Sweet Potato Casserole
This easy sweet potato casserole is a comforting holiday side dish with creamy mashed sweet potatoes topped with a buttery streusel crumble. My recipe is lightly sweetened with maple syrup and spiced with cinnamon for a dish that’s cozy, flavorful, and naturally gluten-free! Serve this with Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner and watch everyone dive in for seconds.
Table of Contents
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free option
- Skill Level: Easy
With the holidays fast approaching (like, really, really fast. Or is it just me?), I’ve finally perfected my gluten-free sweet potato casserole. I love simple melting sweet potatoes and candied sweet potatoes. However, I’ve always found most sweet potato casseroles far too sweet, especially those covered with marshmallows. That’s why I love this one topped with pecans, and I think you will, too. This recipe has smooth and creamy mash that’s lightly sweetened with maple syrup, and a buttery, crumbly pecan topping. The contrast in textures will leave you wanting more!
What Makes This the Perfect Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
Perfection achieved? I’ll let you taste it for yourself! Here’s why you’ll love this easy sweet potato casserole with pecans just as much as I do.
- Just enough sweetness. You get the flavors you know and love from a classic sweet potato casserole, with a sweetness that isn’t overpowering. It’s nicely balanced with the buttery, nutty flavors and crunch of the pecan topping. Of course, if you’re a marshmallow-on-your-casserole person, you can always swap the topping!
- Simple to prepare, even in advance. Mash the sweet potatoes, crumble up the topping, and bake everything together. You can even assemble the casserole the day before, refrigerate it overnight, and pop it in the oven when it’s time to bake.
- Easily gluten-free. The only thing you need for binding that streusel topping is certified gluten-free oats. Instead of using gluten-free flour, I pulse some of the oats in the blender to make oat flour. It works perfectly! You can also easily make this recipe dairy-free by swapping the milk for a non-dairy alternative.
Recipe Ingredients
This gluten-free sweet potato casserole is simple to make with naturally gluten-free ingredients. Below is everything you’ll need, with some helpful info and simple swaps, if needed. Find the full amounts further on down in the recipe card.
- Sweet Potatoes: Whether you use small or large sweet potatoes is up to you. You’ll need about 2 pounds worth, peeled and chopped into large chunks.
- Maple Syrup: Make sure you’re using pure maple syrup, and not the artificial kind. If you can’t get your hands on real maple syrup, I recommend using honey or brown sugar instead, and not pancake syrup.
- Whole Milk: Alternatively, 2% milk. If you’re making a dairy-free sweet potato casserole, sub in any dairy-free milk of your choice, like oat or almond milk.
- Egg: One large egg helps bind the ingredients.
- Spices: I love to load up my casserole with the flavors of fall. I use a combination of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice to bring out the sweet flavors (plus a pinch of salt to balance them).
For the Topping
- Oat Flour: I make this crumble with gluten-free oat flour in place of all-purpose flour. Don’t have oat flour? No need to buy any extra ingredients. Just grind up some of the same rolled oats that come later on in the recipe. See the tips section as well as the recipe card for details.
- Cinnamon
- Rolled Oats: Make sure you’re using certified gluten-free oats for a fully gluten-free sweet potato casserole. I highly recommend using rolled oats (also called old-fashioned oats) and not quick or instant oats.
- Brown Sugar: Use light or dark brown sugar, depending on how much of a caramelized flavor you want. Coconut sugar works too.
- Pecans: Chopped pecans bring delicious crunch and nutty flavor to the topping. Feel free to substitute walnuts or omit the pecans if you’re making this recipe nut-free.
- Melted Coconut Oil or Unsalted Butter: Coconut oil makes it dairy-free, but butter adds richness. It’s your call!
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole
The best thing about a homemade sweet potato casserole is that it’s so easy to prepare, whether you’re a seasoned chef or hosting your first holiday dinner. Here’s a look at what you can expect from this recipe.
- Cook the sweet potatoes. Preheat the oven to 375ºF, and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Meanwhile, boil the sweet potato chunks until fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, then return the potatoes to the pot.
- Mash them up. Once the sweet potatoes have cooled slightly, transfer the chunks to a bowl. Add the maple syrup, milk, egg, and spices. Next, mash the ingredients together using a potato masher or a whisk. If you have an electric mixer, this will also do the trick.
- Make the pecan topping. Whisk together the topping ingredients and use a fork or your fingers to cut in the melted butter to form a crumble.
- Assemble and bake. Spread the sweet potatoes into your prepared baking dish. Scatter the crumble in an even layer over top of the sweet potatoes.
- Bake the casserole. Lastly, bake the sweet potato casserole for 30 minutes or so, until the topping is browned. Serve warm with more of your favorite holiday sides! See below for ideas.
Make It Ahead
You can assemble this gluten-free sweet potato casserole in advance and keep it refrigerated, then let it come to room temperature before you bake it as directed. If you want the crispest topping, keep the streusel mixture in a separate airtight container, and sprinkle it on right before baking.
Tips and Variations
- Make the oat flour from scratch. This is one of my favorite baking hacks. Since you’ll already have gluten-free rolled oats on hand for the topping, you can skip buying a fresh bag of oat flour. All you do instead is pulse the oats in a blender or food processor a few times until you get a fine powder. It works like a charm.
- Bake the potatoes. If you want to intensify the sweet potato flavor and add a bit more natural caramelization, try making baked sweet potatoes, then removing the skins and mashing them.
- Whip it Good: I like to use a hand masher to leave a little texture in my sweet potatoes, but you can also use a hand mixer to make whipped sweet potatoes if you prefer them more smooth.
- Try Other Nuts: While pecans feel especially festive, you can also try walnuts, sliced or slivered almonds, or a combination.
- Make it Without Dairy: A plant-based milk like oat milk, and coconut oil instead of butter work wonderfully to make this a dairy free sweet potato casserole.
- Add Marshmallows: If you can’t live without marshmallows on your sweet potato casserole, feel free to add them. Sprinkle the marshmallows over the top and pop the casserole back in the oven or under the broiler until melty and browned.
Make It a Meal
This sweet potato casserole recipe is a classic holiday side dish. You’ll find it on the table next to our Thanksgiving Turkey with Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy, alongside Mashed Potatoes and Gluten-Free Stuffing. Here are more ways to round out your ultimate holiday menu:
- Classic holiday mains. You can’t go wrong, whether you are making Glazed Air Fryer Ham or Slow Cooker Corned Beef, because this dish isn’t just for Thanksgiving.
- Favorite veggie sides. When I have space in the oven, I’ll make Balsamic Roasted Vegetables or Oven-Roasted Asparagus. But if space is short, I use the air fryer to make Parmesan Brussels Sprouts, Air Fryer Roasted Carrots, or Air Fryer Green Beans!
- Bake your bread. I love these fluffy Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls, but Gluten-Free Cornbread is just as good, as are these Gluten-Free Crescent Rolls.
- Don’t forget dessert. Save some of those extra nuts to make Gluten-Free Pecan Pie, keep it classic with Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie, or go with a decadent No-Bake Nutella Cheesecake.
Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store this sweet potato casserole airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days. The crumble topping may lose some of its oomph over time. If you’d like, sprinkle any cooked leftover casserole with a bit of additional crumble before you reheat it.
- Freeze. Once the casserole is cool, wrap it first with a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil. Store the casserole in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw the casserole in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat. To reheat, take your sweet potato casserole out of the fridge about 15 minutes beforehand to take the chill off. Add the topping as needed, then bake the casserole in a preheated 350ºF oven until warmed through.
Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
This easy sweet potato casserole is naturally gluten-free with a buttery, crumbly pecan topping. It's a cozy side dish for holidays and family dinners, just sweet enough with a hint of spice!
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs sweet potatoes , peeled and cut into large chunks
- 3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ cup whole milk (or any dairy-free milk)
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Topping:
- ½ cup gluten-free oat flour (see note)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup gluten-free rolled oats
- ⅓ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ½ cup pecans , chopped
- 4 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter or coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with oil or cooking spray.
- Wash, dry, and peel 2 lbs sweet potatoes, and cut into large chunks. Add sweet potato chunks to a medium pot and fill the pot with cold water. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
- Drain the sweet potatoes and return the potatoes to the empty pot to allow the moisture to evaporate and the potatoes to cool slightly.
- Add the cooked sweet potato, 3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup, ½ cup whole milk, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and ½ teaspoon salt to a large mixing bowl. Use a potato masher, whisk, or electric mixer to combine the ingredients until desired texture is achieved.
- Transfer the sweet potato to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
- Meanwhile, combine ½ cup gluten-free oat flour, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅓ cup gluten-free rolled oats, ⅓ cup brown sugar , ½ cup pecans, and 4 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter in a mixing bowl and use a fork or your fingers to rub the mixture together until crumbly.
- Scatter the topping over the sweet potato and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
You don’t have to buy a bag of oat flour. You can pulse gluten-free oats in a blender or food processor to form a fine powder.
Storage
- Refrigerate – Store this sweet potato casserole airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freeze – Once the casserole is cool, wrap it first with a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw the casserole in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat – Bring to room temperature, then bake at 350ºF until warmed through.
Nutrition Facts
Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 207
Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 3g15%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 27mg9%
Sodium 182mg8%
Potassium 343mg10%
Carbohydrates 31g10%
Fiber 3g12%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 10885IU218%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 61mg6%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.
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