Everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving side dish just got healthier! This healthy sweet potato casserole without marshmallows is just as delicious as the classic recipe, but is much lower in sugar and made with a crunchy pecan topping for lots of texture and flavor. Sweetened with maple syrup and perfectly spiced, this easy recipe is sure to be a crowd-pleaser this holiday season! {Vegetarian, Dairy-free & Gluten-free}
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Easy Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe – Naturally Sweetened
I know most of us are used to sweet potato casserole loaded with that ooey, gooey marshmallows and yes, they are delicious that way!
But in all honesty, I typically prefer to save the marshmallows for campfires, and instead make this less-sweet version made with maple syrup and coconut sugar.
You still enjoy the creamy cooked sweet potatoes, crunchy pecans, and warm spices, but with just enough sweetness without feeling like a sugar bomb. It’s more like a side dish than a dessert, and you won’t even miss the marshmallows!
For more sweet potato recipes, be sure to try my Sweet Potato Coconut Soup, Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk, and Maple Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes too!
Ingredient Notes
For the Sweet Potato Casserole
- Sweet potatoes: Bake the sweet potatoes until soft and tender before mashing the flesh and mixing with the other ingredients.
- Maple syrup: For extra flavor and just enough sweetness.
- Egg: Eggs help to bind the ingredients together, while keeping the casserole light.
- Seasonings: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt and vanilla extract are used to infuse some extra flavor into this dish. Add even more spices if you’re a spice lover!
Pecan Topping Ingredients
- Sugar: We use a little coconut palm sugar in the topping for extra sweetness, while keeping it lower on the glycemic index. Light brown sugar can also be used if that’s what you have.
- Pecans: Used as a topping on the casserole for a crunchy pecan crumble rich in healthy fats. Walnuts also work great!
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole Without Marshmallows
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and pierce each one 2 or 3 times with a fork. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until fork tender. Set aside to cool.
- Lower the heat of the oven to 350 degrees F. Mist a small rectangular or 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
- Scoop the sweet potato flesh out of the skins and place into a large bowl. Discard the skins. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until smooth. Add the maple syrup, egg, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the nutmeg, ginger, salt and vanilla. Whisk the mixture until smooth.
- Spread the sweet potato mash into the prepared baking dish until evenly distributed.
- Mix the coconut sugar, pecans and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl; sprinkle the pecan mixture over the sweet potato filling.
- Bake until hot and beginning to brown around the edges, about 40 to 45 minutes.
Scroll to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Casserole:
- Purchase sweet potatoes that are around the same size so that they finish baking in the oven at the same time.
- I recommend baking the sweet potatoes in the oven before combining the ingredients for the casserole since roasting them helps to caramelize them and bring out their natural sweetness. For a faster method, you can dice and boil the sweet potato as well, but baking tends to produce a better flavor.
- If you want the sweet potato mixture for the casserole to have a smoother consistency, you can whip it with an electric mixer, hand mixer or place it in a food processor until it’s smooth and creamy.
- If the topping starts to brown too quickly in the oven, you can cover the dish with aluminum foil.
How to Store
If you have any leftover sweet potato casserole, first cool the leftovers to room temperature, then store in a covered dish in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
How to Reheat Sweet Potato Casserole
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and reheat for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. You can also warm a serving in the microwave for a minute or two!
Bake, Don’t Boil
You can overcook the sweet potatoes for this casserole, which is why I prefer to oven bake them rather than boil them. If you over boil them, they can absorb a lot of water and you’ll be left with a soggy casserole that won’t hold together well.
What to Serve with Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potato casserole is one of my all-time favorite side dishes for Thanksgiving, and it’s right at home next to the cranberry sauce, roast turkey, and stuffing for any holiday meal.
It also pairs really well with Slow Cooker Ham with Pineapple or these Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Balsamic and Maple Syrup. Or you can check out more healthy Thanksgiving recipes here!
Recipe Variations
- Make it vegan: Use a flax egg or egg replacer in place of the egg.
- Enhance the creaminess: Blend sweet potato mixture with some coconut milk or almond milk for more creamy sweet potatoes. You can also add a little vegan butter or cream.
- Add more texture to the topping: Add some rolled oats and a bit of butter or coconut oil to the topping mixture.
More Healthy Side Dishes
- Sweet Potato Fries with Cinnamon
- Curly Sweet Potato Fries
- Apple Butternut Squash Casserole
- Butternut Squash Barley Risotto
- Wild Rice Pilaf with Cranberries and Apples
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Sweet Potato Casserole without Marshmallows
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 5 medium sweet potatoes)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and pierce each one 2 or 3 times with a fork. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Set aside to cool.
- Lower the heat of the oven to 350 degrees F. Mist a small rectangular or 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
- Scoop the sweet potato flesh out of the skins and place into a medium bowl. Discard the skins. Mash the potatoes until smooth.
- Add the maple syrup, egg, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the nutmeg, ginger, salt and vanilla. Whisk the mixture until smooth.
- Spread the sweet potato mixture into the prepare baking dish until evenly distributed.
- Mix the coconut sugar, pecans and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl; sprinkle evenly over the potato mixture.
- Bake until hot and beginning to brown around the edges, about 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
- Purchase sweet potatoes that are around the same size so that they finish baking in the oven at the same time.
- I recommend baking the sweet potatoes in the oven before combining the ingredients for the casserole since roasting them helps to caramelize them and bring out their natural sweetness. For a faster method, you can dice and boil the sweet potato as well, but baking tends to produce a better flavor.
- If you want the sweet potato mixture for the casserole to have a smoother consistency, you can whip it with an electric mixer, hand mixer or place it in a food processor until it’s smooth and creamy.
- If you like even more spice, you can increase the amount of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger according to personal taste.
- If the topping starts to brown too quickly in the oven, cover the dish with aluminum foil.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in October 2022 and the text, formatting and some photos were updated in November 2025.
Do you have any idea how much/which herbs to use to make this savoury? Would you use all 3 of the herbs you mentioned together? My sister is supposed to avoid all added sugars, so I thought I’d try the savoury version for Thanksgiving. But I’ve never used many herbs in my cooking, so I’m not sure how much and in what combination to use. Thanks!
I haven’t personally tested this recipe with the herbs, so you’d probably have to experiment a bit to get it right. I’d maybe start with 1 tablespoon each of finely chopped fresh rosemary, sage and thyme and skip the vanilla and spices. Hope it works out for you if you decide to try it!
Thanks so much, Elysia! I ended up making it with the spices but without the maple syrup or coconut palm sugar. I toasted some pecans separately to use as a topping, as my niece is allergic to nuts. Everyone thought it was great! I also think I’d like to try it with the herbs, so thanks for the suggestions.