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Hello! I’m Anjali. I’m a board certified health coach, author, wife, mom and food lover from the SF Bay area (now living in Seattle, WA!); with a passion for delicious food and a desire to make healthy eating easy, tasty and fun! Learn more about me here and stay for a while!

Anjali Shah

Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

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Enjoy this easy vegan sweet potato casserole during the holiday season or any time of year! It is perfectly sweet, filled with plump golden raisins, maple syrup, crunchy pecans, and fall spices. Complete your holiday dinner or add it as a side dish to any meal!

healthy easy vegan sweet potato casserole recipe in a white baking dish

I will seriously eat this healthy vegan sweet potato casserole recipe year-round. It does not need to be Thanksgiving Day for me to enjoy a delicious side of this dairy-free sweet potato casserole! Yes, it’s wonderful for the cooler fall and winter months, but I love it even when it’s hot outside. Please tell me I am not alone! 🙂

While there is some added sugar to these sweet potatoes, they are so delicious and irresistible that I crave them all the time. Don’t worry, though — this casserole isn’t as sweet as traditional recipes, which makes this healthier twist on a classic much better for you. The first time I made this recipe for my family to include with our Thanksgiving dinner, they devoured it without complaint. It also happens to be a super simple recipe to make.

Typically, at Thanksgiving, this nutritious veggie is doused with tons of butter, and sugar, and then topped with marshmallows – but you don’t need all of that for it to taste amazing. My healthier version has all of the flavors but is lower in sugar and calories than the traditional version! You won’t even find any vegan butter or coconut oil to keep this plant based sweet potato recipe low fat and low calorie!

I like serving it up as a side dish during dinner, as a healthy dessert, or as part of my breakfast, too — it’s even the perfect complement to some scrambled eggs in the morning. These tasty mashed sweet potatoes will quickly become one of your favorite dishes for any time of the year!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why You’ll Love This Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

  • A Must On Your Holiday Table: No Thanksgiving is complete without a casserole dish full of creamy sweet potato goodness.
  • Perfect Side Dish: This easy casserole is so versatile — it goes with nearly any main course.
  • Crunchy Pecan Topping: This is the key to this perfect non-dairy sweet potato casserole. The texture of the pecans pairs perfectly with the potatoes.
  • Healthy And Nutritious: This is an upgrade on the traditional too-sweet version.
  • Low In Sugar: The potato’s natural sweetness shines through in this version.
  • Easy Recipe: It couldn’t be easier to whip up this quick casserole.
  • Gluten-Free: No need to worry about dietary issues – this recipe is already gluten-free.
  • Best Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole Ever: You’ll never go back to the old-school version of this!

Latest Recipe Video!

🥘 Ingredients

For complete measurements and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post to the recipe card.

ingredients for vegan sweet potato casserole
  • Sweet Potatoes: Peel and chop your sweet potatoes to prepare for boiling.
  • Golden Raisins: These provide a pop of flavor in each bite!
  • Brown Sugar or Coconut Sugar: These ingredients keep the sweet potato filling refined sugar-free. Coconut sugar is also lower on the glycemic index, which is an added plus!
  • Spices: A little cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and sea salt.
  • Topping Ingredients: Maple syrup and chopped pecans for the maple pecan topping gives this low sugar sweet potato casserole a nice crunchy texture and a little bit of natural sweetness.

🍲 Ingredient Substitutions

  • Craisins: Substitute dried cranberries for some or all of the raisins.
  • Sweet Potatoes: If you want to save time, you can use canned sweet potato puree instead of whole sweet potatoes. You will need about 6.5 cups of sweet potato puree for this recipe. If you don’t have sweet potatoes, you can also use yams for this recipe.
  • Sugar: Instead of coconut sugar, you can add a splash of orange juice or vanilla extract for a little sweetness.
  • Spices: Add any other spices that you channel fall flavors. Allspice and cloves are two great options
  • Different Toppings: Try chopped walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or even crumbled granola! Or, use honey or coconut nectar to add sweetness.

🔪 How To Make Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

Here’s how to make this easy vegan sweet potato recipe. For more detailed instructions and nutrition facts, see the recipe card below.

Chop And Boil Sweet Potatoes: Chop potatoes into large chunks, place potatoes in water and cover, and boil in a large pot until soft when pierced with a fork. Drain, and return to the pot.

potatoes being cooked in a pot

Mash The Potatoes: Preheat oven to 400° F. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Mash the sweet potatoes in the pot once they are cooked.

potatoes being blended with an immersion blender in a bowl

Mix In Other Ingredients: Add the maple syrup, raisins, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and a 1/2 tsp of cinnamon to the sweet potato mash in the pot. Whip with an electric mixer or an immersion blender until smooth (if you don’t have one, you can do this step by hand—it’ll just take a little muscle!).

sweet potatoes pureed in a bowl

Prepare The Topping: Mix the brown sugar, pecans, and remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon in a large bowl. Spread the sweet potato mixture in the prepared baking dish with a wooden spoon or spatula. Sprinkle the topping mixture over the potatoes.

pecan crumble added to top of vegan sweet potato casserole

Bake The Casserole: Bake this delicious sweet potato casserole without eggs until hot and golden brown around the edges, about 15-20 minutes.

healthy easy vegan sweet potato casserole recipe in a white baking dish

💭 Expert Tips

  • Prep Ingredients: Have all ingredients measured ahead of time for smooth preparation.
  • Cut Potatoes Evenly: When cutting the sweet potatoes, try to cut them the same size. This will allow them to cook more evenly, and they will be done at the same time. 
  • Use a Mixer: A stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer will make quick work of mixing the ingredients together. A food processor, potato masher or high speed blender will work, too. For super smooth sweet potatoes, I recommend an immersion blender or electric mixer!
  • Serve Immediately: For the best results, serve this sweet potato casserole with no eggs straight out of the oven (or soon thereafter).
  • Thin Out As Needed: If the mixture needs a little more creaminess, you can thin it out with 1/4 cup of almond milk or coconut milk.
  • For Meal Prep: To make ahead of time, make the sweet potato mixture and store it in the fridge in an airtight container. 1 hour before you’re ready to serve it, sprinkle the pecan/brown sugar topping over the casserole and bake in the oven. Serve immediately after baking.
  • Use Cooking Spray: Remember to spray the dish to avoid having the potatoes stick.

📖 Variations

There are a few ways to switch up how you make this irresistible casserole.

  • Vegan Sweet Potato Marshmallow Casserole: If you want a marshmallow topping – top with vegan marshmallows for a more dessert-like feel!
  • Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecan Crumble: Turn the topping into a pecan crumble topping by adding oats, all-purpose flour, and sugar to the pecans.
  • Savory Plant Based Sweet Potato Casserole: You can make this vegan yam casserole without maple syrup and brown sugar for savory version! You can also slice the sweet potatoes instead of mashing them and layer them with your favorite veggies and vegan cheese for more of a “gratin” feel.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

There are so many ways to serve these healthy sweet potatoes. 

🙌 Dietary Adaptations

This is already a vegan gluten free sweet potato casserole, but you can modify it even further depending on your dietary needs! Here are some suggestions:

  • Less Sugar Option: Use your favorite alternative sweetener to lower the sugar content.
  • Nut-Free: Skip the nuts and use seeds, instead.

🫙 Storage Directions

  • In The Fridge: Let this no egg sweet potato casserole cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge. It will keep up to 4-5 days.
  • In The Freezer: You can easily freeze this healthy vegan sweet potato recipe. Either separate it into individual serving containers or keep it all in one large airtight container. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. To thaw and reheat, put it in the refrigerator the night before you want to serve it, and on the day of, warm it in the oven.

❓Recipe FAQs

Is Sweet Potato Casserole Healthy?

Typically traditional sweet potato casserole is loaded with butter and sugar, which makes it not healthy for you at all. But the good news is, my version is healthy for you, and still has all of the flavor of the traditional version! Here is why this truly is a healthy sweet potato casserole recipe:

Low Calorie: Each huge serving of this recipe comes in at just 100 calories and 2.5 grams of fat – less than half of the classic dish!
No Butter: I used spices to add flavor without fat, and I used cooking spray to coat the casserole dish.
Low Sugar: Since sweet potatoes are already really sweet, all you need is a tiny bit of maple syrup or brown sugar and vanilla to amp up the natural sweetness.

Is classic sweet potato casserole vegan?

Typically no, this classic Thanksgiving side dish isn’t vegan because it includes butter and marshmallows! But this low calorie sweet potato recipe is a dairy free version that has no butter, and an optional vegan marshmallow topping!

Why do you put eggs in sweet potato casserole?

Eggs are used in sweet potato casserole as a binder – they help to thicken the mixture without weighing it down. If you want to thicken your mixture, I recommend using a little non-dairy milk (like unsweetened soy milk) instead.

Should sweet potato casserole be firm?

This holiday casserole should be thick and creamy. While it may not be “firm” it should definitely not be runny. Our vegetarian sweet potato casserole recipe has the perfect consistency – it’s smooth & creamy but not too runny and also not too firm!

healthy easy vegan sweet potato casserole recipe in a white baking dish

🍠 More Sweet Potato Recipes!

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📋 Recipe Card

🎥 Watch How to Make It

healthy easy vegan sweet potato casserole recipe in a white baking dish
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5 from 18 votes

Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

Enjoy this easy vegan sweet potato casserole during the holiday season or any time of year! It is perfectly sweet, filled with plump golden raisins, maple syrup, crunchy pecans, and fall spices. Complete your holiday dinner or add it as a side dish to any meal!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Vegan
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 101kcal
Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

Equipment

Instructions

  • Chop potatoes into cubes, cover potatoes with water, and boil in a large pot until soft when pierced with a fork. Drain, and return to the pot.
  • Preheat oven to 400° F. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Mash the sweet potatoes, then add the maple syrup, raisins, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and a 1/2 tsp of cinnamon.
  • Whip with an electric mixer or an immersion blender until smooth (if you don't have one, you can do this step by hand—it'll just take a little muscle!).
  • Mix the brown sugar, pecans, and remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon in a bowl.
  • Spread the sweet potato mixture in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle pecan mixture over the potatoes. Bake until hot and beginning to brown around the edges, about 15-20 minutes.

Notes

  • When cutting the sweet potatoes, try to cut them the same size. This will allow them to cook more evenly, and they will be done at the same time. 
  • Don’t forget to add cooking spray to the baking dish. Otherwise, the sugar and maple syrup will cause the potatoes to really stick to the pan. 
  • For best results, use an immersion blender or your electric mixer. It will give you super smooth sweet potatoes, and it’s incredible. 
  • If you want to save time, you can use sweet potato puree instead of whole sweet potatoes. You will need about 6.5 cups of sweet potato puree for this recipe.
  • Feel free to substitute another topping for the pecans: walnuts + rolled oats + cinnamon would also taste great.
  • If you don’t have sweet potatoes, you can also use yams for this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 19.8g | Protein: 1.3g | Fat: 2.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 106.9mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7.2g

38 responses to “Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole”

  1. This is such a great recipe for the holidays! I love that it caters to vegans and non vegans because it’s just downright delicious. Great recipe!5 stars

  2. Absolutely loving this Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole – the creamy sweet potatoes and that crunchy pecan topping are pure comfort in every bite!5 stars

  3. Loving this healthier twist on a holiday dinner favorite! I am also loving the crunch from the pecans. 🙂5 stars

  4. I don’t like boiled sweet potatoes, so I weighed them, and then baked them at 425°. I didn’t use the raisins because I didn’t have any on hand, but I really liked this recipe without them. There was just enough additional flavor to not need anything else and I got compliments from my guest. I’m not vegan and will continue making this recipe. Thank you.5 stars

  5. Sounds fabulous. Making for Thanksgiving! How different would it be to sub puréed pumpkin for sweet potatoes? And would it still be healthy and sweet enough?5 stars

    • Thanks so much Susan! While I’ve never tried this recipe with pumpkin, I think you probably could substitute it for the sweet potatoes since it has a similar texture and is actually sweeter than sweet potatoes so that shouldn’t be an issue! Pure pureed pumpkin is super healthy, so as long as you’re not using pumpkin pie filling this will still be a healthy recipe!

  6. I love the addition of raisins to this sweet potato casserole, plus maple syrup is perfect for a little extra sweetness.5 stars

  7. This looks so good. I have actually never cared for the addition of marshmallows, etc. Way too much. Sweet potatoes don’t need all that! Your version looks so much better!5 stars

  8. A delicious recipe – it makes a fantastic side dish, and we love that it is so much healthier than other versions… but just as tasty!5 stars

  9. What a lovely recipe. No white sugar, very little brown sugar and honey, no added fat, and it looks delicious! Great for a family get-together!

    • Thanks so much Sally! This is perfect for the whole family to enjoy! And you won’t believe how sweet it is, even though there isn’t any white sugar or fat! 🙂 Enjoy!

  10. This is a great Paleo Diet recipe, my family has been eating Paleo for about two years, seems like a great treat or breakfast casserole dish!

    • Thanks Lawrence!! You’re right – this is a great Paleo dish 🙂 Can’t wait for you to try it for breakfast soon!

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