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. 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}
Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe – Light & Easy!
If you’re looking for a tasty holiday side dish that fits your lifestyle goals, this healthy sweet potato casserole without marshmallows is a must have recipe on your menu!
The fluffy sweet potato mixture is topped with a crunchy pecan topping and seasoned with maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and vanilla for one irresistible bite.
It’s a much healthier and lower sugar option than your traditional sweet potato casserole, which is often topped with gooey marshmallows and loaded with brown sugar and butter.
If you’re stuck for side dishes to serve up with your turkey this year, this recipe is totally crave-worthy and perfect for the whole family. Deliciously sweet (but not too sweet), simple to make and a great healthier option for your holiday table!
For more sweet potato recipes, be sure to try my Sweet Potato Coconut Soup and Maple Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes too!
Why We Love this Sweet Potato Pecan Casserole Recipe
- Make ahead: This is a great option if you want to get a head start on making your Thanksgiving or holiday feast. Make it a day or so ahead of time and reheat it to serve.
- Great for a crowd: This delicious sweet potato casserole will easily serve 8 people, but you can always double the recipe if serving a larger crowd. I promise, the leftovers are just as good!
- Simple ingredients: You only need a few basic ingredients to make this recipe, so you can whip it together in a snap! Easy and tasty? I’m in!
Ingredient Notes
For the Gluten-free 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: Maple syrup naturally sweetens the dish and adds a delicious flavour that compliments the sweet potatoes and spices so well. You can also use a runny honey if preferred.
- Egg: Egg helps to bind the ingredients together, while keeping the casserole light.
- Seasonings: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt and vanilla extract are used to infuse some extra flavour into this dish. Add even more spices if you’re a spice lover!
For the Pecan Topping
- 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 can also be used.
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 greased casserole 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.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card 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 flavour.
- 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, you can cover the dish with aluminum foil.
How to Store
You can store the leftover sweet potato casserole in the fridge covered in the casserole dish with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. Allow the casserole to completely cool at room temperature before placing in the fridge.
How to Reheat Sweet Potato Casserole
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and reheat for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
Recipe FAQs
Definitely, it’s the perfect make ahead option, which is especially handy for those busy holidays! You can make the whole dish 2 to 3 days ahead of time and keep it stored in the fridge until you’re ready to reheat it to serve.
Yes, it freezes well, so if you want to make it further ahead of time or have lots of leftovers, they can easily be frozen. Just be sure to wrap it tightly with saran wrap followed by foil to prevent any freezer burn.
Allow the casserole to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating or reheat it right from frozen; just allow an additional 10 minutes of reheating time.
An egg acts as a binder in this recipe and helps keep it light and fluffy. It also enriches the sweet potato making it really flavourful.
I prefer to bake the sweet potatoes so that I can skip peeling and dicing them. You just need to scoop the flesh out once cooked and you’re good to go. Baking also helps the sweet potatoes to caramelize, bringing out more of that natural sweetness, while also allowing them to retain more of their nutrients than boiling.
That being said, if you don’t have time to bake them, you can peel the sweet potatoes, cut them into chunks and boil them until tender before mashing them.
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
This easy sweet potato casserole without marshmallows is perfect to serve up on Thanksgiving day or as part of any holiday meal.
It’s the perfect side dish served along with other favourites like:
- Air Fryer Boneless Turkey Breast
- Slow Cooker Turkey Roast
- Slow Cooker Ham with Pineapple
- Thanksgiving Sausage Stuffing
- Healthy Cranberry Sauce
- Roasted Garlic Potatoes
- Green Bean Almondine Recipe
- Healthy Mashed Potatoes
- Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts
- Healthy Squash Casserole
Recipe Variations
- Make it vegan: Use a flax egg or egg replacer in place of the egg.
- Make it savoury: Omit the maple syrup and sugar and swap the ground spices for dried herbs like thyme, rosemary and sage.
- Enhance the creaminess: Blend sweet potato mixture with some coconut milk or almond milk for more creamy sweet potatoes.
- Add more texture to the topping: Add some rolled oats and a bit of butter or coconut oil to the topping mixture.
More Similar Recipes
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Cinnamon and Paprika
- Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Curly Sweet Potato Fries
- Butternut Squash Barley Risotto
- Wild Rice Pilaf with Cranberries and Apples
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Healthy 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 flavour.
- 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, you can cover the dish with aluminum foil.
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