Enjoy a classic favorite this Thanksgiving with this Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole. It’s just like you remember- creamy mashed sweet potato topped with a sweet and crunchy pecan crust. Make sure to add this fan-favorite to your holiday table!
This post was originally published on November 8, 2017.
We’ve come to one of my favorite dishes on the My Darling Vegan holiday tour.
Yep, you’ve figured it out. A rich and creamy Sweet Potato Casserole with a crunchy pecan topping, this classic dish is a must-have! Before we get into it, let’s do a quick recap of what we’ve covered so far on this holiday tour.
So far, there has been:
I’ve got another week and a half of recipes coming your way, but before we get too ahead of ourselves, let’s give a little love to my friend, the sweet potato casserole.
Recipe Video
Ingredients & Substitutions
You don’t need much to make this delicious holiday side dish. Just 6 simple ingredients + spices that you can easily find at your local grocery store.
Here is everything you need.
Ingredient Notes
- Sweet Potatoes – Yams also work.
- Non-Dairy Milk – Any non-dairy milk will do. I recommend soy, cashew, or oat.
- Brown Sugar – Check out my guide to vegan sugars and healthy sugar alternatives.
- Vegan Butter – Use a high-quality non-hydrogenated vegan butter. I recommend either Earth Balance or Miyoko’s.
- Pecans – Feel free to also use hazelnuts or walnuts. If you have a nut allergy, you can substitute the pecans for equal parts rolled oats.
- All-Purpose Flour – For a gluten-free alternative, use a 1:1 all-purpose flour(<<affiliate link). I’ve also had readers make the topping using almond or coconut flour.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One – Cook the Sweet Potatoes
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
To begin, peel, cube, and boil the sweet potatoes in a large pot of water until the potatoes are soft and can be easily pierced with a fork. The timing will vary depending on the size of your sweet potato but should take between 8 and 12 minutes.
Drain the water through a colander and transfer the potatoes to a large bowl.
Time Saving Tip: If you would like to save on time you can use sweet potato puree. You will need about 30 ounces of sweet potato puree for this recipe.
Step Two – Mash the Potatoes
Mash the potatoes until they are mostly puréed. Add the remaining ingredients and blend together until you have a uniform mash. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a casserole dish and set aside.
Pro Tip: This is most easily done with an immersion blender (<<affiliate link). If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a potato masher, wooden spoon, or food processor.
Step Three – Make the Pecan Topping
To make the pecan topping place the pecans, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Once pecans have broken into uniform pieces, add the melted butter while the motor still running.
Pulse a few more times until the crust is fully hydrated. It should stick together when pressed between your fingers.
Evenly spread the pecan topping over the creamy sweet potatoes and bake for 20-25 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the potatoes are heated all the way through.
Serving and Storing
Serving – Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Serve as a part of your holiday table alongside Vegan Meatloaf and Stuffing.
Storing – Store leftover sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tips and Tricks
- Cut your potatoes evenly. This ensures they are cooked at an even rate. Aim to cut them into 1/2 inch cubes and boil for 10 minutes. Boiling times will vary depending on the size of the cubes.
- Don’t like pecans? Both walnuts and hazelnuts make great substitutions. For a nut-free version, swap out the pecans for equal amounts of oats.
- Blend together the pecan topping until it sticks together when pressed. You may need to add an extra tablespoon of butter. Be careful not to over blend or you will lose the crunch texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
For sure! Just use a 1:1 all-purpose flour (<<affiliate link). I’ve also had readers make the topping using almond and coconut flour.
For sure! The best way to make this recipe in advance is to make the potatoes and crumb topping separate. Refrigerate the potatoes overnight and store the crumb topping in a tightly wrapped container at room temperature. When you are ready to bake, spread the crumb topping over the potatoes and bake.
Yes. If you would like to save on time you can use sweet potato puree. You will need about 30 ounces of sweet potato puree for this recipe.
Yes! I’ve had readers substitute equal amount oats for the pecans with much success.
More Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes
- Vegan Parmesan Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”
- Apple and Hazelnut Stuffing
- Maple and Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
- Mushroom Lentil Loaf
- Classic Pumpkin Pie
Get all my vegan Thanksgiving recipes for more inspiration.
Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Casserole
- 6 cups cubed sweet potatoes, about 3 large potatoes
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk, I used soy
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
Pecan Topping
- 3/4 cup pecans
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegan butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups of water to a boil. While water is heating up, peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 1/2" inch cubes. Place in boiling water and boil for about 10 minutes until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Drain the water from the cooked sweet potatoes and let cool 10 minutes. Mash potatoes with a masher or large fork. Add the remaining sweet potato ingredients and blend together with an immersion blender or a wooden spoon. Transfer to a 2-quart casserole dish and spread evenly.
- To make the pecan topping, place pecans, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Once pecans have broken into uniform pieces, add the melted butter while the motor still running. Pulse a few more times until the crust is fully hydrated. The pecan topping should stick together when pressed between your fingers. If it is too dry, add one additional tablespoon of melted butter.
- Spread the pecan topping evenly over the sweet potato puree and bake for 20-30 minutes until topping is golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Can I make this recipe gluten free? For sure! Just use a 1:1 all-purpose flour. I’ve also had readers make the topping using almond and coconut flour.
- Can I use sweet potato puree? Yes. If you would like to save on time you can use sweet potato puree. You will need about 30 ounces of sweet potato puree for this recipe.
- Can I use something other than nuts for the topping? Yes! I’ve had readers substitute equal amount oats for the pecans with much success.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Rachel says
Has anyone tried this with Almond milk or coconut milk?
Al Ashley says
Yes, it turned out perfectly. I used a almond cashew milk.
Cathy says
Delicious!! My hubby is allergic to nuts so I substituted oats for the topping and it’s perfect!
Ecfinn says
Thanks for sharing this…it sounds lovely. I would like to make it but wondering if I could make it ahead. Perhaps up to the baking step? With my old, non-vegan recipe, I was able to do that. Wondering if you’ve tried that?
Sarah says
Yes, that would be fine.
Shari says
Hi Sarah! This looks incredible and I’m going to make it for Christmas! Question: Can I make the pecan topping if I don’t own a food processor? How would I do that?
Sarah says
If you finely chopped the pecans by hand, it should work just fine!
Jimi says
Delicious! I used almonds instead of pecans and it was fabulous.
Jackie says
Hubby made this for Thanksgiving. Soooo delicious! My favorite sweet potato casserole recipe yet!
Sarah says
So glad to hear it!
Kathryn says
Made these today for Thanksgiving. EXCELLENT!
JohnC says
what temp to bake? 350
Sarah says
Yes, 350.
Betty Robinson says
Can I bake the sweet potatoes instead of boiling and make it the night before?
Sarah says
Sure, you can bake them and yes, this can made the night before. Just gently reheat it the next day.
Nicole says
The scale feature isn’t working :(. I need to scale this from 8 to 12 people!
Sarah says
I’ll look into that right now and see if I can get that working. If I can’t, I can write it out for you or you can add 50% to all the ingredients.
Sarah says
It’s fixed now!
Tricia says
I have everything except the nutmeg! I’m making it anyway hopefully it comes out good
Sarah says
That should be fine! I hope you enjoy it!
Daphne says
Where can I get vegan butter?
Sarah says
You should be able to find it at most grocery stores. Look for Earth Balance or Miyoko’s. If you can’t find it, most margarines are vegan.
Ms. Caterer says
Made this for a vegan friend after some tweaks. She and her non vegan family loved it!
Sarah says
So glad to hear it!
Sarah says
This was so good! I made it for Canadian Thanksgiving and my whole family LOVED it!
Kathy Allen says
Omg!! I made this for our dinner and it is, by far, my favorite dish!! Thank you for all your culinary ingenuity! ??
Jennifer Bliss says
The more sweet potato ideas the better! YUM
Jennifer Bliss says
Looks stellar! YUM! Gotta try some!