This creamy and delicious healthy Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole with toasty pecan oat topping tastes just like the classic. It’s a must for Thanksgiving. Easily gluten-free!
Jeff has never had sweet potato casserole. I repeat: JEFF HAS NEVER HAD SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE.
Until last night when he ate like half this pan.
It’s so interesting how everyone has such different holiday traditions. My fam, for example, would never in a zillion years have Thanksgiving at lunchtime, while Jeff’s family is hosting at 11:30am. Whaaaaa?
I did a little poll on Instagram asking you fabulous souls which recipe you wanted first, and it was pretty much 50/50 between this Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole and my new Spinach & Mushroom Stuffing. So you’ll have to wait a couple days for the stuffing, whose proper name is actually “dressing.” I’m learning so much!
Sweet potato casserole is as essential to the Thanksgiving spread as the bird in my eyes. I have such fond memories of us grandkids gathering around the table with my grandma’s steamy sweet potato casserole waiting to be covered in toasty marshmallows. It was always my job to carefully cover the sweet potato goodness in millions of ‘mallows.
There really is nothing quite like the sweet smell of Thanksgiving dinner. DINNER. Not lunch. We good there?
Kid. Kind of.
I guess I need to get comfortable with the whole early eating thing. But there’s something so fun about the day-long anticipation of the epic meal, ya know? I’m trying to look on the bright side. Really trying. So nice we’ll eat it twice?
Yes, yes indeed!
The baking dish I used for this recipe is new! It’s a 2.5 qt white oval ceramic one I found on sale for like $13 at Target and I love it. It comes with an awesome glass lid, too. Highly recommend.
P.S. How do you pronounce pecans? Pee-CAN? Peh-kahn? I’m really curious. Leave a comment, would ya?
Back to the origin of this Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole! My sister’s mother-in-law (hi, Arlene!) actually has the best ever recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole. We went to her house in Cincinnati for Thanksgiving a few years ago and I’ll never forget it. Everything was the best. But her sweet potato casserole…mm mmm mmmmmm. Extra sweet, buttery, and pecany–just how I like it.
How freaking cute is this recipe of hers that my sister sent me?!
While Thanksgiving is a good a time as ever to use a stick and a half of butter, I challenged myself to modify this just a wee bit. I used Earth Balance instead of butter (coconut oil may work too, but I have a big ass pan of sweet potato casserole I need to get through before I can test that baby out), opted for less brown sugar (you can use coconut sugar if you wanna make this all healthy food like) and added oats to the topping.
I hereby deem my Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole to be just as good as the original. Jeff agrees! For all my friends who don’t tolerate gluten, this is very easily modifiable for gluten-free preferences. Simply use certified gluten-free oats in the topping and almond flour or your fave GF flour in the topping. You and your guests will never know the diff!
If you’re a non-vegan with no use for this here Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole, you can totally use buttah instead. Most recipes also call for a couple eggs to bind it all together, so feel free to whisk in an egg to the mixture as well if you so fancy. This is YOUR casserole. Do with it what you please.
Double the cinnamon for all I care!!!!
And hey, since this Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole is lighter fare, all the more reason to have an extra slice or three of pumpkin pie, amiright?
- 4 large sweet potatoes (or 5 medium), peeled and chopped
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup flour (all purpose, whole wheat pastry, etc, use GF if necessary)
- ⅓ cup old-fashioned oats (GF if necessary)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup pecans, chopped
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- Place sweet potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F and grease a 2-2.5 qt or 9x13x2 inch baking dish.
- Stir together all topping ingredients in a medium bowl until mixture is crumbly.
- Drain potatoes and place in a large mixing bowl. Add vegan butter, almond milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt. Use a potato masher or electric beaters (for extra fluffiness) to mash until the mixture is smooth.
- Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the topping evenly over potatoes.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are bubbly and topping is browned.
I’ve never had sweet potato casserole before as well… it’s the first time I’ve heard of it… haha! 😛 But I LOVE sweet potatoes, so I’m already a hundred percent sure I’ll love this recipe!
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Girl you NEED. If you love sweet potatoes I’m sure you’ll love them with a sweet and crunchy topping. Let me know how you like it!!
O. M. G. I’m coming to your house for Thanksgiving! I’ll bring the wine ;).
That would be a dream!!
Peekahn
I’m originally from western NY and I pronounce the nut peh-kahn. This dish looks delish! Thanks for sharing the recipe. 🙂
So good to know! It sounds like most people are in that camp.
Looks amazing. Thank you for making it vegan!
You’re welcome!!
Wait Jeff get with the program… hahaha what would he do without you?! Also I’m making this for Friendsgiving cannnnnnnnot waittttttttttt <3
Yayyyyy! Let me know how you like it!!
Just wondering- Cold or melted butter in the topping? Looks delish! Thanks for sharing!
Cold butter! Enjoy 🙂
pe-KAHNNNNN! Straight from the Southern girl herself.
Girl thank youuuuu.
I can’t wait to make this recipe for my friends this friends giving. Was wondering if there was a substitute I could use for the brown sugar that would taste relatively the same?
Thank You!!
You could use coconut sugar. Maple syrup should work too 🙂
For the topping do you melt the butter or use cold butter? did you use unsalted? would coconut oil work?
Hey Kate! Not melted. I always specific “melted” when it’s supposed to be melted 🙂 I used Earth Balance which is salted. I’ve never tried it with coconut oil—it won’t have the buttery flavor but I’d imagine it would work fine. Enjoy!
I’ve also never had sweet potato casserole – even though sweet potatoes are my favorite! I’m missing out, I know.
Also – pecans. I say pee-cans, but I’ve been told I pronounce “almond” wrong too, so who knows? LOL
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I’ve heard that from so many people! You should try it out this year- it’ll legit change yo LIFE.
We say pee-can where I’m from! Also, I just made your cranberry sauce (do I need to refrigerate?) and this casserole is in the oven right now! I may have been slightly more generous with the topping 🙂
Yay!!! So yummy. The more topping the merrier. Yes def refrigerate!
Question- ingredients say 1 cup almond milk but it isn’t mentioned in the directions. Unless I missed something. Do I use the almond milk when mashing the potatoes or just use the butter? Thanks!
Oops–sorry about that! Just fixed. Yep, add it in with everything else. Thanks!
Hi! I am planning to make this for a late Friendsgiving and have 2 questions:
1. If I want to double the recipe, should I bake the whole thing any longer? Bake a while, then add the topping and bake some more? I want it to cook all the way through, but not burn the topping to a crisp…
2. Do you think I could split cooking this across 2 days by mashing the potatoes, refrigerating them, then finishing the next day? Or would they get too cold/watery in the fridge overnight to come out right?
Thank you!
Hey there, I haven’t tried doubling it but ya just cook it a bit longer, no big deal. And yes you could finish it the next day. Enjoy!
Could this be made ahead of time and frozen?
I don’t think so as it would mess with the texture, especially the topping. You could make the sweet potato part the day before and then make the topping and bake it the next day?
This looks delicious! I was wondering if there is any sort of weight measurement you could give on the sweet potatoes? I have some really giant sweet potatoes that I would think are more like 2 medium sweet potatoes but I’m just not sure when you say 4 large/5 medium.
Hey! I don’t have a weight measurement, but just 4 if they’re giant, no big deal. Enjoy!
If I wanted to use vegan marshmallows on top, would I still bake for the same time? I wouldn’t want the mallows to burn.
Nope you can just add those at the end, I’d google a classic recipe that has marshmallows and use that for reference on timing.