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This Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole pairs a silky sweet potato base, warm with maple and cinnamon, with a crunchy oat and nut streusel. It's dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, and refined-sugar-free, yet it tastes even better than the Thanksgiving classic most of us grew up with. And because you can make it up to 2 days ahead, it's one less dish to juggle on Thanksgiving Day.
Why This Sweet Potato Casserole Works
I grew up loving a sweet potato casserole loaded with sugar, butter, and, well... more sugar. But as our family grew, so did our food issues: dairy and egg allergies, plus gluten sensitivities. And if you've ever messed with a recipe passed down for generations, you know that's quite the task. After multiple tries, SUCCESS! My entire extended family now prefers this version to the traditional -- and that speaks volumes.
- One side dish for everyone. With no dairy, eggs, or gluten, guests with food allergies can eat the same casserole as everyone else at the table.
- Apple juice concentrate is my secret ingredient. It sweetens the base without refined sugar and brings out the natural flavor of the sweet potatoes.
- One food processor does both jobs. It purees the base until smooth, then pulses the streusel in minutes, with just a quick wipe in between.
- Holiday-friendly timing. Like my other make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes, you can prep the base and streusel 2 days early, or freeze them for up to a month.
5-Star Reader Review
This is far and away the best sweet potato casserole I've ever had! It is just sweet enough without being cloying. And you are right about the apple juice concentrate being essential; the flavor compliments the sweet potatoes perfectly. And no one would be able to tell that this is gluten free and vegan unless I told them. This may become my new go-to potluck recipe :). -Laura
Notes on Ingredients & Substitutions
- Sweet Potatoes: Use orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, like Jewel or Beauregard, for the creamiest texture and brightest color. Three pounds is about 3 very large or 6 medium sweet potatoes.
- Apple Juice Concentrate: Look for it in the freezer section, and thaw it before using. If you can't find it, use ¼ cup of 100% apple juice or apple cider and increase the maple syrup in the base from ¼ cup to ½ cup.
- Maple Syrup: Sweetens both the base and the streusel.
- Nutmeg: Freshly grated nutmeg really does make a difference. A quick swipe on a Microplane adds warmth that pre-ground nutmeg just can't match.
- Rolled Oats: Old-fashioned or quick-cook both work. If you're cooking for someone who needs to avoid gluten, check that your oats are labeled certified gluten-free.
- Walnuts or Pecans: Paired with the oats, they make a crispy crumble on top of the creamy base.
- Coconut Oil: Use solid coconut oil. Vegan butter works too, but I prefer coconut oil because its nutty undertones pair so well with the nuts and sweet potatoes.
Dietary Swaps & Variations
This casserole has no eggs or dairy, so you don't need to replace anything if you're cooking egg-free or dairy-free. And as long as you use certified gluten-free oats, this casserole is gluten-free as well.
- Nut-Free: Swap the nuts for an equal amount of rolled oats, for 1 ½ cups of oats total.
- Not Vegan: Use regular butter in the streusel instead of coconut oil. You may even want to use my whipped sweet potatoes with brown butter as the casserole base.
- Add Marshmallows: If your family loves marshmallows, swap the crumble for mini marshmallows, or sprinkle them over the crumble for a hybrid. (Check the label: most marshmallows are gluten-free and dairy-free, but many contain gelatin, so they aren't vegan.)
How to Make Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
I'll walk you through each step with photos, so you feel confident even if this is your very first Thanksgiving side. The full directions, quantities, and a video are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Roast the sweet potatoes. Scrub, dry, and prick the sweet potatoes with a fork, then roast them on a lined sheet pan at 400°F for 45 to 60 minutes, depending on size, until a fork slides through easily. Have an Instant Pot? You can cook them with my Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes method instead.
- Blend the base. Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and add the flesh to a food processor with the thawed apple juice concentrate, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a dash of salt. Process until silky smooth, then spread the mixture into a 2-quart baking dish greased with coconut oil.
- Make the streusel. Add the oats, nuts, coconut oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the food processor. Pulse a few times, just until crumbly, then sprinkle it evenly over the sweet potato base. No need to deep clean the food processor after the base. Just wipe it out with a paper towel. And don't overprocess the streusel. You want it to keep a bit of texture.
- Bake. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 45 minutes, until the topping is golden and the casserole is warmed through.
Note from Kristen
Keep a close eye on the streusel. Check on it after 30 minutes, and if it's browning too quickly, tent the dish with foil and keep baking.
Make-Ahead Instructions
When it comes to the holidays (especially Thanksgiving dinner), the more dishes you can prep in advance, the better, and this casserole is a great make-ahead holiday recipe. Depending on your timeline, use the following suggestions to get a jump start on dinner.
- Up to 2 Days in Advance: Prepare the base and the crumble as directed, but don't assemble. Store each in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. When ready to bake, assemble the casserole in a greased baking dish and let it sit on the counter as the oven preheats. Bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes, until warmed through and golden.
- Up to 1 Month in Advance: Prepare the base and spread it into a freezer-safe, oven-safe baking dish (like a disposable foil pan). Cover tightly with 2 to 3 layers of foil. Prepare the crumble and store it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze both for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then sprinkle the crumble over the base and bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes, until warmed through and golden.
How to Serve
It fits right in next to the turkey, or on a fully plant-based holiday spread.
- For Thanksgiving: Serve it alongside Instant Pot Turkey Breast or Roast Turkey and my naturally sweetened Cranberry Orange Sauce.
- For Christmas: It's just as at home on a Christmas dinner menu. We especially love it served alongside my New York Strip Roast.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat Single Servings: Place a serving on a microwave-safe plate, cover it with a damp paper towel, and microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
- Reheat a Larger Batch: Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes, until warmed through. Let the casserole dish sit at room temperature while the oven preheats so you aren't putting a cold dish straight in the oven.
- Get Creative: Use leftover casserole, crumble and all, in place of sweet potato puree in sweet potato oatmeal, sweet potato pancakes, or sweet potato waffles. The crumble adds a nice texture. For more ideas, see my Thanksgiving leftovers round-up.
More Dairy-Free Thanksgiving Sides
If this casserole is on your Thanksgiving table, these dairy-free and egg-free sides round it out:
- Roasted Fall Vegetables: A sheet pan of fall vegetables that roasts while you finish the rest of dinner.
- Maple Glazed Acorn Squash: More maple and warm fall flavor, in roasted squash form.
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts: Cooked in the air fryer, so they don't compete for oven space.
- Kale Apple Salad: A fresh, crunchy salad next to all the warm, rich sides.
Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
This Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole has a silky, maple-sweetened base and a crunchy oat and nut streusel, made without dairy, eggs, gluten, or refined sugar.
Video
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes, see recipe note
- ⅓ cup apple juice concentrate, thawed
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon grated whole nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- dash of salt
For Topping
- ½ cup rolled oats, old-fashioned or quick-cook
- 1 cup walnuts, or pecans
- ¼ cup solid coconut oil, or vegan butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon grated whole nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃). Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish with coconut oil or vegan butter and set aside. Wash, dry, and prick the sweet potatoes several times with a fork, and place them on a rimmed sheet pan.
- Roast the sweet potatoes for 45-60 minutes, or until the flesh is completely soft (a fork goes through easily). Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and reduce the heat to 350℉ (175℃).
- Let the sweet potatoes cool enough to handle, then peel and place the flesh in a food processor fitted with an S-blade.
- To the sweet potatoes in the food processor, add ⅓ cup apple juice concentrate, ¼ cup maple syrup, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon grated whole nutmeg, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and dash of salt and process until smooth and creamy. Then spread this mixture into the greased baking dish.
- Wipe out the food processor and S-blade and return them to the base of the unit. Add ½ cup rolled oats, 1 cup walnuts, ¼ cup solid coconut oil, ¼ cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon grated whole nutmeg. Pulse a few times until the mixture is just combined and crumbly. Don't overprocess, as you want the topping to have a bit of texture.
- Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the sweet potato mixture.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the casserole is warmed through. Check on the casserole after 30 minutes. If the streusel browns too quickly, tent with foil and continue baking.
Equipment
Notes
Sweet Potatoes: Use orange-flesh sweet potatoes. For 3 pounds, you will need about 3 very large sweet potatoes or 6 medium sweet potatoes.
Gluten-Free: Ensure your oats are certified gluten-free.
Use an Instant Pot to Prepare Sweet Potatoes: Place sweet potatoes on a trivet above 1½ cups of cold tap water and pressure cook for 22 minutes, following my recipe for Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes.
Nut-Free Optional: Swap the nuts for an equal amount of rolled oats.
Apple Juice Concentrate: If needed, replace it with ¼ cup 100% apple juice or apple cider, and increase the maple syrup in the base from ¼ cup to ½ cup.
Nutmeg: Use a whole nutmeg and grate it using a Microplane for the best flavor.
Storage: Store leftover casserole in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Prepare Up to 2 Days in Advance: Prepare the base and the crumble of the sweet potato casserole as directed, but don't assemble. Store each component in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. When ready to bake, assemble the casserole in a greased baking dish and let it sit on the counter as the oven preheats. Bake at 350°F for 55-60 minutes, or until warmed through and golden.
Prepare Up to 1 Month in Advance: Prepare the base and spread into a freezer-safe/oven-safe baking dish (like a disposable foil pan). Cover tightly with 2-3 layers of foil. Prepare the crumble and store in a freezer-safe storage bag. Store both the base and crumble in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Once defrosted, sprinkle the crumble over the sweet potato casserole and bake at 350°F for 55-60 minutes, or until warmed through and golden.
Nutrition
Calories: 258kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 64mgPotassium: 474mgFiber: 4gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 16090IUVitamin C: 2.9mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 1.2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Can canned sweet potatoes be substituted in this recipe?
Absolutely! Use a 40-ounce can of candied yams, drain the liquid, and puree the sweet potatoes with the maple syrup and spices. I would omit the apple juice concentrate, as candied yams are pretty sweet. For canned sweet potato puree you would need two 15-ounce cans and proceed with the recipe as directed.