Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole is a classic Thanksgiving side dish. It’s so easy to make and topped with a crunchy sweet pecan crumble. Make sure this holiday favorite is on your table this year.
Fall is right around the corner and I can hardly wait. The changing leaves, flannel shirts, and most importantly – the FOOD! Autumn has given us some of the best casseroles and side dishes in the world. But, the one that makes my happy parts tingle is this Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole!
Ready? Let’s go!
Truth be told, I HATED sweet potato casserole growing up. I don’t know why. But, it was the one Thanksgiving dish I despised as much as aunt Sally’s nasty jello and marshmallow salad. UGH! What the hell?!? Who thought that was a good idea? OK, rant over.
Later on something changed and I fell in love with it. The sweet potato casserole, not the jello crap.
How To Make Sweet Potato Casserole
I started looking for vegan sweet potato casserole recipes after switching to a whole foods, plant-based diet. And, quite honestly I was a little discouraged. Most of the vegan recipes contained a lot of processed crap and weren’t any healthier than a regular sweet potato casserole.
So, after a lot of experimenting I finally settled on a recipe I absolutely love. And, I couldn’t believe how simple it was. This recipe accomplishes everything I hoped it would.
It’s less than 10 ingredients. Whole foods and plant-based. Healthy. Super easy to make. And, most importantly, DELICIOUS!
The Sweet Potato Mash
Delicious sweet potatoes are the primary ingredient. Some Cinnamon and nutmeg highlight the sweet potatoes without overdoing it. A little vanilla and some maple syrup for added sweetness. And, there you have it.
The Crumble
The topping is a delicious crunchy pecan crumble that’s so simple to make.
Just toss some oats, pecans, cinnamon and maple syrup into a food processor and blend. That’s it. You’ve got an amazing pecan crumble topping. Top the mash with the crumble and throw it in a 375˚F oven for 20 minutes and you’ve got one amazing vegan sweet potato casserole.
I think you are going to love this Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole. It’s…
- Satisfying
- Creamy
- Crunchy
- Sweet
- Healthy
- Whole foods, plant-based
- & Simple
This recipe is great for Thanksgiving, but it’s perfect for any occasion where a side dish is required. Fall gatherings, weeknight meals, and even brunch. I guarantee it won’t last long. And, no one will ever know it’s actually good for them.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Be sure and leave a comment below with a STAR rating. And, share a picture by tagging me on Instagram and use the hashtag #shaneandsimple. I want to see your work. Enjoy!
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Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecan Crumble
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole with a pecan crumble topping is the perfect holiday side dish. Dairy free, low-fat, uses no refined sugar, plant-based, vegan and absolutely delicious.
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potatoes
- 4 to 5 large sweet potatoes
- 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
For the Crunchy Pecan Topping
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 1/3 cups chopped pecans
- 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Peel and roughly chop sweet potatoes into large chunks. Place into a large pot and cover with water. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high, and gently boil for 10 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray 9×11 casserole dish or use one that is non-stick.
- Prepare the crunchy nut topping: Pour oats into a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. In a mixing bowl, add the chopped pecans, oats, cinnamon, salt and stir to combine. Pour in the maple syrup. Mix until combined, using your hands if needed. Set aside.
- Drain the cooked sweet potatoes and place in a large mixing bowl and mash until smooth.
- Stir in the maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Adjust to taste if needed. Dump into casserole dish and evenly smooth out.
- Sprinkle the crunch nut topping all over the sweet potato mixture, evenly.
- Bake, uncovered, at 375°F for 20 minutes, until the dish is hot throughout. Plate and serve immediately.
- Category: Side
- Cuisine: American
This is SO delicious! Will be on my holiday table for sure. Can’t believe this is plant-based eating.
★★★★★
I have made this twice. So dang good!!! Will definitely be in the regular rotation from here on out. Thank you!
Thank you, Shanie! So glad you enjoyed it. And, you are most welcome.
How much did your mash sweet potato measure out to be? I think my potatoes were not big enough. Thanks
I made this today and I also made an extra little one for my sister. It smells so delicious, just took it out of the oven. I don’t know how to post the photo other than group Facebook, otherwise I’d love to brag at how delicious it looks, lol. Thanks for this wonderful recipe Shane. Mare
Mare, thank you so much! If you pin it or share on Facebook, that’s fine by me. Be sure and hit the little stars that rate it:)
Thanks again for reaching out. Peace.
How large? 4-5 lbs for all of them?
Janet, I think 4-5 large sweet potatoes would be somewhere around 4 pounds or so.
★★★★★
Can you make the topping the day before and sprinkle on top of the sweet potatoes just before baking?
Sure. Just store in the fridge. It may stick together but just break it up and sprinkle on top. Should be no problems.
★★★★★
Do you think gluten free oats would work as well?
Yes, they should work just fine. I don’t see any reason why they wouldn’t.
★★★★★
Can this be made a couple days ahead of time.
Thank you
Laura
Yes, absolutely!
Thoughts on replacing the pecans? Allergies.. extra oats ? Pretzels? Thanks! Looks great!
Extra oats work great!
Do you think quick oats would be an ok substitute for the rolled oats?
I think they would work fine.
Made this on Thanksgiving for my non-veggie eating family and everyone LOVED it!
★★★★★
Thank you! That’s so great to hear. Thanks for sharing!
Shane, this was great. My sweet potatoes looked a little dry when I was mashing them so I added a few tablespoons of “milk”. Very good! I will be making many of your recipes on Thanksgiving!
★★★★★
OMG!! I made a smaller portion to test it before Thanksgiving. I will definitely be making at least a double portion to bring to a family dinner. I baked the sweet potatoes in the oven for 1 hour at 350, let them cool, then scooped it out. This is absolutely delicious and I know it will be a hit with everyone, plant based or not. Thank you, Shane! You nailed it!
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Linda! I’m so glad you liked the Sweet Potato Casserole. We have to make a double batch every Thanksgiving:) Happy Holidays!!!
Can this casserole be frozen in advance??
Absolutely!!! It freezes very well.
Cooked sweet potatoes in instapot… so easy. So good. Made this with GF oats… relish. Taking another pan to an event today. Thanks for sharing this. Have a great day!
★★★★★
Sam, that is so awesome! Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
This was so delicious, Shane! I made it with homegrown sweet potatoes and followed the recipe exactly. Wow! Thank you for this easy and filling addition to my Thanksgiving traditions!
★★★★★
Liz, you are so welcome! And, thank you for reaching out and rating the recipe. I really appreciate it. Happy Holidays!
Was perfect at my Thanksgiving table!
★★★★★
Awesome! Thank you for reaching out and rating. Blessings.
I had twelve for Thanksgiving dinner, I was the only WFPB person,. EVERYONE raved about this dish and no one knew it was Vegan It was not only very delicious, but also super easy to make. I actually made it the day before and then reheated it in the oven just before serving dinner. I had doubled the recipe and people were asking if they could take some of the leftovers home. Thank you Shane for the recipe. It’s definitely a keeper! 💕
★★★★★
Pat, that is so great! Way to get “sneaky”. LOL! Blessings.
This recipe is so good. Have made it twice now. It’s the best sweet potato Casserole I have ever tasted.
★★★★★
Flo, thank you so much! Happy Holidays and have a great New Year!
If I wanted to cook the sweet potatoes in the electric pressure cooker, what settings would you recommend?
Based on how I do it with my Instant Pot, use a steamer basket, add 1 cup of water, and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
So yummy! I made this for my breakfasts this week.