPPY about that! Thank you for sharing!
Great recipe! Made it for Christmas dinner and there were no leftovers!
That’s fantastic! So happy to hear it! 🙂 (Thank you for sharing!)
Made this for Thanksgiving and it was a HUGE hit! So delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe. I also use real eggs.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s my FAVORITE Thanksgiving dish!
Do you think this would work with flax egg?
Becca – I think you can get by with a flax egg!
I haven’t even baked the casserole but have tried the filling (sans eggs) and using dairy free butter (Mykonos)
And boy is this yummy!!!! I can’t wait to enjoy it tomorrow with the crunchy pecans!!!! I too was faced with a dairy free challenge because my babe has CMPI and last week felt like I was gonna miss out on all the holiday yummies. I was super bummed. But tonight after giving this recipe a go… there’s no going back to the other stuff! Can’t wait to share this with the family! Thank you!!!!!!
Galina – Oh, I’m so happy to hear that! We absolutely LOVE this dish. I’m so glad it was a hit at your house, too!
Emily-
I don’t have pecans but walnut halves. Would this work for the topping?
Thanks.
Mary
Mary – Walnuts taste a bit stronger in my opinion. If you like the taste, you’d probably be fine to use them. (I love the pecans 🙂 )
Hi Emily! I’m trying to figure out how to enter this on MyFitnessPal. Would you say a serving is about a 1/2 cup?
Every time I make this dish it’s a huge hit! Everyone loves it even with the coconut milk. Thank you for sharing 🙂 I’ve even shared with others because they’ve been asking where I got this recipe from!
Wanted to know if u thought the sweet potato mix would still be good after two days in the fridge. Made it last night to cook today but dinner got canceled until tomorrow. Or could you cook it and just reheat it in the oven
I do! I think it’d be great. I’d say it’d easily last 3-4 days total.
Everyone loved it! I added some mashed carrots, reduced syrup a bit to compensate for the sweetness of the carrots, and it was a favorite side dish at Thanksgiving. Thanks for the recipe. Definitely a new family favorite!
Sheri – I bed I’d love it with the carrot addition! I’ll have to try that sometime!
This recipe turned out amazing!!!! Do you know what the portion size is for a serving?
I’m SO glad you enjoyed it! I haven’t measured in a cup or by weight, but I usually divide an 8×8 into 9 portions or so (maybe 12 if we’re all having a little bit of everything on Thanksgiving). 🙂
INCREDIBLE! SO thankful for this recipe. I added a teeny bit of birch syrup I got in Alaska for a unique flavor – fun stuff 🙂 Best sweet potatoes EVER. My mom was super upset with me for not making her traditional sweet potatoes with marshmellows (something I’ve never enjoyed, even as a kid). I let her try a taste of this one and she loved it too! Thanks Emily!
YAAAAAY!!! I LOVE hearing that. Thank you so much for sharing!
sorry if you’ve already answered this: Can I use canned lite coconut milk? maybe water it down a little
thank you
Sure! I don’t think you’ll need to water it down–it should be good!
turned out great; thanks so much.
Hi, trying to sneak in some healthy paleo dishes to my boyfriend’s family thanksgiving. I have a ton of canned sweet potato a friend didn’t want and was wondering if I could substitute it in place of regular whole potatoes to save money. Did see this question from anyone in previous comments. Any thoughts?
Mal – My aunt always uses canned sweet potatoes for her sweet potato casserole. I think as long as you have the right weight (and drain any liquid), you’d be fine! Hope everyone LOVES it!
Okay, thanks!!
Would it be possible to cook this in a slow cooker so that I can keep it warm and intact without transferring to a slow cooker to keep warm for a large gathering?…..may not have oven available to keep it warm.
Looks delicious!!…Thank You!!
Denise – Hmm… I’ve never cooked it that way. I’m not sure if the pecans would crisp up? I worry they’d just steam. That said, I know there are some slow cooker sweet potato casserole recipes out there! You may want to give one a quick Google to see what they suggest.
Thank you !
Hi Emily!
This looks yummy! I’m planning to make it for Thanksgiving this Thursday, and was a little surprised at the 8×8 pan instructions…that hardly seems like it would make enough to fill the baking dish you pictured – could I use a 9×13? We usually have 15-20 ppl at Thanksgiving…should I double the recipe? Just wondering because from the picture it looks like it would make plenty… But the 8 by 8 pan is throwing me off 😄
Meredith – The oval baking dish I used is a 2-quart dish (same volume as an 8×8″). If you want a 9×13″ you’ll need to double the recipe. 🙂 The baking time should be just about the same (if not 2-3 min more). Hope that helps!
Question for you…my sweet potatoes are white, will that work or do I need yams (orange color)? Do they cook differently? Thanks for any info/advice! Looking forward to making this for Thanksgiving 😀 Happy Holidays
Maris – Great question! For the most part, white and orange sweet potatoes will behave similarly. Sometimes white ones can run on the drier side, so if you find your mash doesn’t seem really smooth and wet, you may want to add a bit more milk to the mixture. I hope you LOVE this!
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I’ve made it with eggs and love it, but I’m going to try it with Ener-G this year. Have you done the “night before” method with Ener-G? For some reason, I’m wary of trying that. I don’t really know why. 🙂 Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Ecfinn – I haven’t actually. I’m making mine with Bob’s Red Mill this year and plan to do it the night before. That one’s made with potato starch, tapioca flour, baking soda, and psyllium husk. Ener-G is made with potato starch, tapioca flour, cream of tartar, cellulose gum & modified cellulose, so the ingredients are pretty similar. I think you shouldn’t have any trouble if you mix it well with the other liquids and into the sweet potatoes. That way, you shouldn’t get any lumps. I’d LOVE to know how it goes if you give it a try!
Just delicious! Thank you!
Oh, I’m SO glad! We just love it!
I made this last year for Thanksgiving. My family totally loved it. My question is will this freeze well? I need to make it in advance now.
Lu – You can freeze it. I recommend freezing the filling in the pan unbaked and covering with foil, then just adding the pecan topping right before baking, if you can.
If you’re going to re-heat it directly from the oven, you’ll need to put it in a cold oven (to avoid glass/ceramic bursting with the temperature change) or freeze it in a flexible aluminum baking pan to allow for temperature changes. I hope that helps!
Emily I’m making this for a Paleo friend for Easter. Can I bake this the day before and heat it up?
You can totally make it ahead. My first recommendation is to make each part (the filling + the topping) and store separately overnight, then sprinkle the topping on and baking right before serving. If you don’t have time, you can bake it the day before, then re-heat it on Easter. Hope you all love it!
This is the only way (to date) that I have been able to get my 5-year old son to eat sweet potatoes (he even cleans his plate of them).
I’ve made this dish twice now; my first preparation was made exactly as the instructions call for (this preparation I give a 4-star rating).
Tonight I’ve made it again; this time I’d brushed the sweet potatoes with olive oil (after washing and drying the skin) and baked for 1 hour on 350 (the oil causes the skin to separate from the potato during baking). By this preparation, I found the mash has far less water content, and causes the pecan topping to turn out so much better (a *5-star* rating)!
Wow! I’ll have to try it your way next time! I’m so happy to hear they’re a hit with your son!
I’ve made this for Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts where no one suspected how much better it was for them than the original – perfect texture, not too sweet and I’ve been asked for the recipe every time. Delish 🙂
Janice – I’m SO happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing and brightening my day!
Hello! I’m excited about making this recipe for a late family thanksgiving tonight! I have honey pecans I bought from the store that I wanted to just chop up a bit and put on the top (they’re already cooked/glazed and ready to go. I got them from the organic section at my grocery store) so I was wondering, most importantly, how long do I cook the sweet potato mash without the topping and do I add the ready pecans 5 minutes or so before it’s all done just to get them nice and warm? Or do I not cook with them at all and just put them on after I take the mash out of the oven? Sorry for all the questions! Novice cook! 🙂
Sonia – I apologize for not getting back to you sooner! I’ve been with family all day. I think you can add them as usual, and then just un-cover the pan for the last 5-10 minutes or so. I think they’d be fine! Hope you LOVE it!
I love this recipe! I used neat egg and it was delicious. I may try it without next time, just to see :). We will definitely be making this again! Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Alicia!
Wonderful recipe! Made this for Thanksgiving instead of the regular family recipe and everyone raved about how good it was. Only after I received multiple compliments, I revealed that is was healthy. Gasp! Even the non-paelo/vegans took seconds. This WILL be the new (holiday) staple recipe!
Angelle – I’m SO happy to hear that! So glad you loved it!!!
Hi! Recipe sounds great. Want to make for my vegan son but don’t have any egg substitute. 🙁
Did you see the directions for that in the notes section? “If you’d rather omit the egg/egg sub, you won’t miss anything in flavor, but the texture will be a bit looser and more like a puree than a cohesive mash. You can use a little less milk for a thicker mash to compensate for this.”
I used 1 banana to replace for each egg and it turned out perfect!!!
That’s so clever! Glad you enjoyed it!
New to be vegetarian and making this for my family right now!
Carrie – I hope you LOVE it! It’s a HUGE hit at our house!
This is about the third time I have made this and I have to say this is my absolute favorite sweet potato dish I have ever made..paleo or not!!! Everyone who tries it loves it!!! Thank you so much for sharing and have a great Thanksgiving!!
Melissa – Thank you, thank you, thank you for letting me know! You totally made my day! Happy Thanksgiving!
This may be a silly question, but can I use and electric beater to mix, or would that make it too runny?
Not silly at all! You can absolutely use an electric hand mixer!
This recipe looks amazing Emily, I can’t wait to try it this Thanksgiving. If I were to double the recipe and use a 9×13 pan would I need to keep it in the oven longer? (sorry, I’m a beginner)
Breanne – Oh, don’t apologize! It’s a great question! You may want to add 5-8 minutes or so, but it really shouldn’t need much longer than that. Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving!
Awesome! Thanks so much for replying, Happy Thanksgiving to you too! 😀
Just found this recipe and we are new to Paleo. I was wondering if you could make the mash and freeze it several days ahead? Thaw, place topping and cook.
Thank you,
Faith
Faith – I haven’t done it that way before, but it would probably work? I think I’d actually assemble the whole thing and freeze it ready to bake. Otherwise, you can absolutely prep the mash a day in advance, store it in the fridge, and keep the topping separate until you’re ready to bake.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Would a 12 x 8.75 crate and barrel rectangle casserole fish be too big? I have a 9.35 x 7 but it appears to be too small. Novice cook here who is trying to learn gluten and dairy free cooking! 😉 Thinking of making this for Thanksgiving so there’s something more on the table I personally can eat. 🙂
Rachel – That would probably be too big a pan unless you doubled your recipe. I’m not sure how deep your 9.35×7 pan is, but it actually might work! You just want about 2 quart (8 cups) capacity. If you’re nervous, you can test it with that much water and see if it’ll hold!
Thank you! I found an 8×8 I can use. 🙂
Hooray! Hope you LOVE it!
I have always wanted to make this . I tasted this in our church and it was really good but he added marshmallows to it.
Oh how fun!
Fantastic dish.
Thank you Fiona! It’s one of my FAVORITE holiday dishes!
This looks yummy! Can you add orange juice to this casserole?
That sounds delicious! I haven’t tried that, but I’d LOVE to know what you think if you give it a try!
How would you add orange juice? I mean, where would you add it in the recipe and would you be adding it in place of something else or in addition?
Thanks!
Made this for Easter and the whole family loved it. I used coconut oil and honey in the potatoes, and even could have cut back on the honey.
I’m SO glad to hear that! It’s remarkable how sweet everything is on its own! The cinnamon and vanilla really make you feel like it’s sweeter than it is!
I made this for a Boxing Day feast and it was SO GOOD! Thanks for the great recipe.
Oh, I’m so happy to hear it Christina! Hope you have a happy New Year!
Hi Emily! We are doing Christmas in the woods this year in our trailer and I wanted to make this a few days in advance (make on Wed and bake on Sunday). I will be using real eggs. Is it ok to assemble all but the topping and store the sweet potato casserole uncooked for a few days? Or should I fully assemble and bake completely and then reheat? I’m just not sure what is the best approach since there are raw eggs involved. But I also don’t want it to dry out. Thanks so much! This looks awesome!
Celia – What an adventure! I haven’t made it that far in advance (I’ve only ever done the day ahead), but I think all your concerns are spot on! You may want to fully bake it and then heat it up the day you plan to serve it. I’d love to know how it turns out for you! Enjoy your Christmas in the woods!
Just found your blog this week. Thank you so much for this recipe! I made this for my two vegan daughters and they loved it. More important, the whole family loved it – a very delicious dish and something that will become a holiday tradition for our family.
Oh, I’m so glad to hear it Patrick! Hope it was a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Making this morning for a vegan family member. Happy Thanksgiving!
Lynn – I hope everyone enjoys it! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi, I’m making this today. For the egg replacer–I’m using energ egg replacer. Should I follow the box instructions and use warm water or just add 2 Tbspn. of egg replacer without the water?
Thank you so much!
Minna – Your choice! It will work either way, but I prefer to add the water. I’ll update my directions to say that! Good luck today!
Made this for Mother’s Day…just dumped the egg replacer powder in. My wife told me I ruined it! She told me I had to follow the box directions. Please clarify your instructions to give the options…help save other marriages the turmoil of this argument!!!
Just kidding (except we did debate it until I found your comment). Our casserole turned out great!
So glad it turned out great! (And sorry for the confusion!)
Making this tomorrow! Thanks for clarifying on the peeling of the potatoes. I found the recipe this morning and by the time I came back you’d answered my question. Can’t wait to feast on this.
I hope you love it! Happy Thanksgiving!
Do you peel the potatoes first? Thanks!
Kari – Yes! I’ll be sure to specify that in the recipe 🙂
Actually, sweet potatoes can be boiled or steamed WITH the skins on. Just score the skins lengthwise all the way around with a sharp knife. You can cut potatoes in half so they cook a little faster too. After they are fork tender, drain them & low to cool so you can handle them. They will slip right out of the skins. No peeling, no mess, a real time saver!
Great tip! Thanks for sharing Carolyn!
I leave the peels on and then use an immersion blender for everything! Added fiber and nutrients that way too 🙂
That’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
I’m delighted you found a way to include this in your feasting. It sound super yummy!!
This looks amazing! We’re hosting Thanksgiving this year, and I think this needs to make an appearance on the menu!