Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
This healthy sweet potato casserole has all the tasty Thanksgiving flavors in one baked dish. It’s a lightened-up, sugar-free version of the classic recipe with a layer of creamy, spiced sweet potato topped with a nutty pecan crumble. It’s loaded with flavor and certainly not missing anything – you’ll love it!
Hello sweet potato, we meet again. If you’ve been following along this season, I’m sure you’ve noticed how much I love this rich, versatile vegetable. From prosciutto wrapped sweet potato to roasted sweet potatoes to a sweet potato breakfast hash, the sweet potato recipes just keep on coming!
But when it comes to the holidays, there’s no doubt that they deserve a special place amongst your Thanksgiving side dishes.
While you expect a sweet potato casserole baked with marshmallows, I figured there’s no need to add extra sugar or softness to this recipe. Instead I’ve create a delicious golden crumble made from pecans, dates, pepitas, and almond flour. The contrast between silky sweet potatoes and crispy nuts makes for the perfect texture combination.
Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients
With just a few pantry staples and a bundle of sweet potatoes, your trip to the market will be a quick one. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Boiled Sweet Potatoes: Instead of baking, I boil my sweet potatoes to create a similar creamy texture to my mashed sweet potatoes. This will also save you some time!
- Milk: You can use any type of milk here, but I use cashew milk. It’s got a creamy and nutty flavor that mixes well with the sweet potatoes.
- Butter: While I’ve used melted butter, you can also use ghee. This will add extra creaminess to the sweet potatoes.
- Spices: Throw in a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and vanilla extract to bring a spicy aroma to the sweet potato layer.
- Pecan Crumble: This is a blend of chopped pecans, dates, pepitas, almond flour, and butter. It’s naturally sweetened from the dates. While the pecans and pepitas give it a savory crunch.
How To Make A Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
This easy, one pan recipe come together with a few simple steps. Just follow along below and you’ll have a winning Thanksgiving side dish in no time.
- Boil the sweet potatoes. Bring a large pot of water to boil, peel and dice the sweet potatoes, and let them cook for 20-30 minutes.
- Mash the sweet potatoes. Drain them with a colander and mash the sweet potatoes in a large bowl with a hand masher or electric beater.
- Add the butter and milk into the bowl and mix until it’s creamy. Then add the seasonings and blend again.
- Make the crumble topping. First, roughly chop the pecans, dates, and pepitas and toss them in a large bowl. Then add the almond flour and butter and mix with your hands until everything is combined.
- Spread the sweet potato in a flat layer into a baking dish.
- Sprinkle the pecan crumble on top as thin, even layer.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top becomes a nice golden brown.
- Let it cool once you take it out of the oven, then serve!
Prepare This Casserole Ahead Of Time
Looking to meal prep this casserole ahead of time? No problem. To do this, just make sure to keep your mashed sweet potatoes and pecan crumble separate and tightly covered in the fridge.
On the next day, take the the mixtures out of the fridge and let the sweet potatoes thaw for about 30 minutes. Then, spread the sweet potato into an even layer in the baking dish and sprinkle the pecan crumble on top. Pop the dish into the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden and crisp.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
With Thanksgiving on the horizon, plan out your menu with these delicious recipes.
- Mashed Butternut Squash
- Green Beans With Shallots and Lemon
- Apple Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash
- Bacon Deviled Eggs
- Paleo Pumpkin Pie
- Paleo Pumpkin Bread
- Vegan Caramel Cheesecake
Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes
- 3 large sweet potatoes, (about 3 pounds)
- 1/4 cup milk, dairy-free milk works as well
- 1/4 cup butter, or ghee, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Topping
- 3/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup pepitas, roughly chopped
- 4 Dates, pitted and diced
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoon butter or ghee
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil on high heat.
- Peel the sweet potatoes with a hand peeler.
- Dice the potatoes into chunks and place them into the pot. Cook the potatoes for 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes over a colander, and place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and mash them with a hand masher or electric beater.
- Pour the milk, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper into the mixture and continue mixing until creamy.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make the crumble topping. Roughly chop the dates, pecans, and pepitas, and transfer them to a mixing bowl. Add the almond flour and butter, then mix thoroughly with your hands until combined.
- Spread the sweet potato into an even layer in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Lisa's Tips
- To create a more creamier sweet potato layer, use a food processor, hand mixer, or stand mixer to blend.
- To make it dairy-free , you can swap butter for ghee as well as use any type of nut milk.
Just quick note, the measurements for the sweet potatoes does not change from (about 3 pounds) when you adjust to 1x, 2x or 3x serving size.
Hi Lisa! I have an abundance of garnet yams. Can I substitute them for the sweet potatoes? Maybe bake them instead of boiling. I love the idea with the crumble! Thank you!
Hi Janice – yes, those should work just fine! Hope you enjoy the casserole. :)
I made this last year and it was a amazing! It’s our new go to that is actually healthier!
Can this be made ahead except for the topping and frozen for travelling?
Yes, it sure can! Hope you enjoy it again this year Jennifer!
Like to try this recipe this year for Thanksgiving. Can I make the night before and add toppings before I put in the oven on Thanksgiving.
Yes, you sure can!
Looks amazing. Is it ok to use avocado oil in place of the better/ghee for the sweet potatoes? Also what can I use for the topping instead of butter/ghee? You mention nut milk subbing for these, but I would imagine that will not work for the topping? Would the same avocado oil work? Many thanks.
Will substituting ghee and almond milk eliminate or lower the 24 mg of cholesterol? I’m trying to be very careful. It sounds great! I’m excited to try this healthier version for Thanksgiving. Thanks!
This was a hit during our 2020 thanksgiving dinner. Even with my husband that is not a big fan of sweet potatoes. I also follow an AIP diet and this recipe was super easy to modify!
Amazing! So glad this casserole was a hit :)
I wanted a few healthier versions to choose from for Thanksgiving dinner my husband and I made this together. It was fun to cook something as a team and it turned out absolutely delicious. It was a little daunting dicing up the sticky dates so when I make this again I will probably buy them already packaged. Lol
But the point is I will definitely be making it again it was very tasty and such a healthier version of a famous holiday dish. Lisa never disappoints
So glad you enjoyed this healthier version :)
This was hands down my favorite Thanksgiving dish! It is so good! Thanks for the fantastic recipe, Lisa!
Wonderful! Glad you loved this recipe Belinda :)
YUM! So versatile and delicious, as are all of your recipes. I had walnuts, so I used those. This was a hit with the family, and I’ll surely be making it again. Thank you!
Wonderful! Glad to hear this was loved by everyone over the holidays.
Can I make this with a white sweet potato or does it have to be the yellow one ?
You can use any color you’d like.
Hi, thank you for this recipe. I wonder if I can use brown sugar or raisins in place of the dates, and oat flour OR all purpose flour for the almond flour? Also, sunflower seeds for the pepitas? I’m not on a strict diet, or any diet for that matter, so I think having nuts and seeds instead of the usual sweet potato/marshmallow recipe is already a great healthy change. I’m sorry to butcher this great sounding recipe but I don’t have these ingredients and prefer to use what I already have. Thank you so much again.
Hi Micayla – all of those substitutions sound like they’d work. I hope you enjoy it!
Hi Lisa, Can this be made ahead of time? I have some sweet potatoes now, and would love to freeze this casserole for Thanksgiving. Would you recommend that for this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Liz- Yes it can! I actually have instructions for this written in the blog post :)
Hi Lisa! I am looking forward to trying this recipe for Thanksgiving this year. My husband is allergic to nuts — do you have a suggestion for substituting the pecans?
Thanks!
Jessica
Hi Jessica – how about oats? I think that would make a great combo with the seeds as well. :)
My cousin is newly vegan and I’m on a low carb diet and for Christmas I wanted to make a side we could count on if nothing else followed our food guidelines. This won everyone in my family’s heart and people could not believe how delicious this was. Thank you for your easy to follow recipes that are packed with flavor!
Hi Samantha – So glad to hear this was a hit over Thanksgiving!
Loved everything about this recipe, from how easy to make it was to how delicious it is. Thank you!
Of course Raquel! So glad you love this sweet potato casserole :)
I made this for Thanksgiving, it was a big hit because it was so delicious!
Hi Lisa – Amazing! Glad to hear this was a success over Thanksgiving :)
I served this for Thanksgiving and it was a definite hit with our family. So much healthier than previous sweet potato casseroles I’ve served for the holidays. Very easy and fast to make plus the nut topping is perfect! This recipe has become a staple to our holiday meals moving forward! Thanks!
I’m so happy you loved this casserole recipe Athena! I agree that it’s still packed with flavor and even though it’s healthy, it’s just as satisfying as the more traditional version.:)
Made this for Thanksgiving, it was a hit! This is going in the rotation from now on.
Hi Diane – Amazing! Glad to hear you’ll be making this recipe again next year :)
Made this for Thanksgiving so east and delicious. Loved the nut and seeds topping. I froze the leftovers I didn’t want it to go to waste.
Hi Cynthia – So glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe over Thanksgiving :)
Made this for thanksgiving and everybody loved. A lot of “wow who made this sweet potato casserole!!!” so simple and I felt good knowing what was in it!
Hi Whitney – A Thanksgiving success! Glad to hear everyone enjoyed this casserole :)
I made this recipe at Thanksgiving and it turned out perfectly! It was so simple and easy. My family was stunned when I explained that it was a healthy spin on sweet potato casserole because it honestly tastes way yummier than the naughty version with marshmallows. I’ll definitely be making this again next year!
Hi Mackenzie – It really does taste like the real thing huh :) It’s the perfect way to sneak in some healthiness to your Thanksgiving table!
I made this dish for a Rio de Janeiro Thanksgiving, using organic sweet potatoes, a mixed nut milk, ghee instead of butter, and finally walnuts (because I was also making a pecan pie). The result was an impressively smooth baked purée with a crunchy granola-like topping, which everybody raved about. I will be making this again, and also sharing the recipe. Thank you!
Wonderful! I’m so happy you loved the recipe Siri!
I made this for Thanksgiving dinner. It was loved by everyone and they appreciated that it was a healthy version of the casserole. I will be making this again and again. Thank you.
Hi Nan – I’m so happy you and your friends/family loved this recipe. Thanks for sharing! :)
I made this and it was a hit. I didn’t have the dates so I substituted organic sun dried calimyrna figs.
That’s a great sub with the figs! You could use almost any dried fruit on the topping and it would taste fab. So happy you loved it!
Loveee how yummy and healthy this sounds! Thanks for sharing. :)
Thanks Kate! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
I’ll take my sweet potatoes any way I can get them, I’m obsessed ~ but if they’re healthy, all the better!
I’m right there with you Sue! And there’s so much flavor in this casserole recipe. Enjoy!
This sweet potato casserole looks amazing and I love that it’s healthy!
It’s so creamy and fluffy with the perfect crumble topping. I hope you enjoy the recipe Julia!
This was one of my favorite dishes to eat growing up. I like this healthier version. Will be giving it a try.
Wonderful! I hope you enjoy this lighter version Mirlene!
We love sweet potato casserole during the Holidays! I’m loving this healthy version!
Yes, it’s the best! And this healthy version is a great option during the holidays. So happy you love it Tisha!
Hi Lisa! Do you think if I subbed Japanese sweet potato it would still be good?
Hi Abi – yes, I think it would still be delicious with Japanese sweet potatoes. If anything, it might be a little sweeter. :)
Hi Lisa! Can I substitute butter with coconut oil?
Hi Sunny – Yes! You can do that :) Enjoy the recipe!