This Maple Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole is dairy-free and delicious. I took the Classic Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Casserole and gave it a makeover…the result is a creamy vegan sweet potato puree with a perfectly sweetened maple pecan crumble topping. No marshmallows, no refined sugar, no oil….just whole real food, turned into something worthy of a holiday meal, and simple enough to make any night of the week.

Sweet potato casserole with maple pecan crumble topping, with a serving scooped onto a plate.

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Ingredient Notes
How to make it
Debra’s Pro Tips
📖 Recipe

This sweet potato casserole is better than the childhood version you’re remembering. Baking the sweet potatoes, rather than boiling, means the natural sugar is concentrated….and your potatoes won’t be bland and watery either! Roasting them means much better sweet potato flavor and texture!

Did you think the classic casserole with the marshmallows was sickeningly sweet? Same…even as a child, I thought it was just “too much.” This lighter version uses just a touch of maple syrup so it’s perfectly sweetened….nothing over the top!

Plus, I love the way the pecans get coated in the flax and almond meal…crunchy perfection on the topping! Simple adjustments to the OG keep this easy potato side dish vegan and gluten-free without compromising on great taste!

Ingredient Notes

Labeled sweet potato casserole ingredients: whole sweet potatoes in a bowl, tahini, maple syrup and spices.

Topping ingredients labeled: pecans, maple syrup, tahini, almond flour, ground flax and spices.

Spices: I kept it simple with some cinnamon and allspice. The salt is optional, but I think it really makes both the inside and the topping really pop!
Tahini: look for a brand with just one ingredient, sesame seeds. Make sure your jar is thoroughly mixed for a uniform, drippy consistency before using it in any recipe.
Ground flax and almond flour: The perfect nutty flavor for the gluten-free crumble topping.
Maple syrup: no marshmallows or refined sugar for us! Just a touch of maple syrup makes this perfectly sweet.
Sweet Potatoes: orange flesh is best…they could be yams or sweet potatoes.

How to make it

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. We’re going to bake the sweet potatoes and this part of the recipe can be done in advance….as much as a week ahead and then stored in the fridge until you are ready to do the rest. Make extra and you can pull off a batch of my vegan sweet potato brownies while you’re at it!

Sweet potatoes, lined up on a parchment lined baking sheet, one being pierced with a fork. Before baking.

While the oven preheats, wash the potatoes and pat dry. Poke each one a few times with a fork.

Shriveled baked sweet potatoes, still in their skins, on a baking tray.

Bake for about 1 hour, until tender when pierced with a fork, but not mushy. Smaller potatoes may take closer to 45 minutes, and larger ones could take up to 75 minutes.

Make the topping

Glass bowl with almond flour, ground flax, cinnamon, allspice and salt.

While the potatoes cook, make the topping. Place almond flour, ground flax, cinnamon, allspice and salt in a medium sized bowl.

Almond flour, ground flax, chopped pecans and spices in a glass mixing bowl.

Roughly chop pecans. The larger you make the pieces, the more crunch and texture your topping will have. Add them to the bowl and mix well.

Tahini mixture poured onto a dry mixture of pecans and flours in a medium sized glass mixing bowl.

In a separate small bowl or pyrex measuring cup, thoroughly mix tahini and maple syrup together. Pour into bowl with the dry ingredients.

Crumbly maple pecan mixture for the top of a sweet potato casserole.

Keep mixing until the wet ingredients are thoroughly incorporated into the pecan mixture, pulling up the dry ingredients from the bottom. If you’re making this part in advance, stop here, transfer to a jar with a tight fitting lid and store at room temperature until ready to proceed.

Make the sweet potato filling

Cutting baked sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, on a tray of roasted whole potatoes.

When the sweet potatoes are all soft, remove from the oven. If you’re stopping at this step for now, let them cool completely before storing (whole with the skins still on) in the fridge in an airtight container. Cut them in half lengthwise.

Tray of baked sweet potatoes, pulp scooped out and placed in the bowl of a food processor.

Scoop out the flesh and place in the bowl of a food processor. (You can also use a blender, or a bowl with high sides and an immersion blender). Turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees.

Bowl of food processor with already baked sweet potato pulp, tahini, maple syrup and spices.

Add the tahini, maple syrup, cinnamon, allspice and salt.

Smooth, orange sweet potato mixture in the bowl of a food processor.

Process for about 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides and process again, until smooth and creamy.

Put the casserole together and bake

Offset spatula spreading a layer of pureed sweet potatoes into an even layer of a baking dish.

Transfer sweet potato mixture to a casserole dish. Spread into the corners and use an offset spatula to smooth it into an even layer.

White baking dish, filled with pureed sweet potatoes, half topped with a pecan crumble mixture.

Sprinkle the maple pecan topping onto the sweet potato puree in the baking dish.

Sweet potato casserole with crumbly pecan topping in a baking dish, styled photo with pecans, cinnamon stick and a serving spoon.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until heated through and the topping is browned and crunchy.

Large serving spoon scooping out some sweet potato casserole with crumbly maple pecan topping.

Serve warm. Store, covered, in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat in 350 oven for 30 minutes, if taken straight from the fridge.

Debra’s Pro Tips

Plate and fork with serving of sweet potato casserole with pecan crumble topping, showing the orange potato mixture inside.

Save money: buy pecan ½s or pieces, you’re going to chop them anyhow. Whole pecans are much more expensive.
If you bake the sweet potatoes in advance, and store them in an airtight container in the fridge (skins still on), this dish will be a 5-10 minute prep and 45 in the oven. Easy, peasy….especially on a hectic holiday or weeknight.
You can also make the topping in advance. Store in a small jar with a lid at room temperature for up to a week.

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Maple Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole (Vegan + Gluten-free)

Ingredient Notes