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Home By Meal Lunch and Dinner

Healthier Sweet Potato Casserole

★★★★★ 9 Reviews Recipe Print
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By: Alex Cagan9/7/21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

Dive into Healthier Sweet Potato Casserole for a lightened version of the Thanksgiving classic. Made with oats, pecans, and maple syrup, it’s complete with a crispy crumble topping and flavors that are to die for!

sweet potato casserole

The ultimate sweet potato recipe

I remember it like it was yesterday: the Thanksgiving when my mom proposed making sweet potato casserole with a crunchy, pecan topping instead of the traditional marshmallows.

My family was reluctant, as we all doubted that this would live up to the marshmallow version we’d grown accustomed to. If our assumptions were correct, Thanksgiving dessert would be ruined!

Yeah, yeah. We were dramatic. But guess what. We were also very wrong, because my mom’s new and improved casserole rendition turned out to be an absolute crowd favorite!

Made with maple syrup, rolled oats, cinnamon, and topped with pecans, it was an instant hit. I guess the saying is true… Mom knows best!

So for this recipe, you can dive into the dish that changed our Thanksgiving many years ago. I’ve swapped the heavy cream and white sugar for a bit of butter and maple syrup, making this dish the perfect combo of savory, sweet, and crunchy. I know you’ll love it!

sweet potato casserole

Ingredients in healthier sweet potato casserole

For this dish we’re using two groups of ingredients: those for the base, and those for the topping! Though, a few of the ingredients (maple syrup, salt, and cinnamon) will be used in both portions.

Sweet Potato Base:

  • Sweet potatoes: It’s no surprise that this recipe features a whopping four cups of mashed sweet potatoes! You can’t have the casserole without this star ingredient.
  • Egg: One egg will be used as part of the base. It works as a binding agent and contributes to the texture.
  • Maple syrup: All-natural ingredients for the win! This sweetener adds the perfect amount of flavor to the sweet potato base.
  • Vanilla: Use a dash of vanilla for taste.
  • Cinnamon: Cinnamon is the perfect ingredient for this sweet potato casserole recipe! Plus, it fits right in with the whole “fall dish” thing.
  • Salt: Finally, add a pinch of salt, because obviously.

Crumble Topping:

  • Rolled oats: We’re adding protein, fiber, and healthy carbs to this dish by using rolled oats as one of our topping ingredients!
  • Pecans: For a sweet, nutty flavor, chop some pecans into very small pieces. Use 3/4 of a cup for all of the nutty goodness.
  • Oat flour: Next up, oat flour will help bring all of the topping ingredients together.
  • Cinnamon: Whip that cinnamon back out, because we need some for the top layer too!
  • Salt: Add another dash of salt!
  • Butter: We’ll use 3 tbsp of melted butter in the topping mix. You can also use coconut oil or vegan butter if that’s more your thing!
  • Maple syrup: Finally, we’ll use maple syrup again to add a bit of sweet flavor.
sweet potato casserole

Tools used to make this casserole

For this dish you’ll need a number of kitchen tools. Gather your items, and let’s get to baking!

  • Fork
  • Baking sheet (optional for baking the potatoes)
  • Knife
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Stirring utensil
  • Food processor
  • Baking dish
  • Spatula
  • For measuring: 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, and 3/4 cup

The low-down on cooking sweet potatoes and making a casserole

Get ready for the ultimate autumn dish, perfect for enjoying at Thanksgiving celebrations this year. This casserole will totally transform the idea of “sweet potato casserole” in your mind, as everything from the maple syrup to the oats is new, improved, and über delicious!

To begin, use a fork to poke holes in the sweet potatoes, and then bake them at 425F. Bake for 30 minutes, flip, and bake for another 15-30 minutes depending on size. They should be completely soft to the touch when finished.

Once the baked sweet potatoes are removed from the oven, cut them open and let them cool completely.

Begin working on the topping while the potatoes cool.

In a bowl, mix the oats, pecans, oat flour, cinnamon, and salt.

Add the melted butter and maple syrup and mix until completely combined.

Once the potatoes have cooled, peek the skin off, discard, and place the flesh in a food processor.

Add the egg, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Pour the mixture into a 3 quart baking dish.

Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top of the sweet potatoes until it covers the dish in a flat layer.

Bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown on the top.

putting crumble on sweet potato casserole

Preparing sweet potato casserole ahead of time

Prepping for Thanksgiving is busy. I get it. And even if you’re not cooking this for Thanksgiving and are simply enjoying it as a Saturday meal, time remains of the essence!

Well, what’s great about this recipe is that there are three ways to prepare it ahead of time.

  1. First, you can bake the sweet potatoes ahead of time to cut down on day-of baking and cooling prep.
  2. Second, you can prepare the base early, and then making the toppings and bake the day-of.
  3. Third, you can just finish things up and bake the entire recipe early! Bake as directed, and allow the casserole to completely cool before placing it in the fridge.

To reheat, cover the dish with foil and place it in the oven for 10-20 minutes until warm. Check it periodically to ensure that the topping doesn’t burn.

A healthier casserole option

This is one of my favorite sweet potato recipes for multiple reasons, but one of those reasons is because of all the nutrients it provides.

Traditional sweet potato casserole recipes are made with condensed milk or heavy cream, a cup of refined sugar, and half a stick (or more) of butter. But, sweet potatoes are so rich and delicious on their own that they don’t need all of the added ingredients to make a perfect casserole.

The sweet potatoes provide you a healthy dose of Vitamin A, and the entire recipe is sweetened with only maple syrup, which eliminates the need for added sugar. The entire recipe uses 10 ingredients and can also be made dairy-free if you replace the butter with coconut oil!

For the crunchy topping, the rolled oats, oat flour, and pecans provide immense flavor, healthy fats, and fiber. It’s a better alternative to the traditional marshmallow and cornflake topping, and one that you’ll be happy you chose!

Can’t get enough sweet potato?

Then you’re in luck! Below are some more of my signature sweet potato recipes, which are perfect for enjoying during this season along side your favorite coffee (muffins) or apple cider (fries and casserole).

  • Healthy Sweet Potato Muffins
  • Crispy Baked Chili Lime Sweet Potato Fries
  • Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potato Casserole
  • Paleo Sweet Potato Muffins
sweet potato casserole

Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa

sweet potato casserole
★★★★★ 5 from 9 reviews

Healthier Sweet Potato Casserole

Dive into Healthier Sweet Potato Casserole for a lightened version of the Thanksgiving classic. Made with oats, pecans, and maple syrup, it’s complete with a crispy crumble topping and flavors that are to die for!

Prep: 10Cook: 80Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield 8–10 servings 1x
Print Pin it Rate

Ingredients

Sweet potato base:

  • 3lbs sweet potatoes, about 4 cups mashed.
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Crumble topping

  • 3/4 cup rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup pecans, chopped very small
  • 1/2 cup oat flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp butter, melted (feel free to use coconut oil or vegan butter if dairy free)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Bake sweet potatoes at 425 with holes poked in them for 30 minutes, flip, then bake
    for another 15-30 depending on size. They should be completely soft to the touch.
  2. Cut open and let cool completely.
  3. Begin working on the topping while sweet potatoes cool.
  4. In a bowl, mix together oats, pecans, oat flour, cinnamon, and salt.
  5. Mix in melted butter and maple syrup until completely combined.
  6. Once potatoes are cooled, peel skin off, discard, and place flesh food processor.
  7. Add egg, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
  8. Pour sweet potato mixture into a 3 qt baking dish.
  9. Sprinkle crumble picture over top of the sweet potatoes until almost all the way covered in a flat layer.
  10. Bake at 350 for 45-50 or until golden brown on top.
Author: Erin MorrisseyCategory: thanksgiving, gluten-free, vegetarianMethod: bake
sweet potato casserole

Did you make this?

Leave a comment below and tag @erinliveswhole on social media!

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There may be affiliate links in this post! By purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use myself. Thank you for supporting Erin Lives Whole, it helps keep this blog afloat 🙂

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Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Meri says

    Posted on 12/4 at 10:41 pm

    Nothing but 5 stars for this, it’s the perfect thanksgiving sweet potato recipe- healthy, easy, and a fan favorite!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 12/5 at 3:11 pm

      Hi Meri, so happy you loved it!

      Reply
  2. Emily says

    Posted on 12/4 at 8:22 pm

    Made this for Friendsgiving and it was a hit!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 12/5 at 2:51 pm

      Hi Emily, so glad everyone loved it!

      Reply
  3. Rachael says

    Posted on 12/4 at 3:43 pm

    Love this recipe! Make this all the time and especially at thanksgiving! It is perfectly sweet and has the amazing topping. It feels like it’s a dessert!
    Thanks Erin for a great healthy recipe! 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 12/5 at 1:15 pm

      Hi Rachael, so happy you loved it!!

      Reply
  4. Kelly says

    Posted on 12/4 at 11:42 am

    I made this as a side for thanksgiving and everyone loved it. My mom has always made a casserole which is amazing and amazingly unhealthy. So glad I took a chance making this one. It was amazing and healthy!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 12/5 at 12:46 pm

      Hi Kelly, so glad everyone loved it!!

      Reply
  5. Jeanna says

    Posted on 3/27 at 9:13 pm

    I made this tonight as a side dish. We LOVE sweet potatoes. AMAZING!! Will be making this again especially during the holidays. Thanks Erin!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 3/28 at 5:53 pm

      Hi Jeanna, so glad you loved it!! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Aleena says

    Posted on 11/25 at 2:02 am

    I made this for my friends for our Friendsgiving this year and they all loved it! Currently making it for my family’s Thanksgiving. Thanks, Erin!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 11/26 at 12:24 pm

      Hi Aleena, so happy everyone has been loving it!!

      Reply
  7. Grace says

    Posted on 11/22 at 3:33 pm

    This is such a delicious dish! This is my second year making it and it is simple, healthy, and delicious!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 11/23 at 1:31 pm

      Hi Grace, so happy you loved it!!

      Reply
  8. Annette Coleman says

    Posted on 11/18 at 7:15 pm

    Can you use coconut flour in place of oat flour?

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 11/19 at 11:34 am

      Hi Annette, yes that should be fine. Just double check the ratio since not all flours are 1:1. Let me know how your casserole comes out!!

      Reply
  9. Susan says

    Posted on 11/12 at 5:39 pm

    Hi do you need to use oat flour it’s very expensive by us can you use something else?

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 11/15 at 2:13 pm

      Hi Susan, you can definitely try it with another type of flour. Just double check the ratio of whatever flour you choose to oat flour because not all are 1:1. Let me know what you use and how it comes out!

      Reply
  10. Casey Colodny says

    Posted on 9/28 at 12:12 pm

    One of my favorite parts about thanksgiving is the sweet potato casserole, but I always end up scooping off the marshmellows so this will definitely make the list of what I’m bringing to the family get together! the inside was so creamy and smooth, and the topping – browned to perfection!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 9/28 at 4:15 pm

      Hi Casey, so glad you loved it so much!!

      Reply
  11. Rachel Brumfield says

    Posted on 1/25 at 9:21 am

    WOW. This recipe is out of this world. I am obsessed with sweet potatoes so love it just as a side for a week night dinner. However, I brought it to Thanksgiving with me this past year and my cousin (who previously “hated” sweet potatoes) was begging for the recipe. So quick and easy too!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 1/25 at 11:31 pm

      Hi Rachel, I am so happy you liked it and had it as part of your Thanksgiving!!

      Reply
  12. Kennedy says

    Posted on 1/5 at 2:00 pm

    I love this recipe! I made it for friendsgiving and Thanksgiving, everyone should tried it asked for the recipe. I baked the potatoes in an instant pot and mashed them in the same bowl to minimize the amount of dishes and counter space used.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 1/5 at 2:47 pm

      Hi Kennedy, thanks for sharing! So glad everyone loved it so much!

      Reply

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