My Very Favorite Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

This baked Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe is the one! It has the ideal balance of sweet and savory and the creamy sweet potato filling is pure comfort. The pecan oatmeal topping maintains an old-fashioned feel, yet is unique and a little unexpected. I’ve been cooking it for more than a decade, and it’s everyone’s favorite!

Why This Is the Best Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

• No Cloying Casseroles Here! As you can see from my Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Whiskey Pecans and Sweet Potato Souffle, I’m not opposed to a sweet potato casserole that’s sweet. Now, so sugary and gloppy and covered with marshmallows that you get a toothache just looking at it? That’s where I draw the line! This sweet potato casserole recipe is juuuust sweet enough without overdoing it.
• A Thanksgiving Classic. Sorry, Mr. Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey. For many of us, it’s all about the sides on Thanksgiving. Every family has their faves and for mine, it’s the Butternut Squash Casserole, Cornbread Stuffing, and my sweet potato casserole recipe.
• That Little Je Ne Sais Quoi. My two tricks to setting this sweet potato casserole recipe apart from others you’ve tried are vanilla beans and a crunchy pecan oatmeal topping. The vanilla flavor is subtle but surprising and the savory crunch of the oats and pecans is an ideal counterpoint to the velvety sweet potatoes.
• Vegan and Gluten-Free. But no one will suspect. Struggling to find some side dishes that everyone at the table can eat? In addition to being gluten-free, this sweet potato casserole is vegan. Instead of using butter and heavy cream, I used almond milk and coconut oil, along with a light touch of maple syrup. (Does this resonate? Check out my full list of Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes.)

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecans

The Ingredients

For the Sweet Potato Casserole Filling:

• Sweet Potatoes. This, friends, is important! While purple and white sweet potatoes are delightful, they have a higher starch content than their red and orange cousins. You might be tempted to give this sweet potato casserole recipe a gourmet upgrade with a unique sweet potato variety, but stick with the tried-and-true for that classic creamy, velvety texture.
• Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk. Or another plant-based milk.
• Vanilla Beans. Or use vanilla bean paste. Basically, we want those glorious little flecks of vanilla in our casserole, which is a visual cue that says: this is going to be delicious. Will vanilla extract work? Absolutely (just no flecks).
• Virgin Coconut Oil. This has a light coconut flavor that you’ll appreciate in this recipe.
• Seasonings. Ground cinnamon, kosher salt, grated nutmeg, and white pepper.

For the Pecan Oat Topping:

• Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats. Not steel-cut or quick oats, which don’t have the right texture for the topping. 
• Pecans. You’ll be chopping them anyway, so buy pecan pieces, which are cheaper than whole pecans.
• Almond Meal. Not to be confused with almond flour! Almond meal is coarser and the skin is still on the almonds when they’re ground. (You can swap almond flour if that’s what you have.)
• Ground Cinnamon. Key for cozy fall flavor.
• Kosher Salt. A bit of salt adds balance to the topping.
• Coconut Oil. For more subtle coconutty-ness. Feel free to swap butter.
• Pure Maple Syrup. The kiss of fall! Honey works too.

The Directions

1. Prepare. Preheat your oven and grease a casserole dish. 

2. Bake the Sweet Potatoes. Until they are nice and soft.
3. Peel and Prep. Scoop the sweet potato flesh into a big bow.

4. Make the Vanilla Milk Mixture. Warm the almond milk and vanilla beans in a small saucepan, simmering for 5 minutes to infuse the milk with flavor.

5. Combine All the Ingredients. We’re making the mashed sweet potato base. 

6. Mash. Beat with a paddle attachment or mash by hand until the mixture is smooth, then season to taste.

7. Make the Topping. Stir together all of the ingredients in a separate bowl and sprinkle over the potatoes.

8. Bake. Place the dish in the oven and bake sweet potato casserole until the topping is toasted and the casserole is warmed through. ENJOY!

Recipe Variations

• Make It With Butternut Squash. Yes, you can! Butternut, honeynut, or another sweet winter squash variety would work well in this recipe.
• Use Dairy. You can use cow’s milk instead of the almond milk and butter instead of the coconut oil. Because vanilla dairy milk isn’t a thing, you may want to add an extra splash of vanilla extract to make up for it.
• Change Up the Topping. If you have a go-to topping you like, feel free to use that instead. You might even want to try the topping from my Pineapple Casserole for a change of pace. (Unlike vanilla dairy milk, pineapple casserole is a thing that exists.)

Storage Tips

• To Store. Let the sweet potato casserole come to room temperature, then place it in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• To Reheat. Heat up leftovers in a 350 degree F oven until warmed through, or warm in the microwave.
• To Freeze. To freeze sweet potato casserole, wrap it in the casserole dish with plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil, or freeze leftovers in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating according to the instructions above.

What to Serve with Sweet Potato Casserole

• Special Occasion Main Dishes. Turkey is the obvious choice on Thanksgiving, but Smoked Pork Tenderloin, Air Fryer Whole Chicken, or Instant Pot Roast are excellent too.
• Traditional Thanksgiving Sides. We’re talking Crockpot Mashed Potatoes, Healthy Green Bean Casserole, Cranberry Orange Relish, and Turkey Gravy.
• Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Sides. Change up your Thanksgiving dinner with Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli Rice Casserole, or Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

• Half Sheet Pans. For roasting the potatoes.
• Casserole Dish: This one does the trick; this is the one I use for holidays. It makes anything you bake in it gorgeous!
• Serving Spoon. You’ll want a big spoon so everyone can help themselves to a generous serving.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Use the Vanilla Beans. Or the vanilla bean paste! You’ll get a much richer flavor. If it’s absolutely not an option, 2 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract will do in a pinch.
• Make Almond Meal if You Can’t Find It. Almost every grocery store sells it these days, but it’s easy to make! Pulse whole, raw almonds in the food processor just until they form fine crumbs. 
• Grate Your Own Nutmeg. It’s an amazing flavor upgrade to grate your own nutmeg. I use this zester to do it.
• Roast the Sweet Potatoes. Some sweet potato casserole recipes will have you zap the potatoes in the microwave or boil them. Don’t do it, I beg you! Baking sweet potatoes in the oven caramelizes the sugars, concentrates their flavor, and gives them a smooth, creamy texture. It’s so worth it.
• Buy Sweet Potatoes That Are Roughly the Same Size and Shape. A one-pound sweet potato that’s short and squat will take a lot longer to cook than a one-pound potato that’s long and thin. To make sure your potatoes are done at the same time, they should be the same size, shape, and thickness throughout.
• Don’t Rush It. Keep in mind that even after an hour, a hefty sweet potato may not be done cooking. A knife should slip in easily, the skin should start feeling loose as the flesh inside collapses, and caramelized juices should be seeping from the holes you’ve poked.

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Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

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The best sweet potato casserole recipe ever! Creamy and decadent with pecan oat topping, it's the perfect balance of sweet and savory. The best of all worlds!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 10 servings (1 9×13-inch casserole)

Calories 422kcal

Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

Ingredients

For the Sweet Potatoes:

• 4 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes scrubbed (about 4–5 very large sweet potatoes)
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 vanilla beans or 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste*
• 2  tablespoons  virgin coconut oil melted
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon  freshly grated nutmeg  (it’s an amazing flavor upgrade to grate your own nutmeg. I use this zester to do it.)
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

For the Pecan Oat Topping:

• 1 1/3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats gluten free if necessary
• 1  cup roughly chopped pecans untoasted
• 1/2 cup almond meal**
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 5 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish or other 

   and set aside.

• Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, then place them on a baking sheet lined with foil or a silpat mat. Bake until the potatoes are fork tender, about 1 hour or so, depending upon the size of your potatoes. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Peel and discard the skins (they should come off easily with your fingers), break the potatoes in large chunks with a fork, then place the chunks into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl.
  
• While the potatoes bake, pour the almond milk in a small saucepan. Split the vanilla beans, scrape the seeds into the pan, then add the empty pods to the pan too. Bring to a very gentle simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not let the almond milk boil. Remove from heat and let the vanilla steep while the potatoes continue baking.
  
• Remove the vanilla bean pods from the saucepan, then pour the almond milk and vanilla bean specs into the bowl with the sweet potato chunks. Add the melted coconut oil, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and white pepper.
  
• Mash the potatoes together with the milk and spices (or beat gently with a mixer or your paddle attachment or run though a food mill) until fairly smooth with some texture remaining. Taste and add additional salt/pepper as desired. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. With the back of a rubber spatula, press and smooth into a single layer.
  
• In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients—oats, pecans, almond meal, cinnamon, salt, coconut oil, and maple syrup—until moist and evenly mixed. Sprinkle over the sweet potatoes.
  
• Bake until the topping is toasted and fragrant and casserole is warmed through, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.
  

Video

Notes

• *You can substitute 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract for the vanilla beans, but the flavor will not be as rich and you lose the pretty specks.
• **To make your own almond meal, pulse whole, raw almonds in the food processor until they form fine crumbs. Do not over process, or you will have almond butter instead.
• MAKE IT AHEAD: Casserole can be prepared up through Step 5 one day in advance. Store refrigerated with plastic wrap over the top of the dish. Let come to room temperature prior to baking.
• TO STORE. Let the sweet potato casserole come to room temperature, then place it in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• TO REHEAT. Heat up leftovers in a 350 degree oven F until warmed through, or warm in the microwave.
• TO FREEZE. To freeze sweet potato casserole, wrap it in the casserole dish with plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil, or freeze leftovers in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before reheating according to the instructions above.

Pecan oat topping adapted from my Cherry Blackberry Crisp

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 10) | Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Potassium: 778mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 28965IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 2mg

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