Super Easy Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

Whether you're cooking for a vegan, or want to bring a delicious side dish to your Thanksgiving feast, this dairy-free, vegan sweet potato casserole is a crowd-pleaser.

This plant-based recipe by Britt Berlin, aka @the_bananadiaries, calls for replacing your usual marshmallow for vegan marshmallows (since the regular kind often contains gelatin, an animal protein), and swaps dairy for plant-based milk and melted coconut oil.

Every bite of this casserole will burst with a combination of savory and sweet flavors, which everyone will love. The sweet potatoes add a rich, cinnamon, festive flavor paired with the marshmallows which deliver a sugar-filled bite.

This recipe only takes 10 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to bake, during which time you can sit back and enjoy the smell of warm sweet potatoes and sugar from the oven. To really outdo yourself, start by doubling the recipe – because everyone will come back for seconds.

Recipe Developer: Britt Berlin, @the_bananadiaries

Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 40
Total Time: 50 minutes

Super Easy Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole (Paleo Option)

Yields 10

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Casserole Base:

• 950 grams cooked sweet potato, skin removed
• 100 ml dairy-free unsweetened milk
• 30 grams arrowroot powder or cornstarch
• 50 grams maple syrup
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla

Paleo Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole Streusel:

• 2/3 cup cassava flour*
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2/3 cup pecans

Vegan Marshmallow and Pecan Topping:

• 1 bag vegan marshmallows
• 1/2 cup pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F, and make sure you have a large baking dish; somewhere around 9×11″
2. In a large bowl, use a potato masher or hand mixer paddle to mash the sweet potatoes. You want the texture to be smooth.
3. Add in the arrowroot powder, maple syrup, coconut cream, cinnamon, and vanilla, and combine it all together until it’s a thick batter.
4. Spoon the sweet potato mixture into the baking dish and set it aside after you’ve chosen your topping.

For the Paleo Vegan Streusel:

1. With the sweet potato casserole off to the side, in a medium bowl, whisk together the cassava flour and cinnamon.
2. Add in the melted coconut oil and maple syrup, and combine until it’s a wet crumble.
3. Sprinkle the pecans over the sweet potato casserole, and then crumble the streusel topping evenly over the casserole.
4. Place the casserole into the oven to bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the streusel is starting to crisp.
5. Remove from the oven and serve.

For the Vegan Marshmallow and Pecan Topping:

1. Sprinkle the marshmallows and pecans evenly over the sweet potato casserole and place the casserole into the oven to bake.
2. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the marshmallows have started to brown. If they aren’t browning close to that time, turn on the broiler to medium and allow the marshmallow to broil for 1-2 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and serve.

Notes:

• To make nut-free: swap out the pecans for pumpkin seeds, and make sure you’re using nut-free dairy-free milk.
• Cassava flour: you can swap in an equal amount of all-purpose or gluten-free 1:1 baking flour in place of cassava flour for the cinnamon streusel topping.
• The day before option: prepare the sweet potato casserole filling according to the directions, and top with desired topping (either marshmallows or streusel). Cover the sweet potato casserole and place it in the fridge overnight. 40 minutes before serving, place the sweet potato casserole into the oven to bake. Remove and serve warm.

Nutritionals 

Calories 304 | Total Fat 17.3g | Saturated Fat 10g | Sodium 69mg | Total Carbohydrate 36.3g | Dietary Fiber 5.3g | Total Sugars 12g | Protein 3.1g | Vitamin D 4mcg | Calcium 34mg | Iron 4mg | Potassium 500mg |

For more vegan Thanksgiving ideas, check out this guide to 25 plant-based holiday recipes.