Healthy Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole

First, preheat the oven to 400F. 

Step 1: Halve and Bake the Sweet Potatoes

• Cut the sweet potatoes in half, lengthwise. Place the potatoes on a rimmed sheet pan that’s lined with parchment paper (for easy cleanup). 
• Drizzle the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of oil, then rub the oil on the flesh of each potato. 
• Flip the potatoes over, flesh-side down on the baking sheet. Some oil will spill over on the sheet pan–that’s normal and okay. 
• Bake the sweet potatoes, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes (this will depend on the size of the potatoes), until the skins begin to look shriveled and soft. Remove the potatoes from the oven.
• Set the potatoes aside, on the sheet pan, to cool for 10-15 minutes until they’re easy to handle. 
• Reduce the oven to 375F. 

Step 2: Combine the Casserole Ingredients

• Scoop the cooked sweet potato flesh into a large bowl. Discard the skins. Mash the sweet potatoes using a fork or potato masher. They should be very easy to mash. 
• Add the remaining casserole ingredients to the mashed sweet potatoes (not the topping ingredients) and stir to combine: melted butter, maple syrup, milk of choice (dairy-free or dairy milk), salt, egg, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and vanilla extract.
• Spoon the casserole filling into a casserole dish or baking dish.

Step 3: Combine the Topping Ingredients

• Wipe out the large bowl used to mix the sweet potato casserole ingredients. Use this same bowl to combine the topping ingredients. (No one needs extra dirty dishes on Thanksgiving Day.)
• Using a fork or whisk, whisk the topping ingredients: pecans, almond flour, starch, maple syrup, melted butter, and a pinch of the seasonings (salt and nutmeg). 

Step 4: Spoon the Topping Over the Sweet Potato Filling

Spoon the pecan topping over the sweet potato filling. If you find this is hard to do with a spoon, use your fingers.

Step 5: Bake the Casserole for 30 Minutes

Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, in the center of the oven, until the top is golden brown. You don’t want the almond flour topping to burn, so if you find it’s getting too brown, change the position of your casserole in the oven or reduce the oven temperature to 350F.

Serve warm. This casserole is even delicious at room temperature.

Store any leftovers in an air-tight container. Reheat in the oven or microwave. Enjoy the leftovers within 4-5 days.

How to Prep This Recipe in Advance

Thanksgiving is a busy time, and one of the best ways to reduce the stress of the day is to start making some food a couple of days in advance. This recipe is a great one to make in advance. There are a couple of options for how to make this recipe in advance.

Option 1: The night before or morning of thanksgiving

• Bake the sweet potatoes and mix the casserole ingredients to make the sweet potato filling.
• Add the filling to the the casserole pan, then top with the almond flour/pecan topping.
• Cover the casserole with plastic wrap, parchment paper (secured with a rubber band on the sides), or foil. Store in the fridge until ready to bake.
• When ready, preheat the oven and remove the casserole from the fridge. Allow the casserole to come to room temperature while the oven preheats.
• Bake as directed.

Option 2: Days in Advance

I don’t recommend making the entire casserole this far in advance, but you can still save time and prep the sweet potatoes. Doing so shaves off the 45 minutes required to bake and cool the potatoes.

• Bake the sweet potatoes 2-3 days in advance.
• Once cool, spoon the sweet potato flesh into an airtight container.
• Store in the fridge, then when ready to prep the casserole, add the remaining casserole ingredients and add the topping.
• Bake as directed.

Substitutions and Variations

All the ingredients in this casserole recipe are naturally gluten free. If you need to make this recipe dairy-free or egg-free, here are my suggestions…

• Egg Replacer: The egg in the sweet potato casserole acts as a binder, which sets the filling and gives it a thicker consistency. If you need to make an egg-free casserole, try using your favorite egg-replacer. The goal is to use something that will bind the casserole filling.
• Dairy-Free Option: Use a plant-based milk to make the casserole, like almond milk, coconut milk, or cashew milk. For the butter, you’ll get the best results if you use your favorite vegan butter. You could try coconut oil; however, I haven’t tried this substitution so I can’t speak to the results or taste.
• A Different Way to Cook the Sweet Potatoes: I highly recommend baking the sweet potatoes, as this brings out their sweetness in a way that no other method can. But if you’d like to use a different cooking method, the second best option is to use the instant Pot. Here’s how to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot. After cooking, scoop the flesh from the skins.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Q: What’s the best way to cook the sweet potatoes?

A: The best way to cook the sweet potatoes is to first halve the potatoes and then bake for 30-35 minutes, flesh-side down, on a sheet pan. This method brings out the natural sugars in the potatoes and creates a delicious, caramelized flavor. If you don’t want to bake the sweet potatoes, using the Instant Pot to cook the potatoes is the next best option.

Q: How do you keep sweet potato casserole from being runny?

A: Sweet potato casserole should be fluffy and light, but also thick; NOT runny. To get the best results, don’t boil the sweet potatoes or use canned sweet potatoes. Boiling the potatoes will add more water to the potatoes and may result in a runny sweet potato mixture. Using an egg in the sweet potato casserole binds the sweet potato filling, which results in a thicker casserole (without weighing it down).

Q: Can you use canned sweet potatoes or yams in this recipe?

A: You can, but I don’t recommend using canned sweet potatoes or yams. Trust me, take the extra 30 minutes to roast fresh sweet potatoes (or cook them in the Instant Pot). There’s a huge difference in flavor and your guests will thank you!