The Best Gluten-Free & Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
Made with earthy sweet potato puree, warming spices, rich maple syrup, and a crunchy oat crumble, this dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free sweet potato casserole is not only allergy-friendly, it is truly the best recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole.
3largesweet potatoesfor a total of 3 cups of sweet potato puree
⅓cupapple juice concentratethawed
¼cuppure maple syrup
2teaspoonsground cinnamon
½teaspoongrated nutmeg(whole bulb grated with a Microplane)
1tablespoonvanilla extract
dash of salt
For Topping
½cuprolled oats
1cupchopped nutswalnuts or pecans
¼cupcoconut oil or vegan butternot melted
¼cupmaple syrup
1teaspoonground cinnamon
¼teaspoongrated nutmeg(whole bulb grated with a Microplane)
Instructions
To Prepare Sweet Potatoes
Wash, dry, and prick the sweet potatoes several times with a fork. Roast at 400℉ for 45 minutes until fork-tender. Alternatively, pressure cook on a trivet above 1½ cups of cold tap water for 22 minutes, following my recipe for Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes.
Cool the sweet potatoes until just cool enough to handle. Remove and discard the skin of the sweet potatoes. Measure out 3 cups of the flesh of the sweet potatoes to use for the casserole. (Should be fairly close to what you have made.)
Sweet Potato Casserole
Preheat the oven to 350℉. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish with coconut oil or vegan butter.
In a food processor fitted with an s-blade, place 3 cups of the flesh of the sweet potatoes. Add ⅓ cup apple juice concentrate, ¼ cup maple syrup, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Process until the mixture is well combined and the sweet potatoes are creamy and smooth. Transfer the sweet potato puree to the prepared baking dish.
Wipe out the food processor and return to the base. Add the ½ cup oats, 1 cup nuts, ¼ cup coconut oil (or vegan butter), ¼ cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg to the food processor fitted with an s-blade. Pulse a few times until the mixture is just combined and crumbly. Don't overprocess, 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.
Video
Notes
3 pounds of sweet potatoes are about 3 very large sweet potatoes or 6 medium sweet potatoes. It should make 3 cups of sweet potato puree. Apple Juice Concentrate: The apple juice concentrate is key to adding sweetness without a lot of added sugars. If you don't have it on hand, use ¼ cup of apple juice and increase the maple syrup from ¼ cup to ½ cup in the sweet potato base. Nutmeg: For the best flavor that doesn't overwhelm the casserole, grate a whole nutmeg bulb using a Microplane versus using ground nutmeg. Storage: Store leftover casserole in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. To Prepare in Advance:
Refrigerate (Prepare up to 48 days in advance): Prepare the base and the crumble of the sweet potato casserole as directed. Transfer the sweet potato puree to one large airtight container and the crumble to a separate airtight container. When ready to bake, assemble the casserole as the recipe directs. Let the casserole sit on the counter, as the oven preheats to 350 degrees F. Once the oven is fully preheated, bake for 55-60 minutes, or until warmed through.
Freeze (Prepare up to 1 month in advance): Prepare the base and the crumble of the sweet potato casserole as directed. Assemble the casserole in a freezer-safe baking dish, such as a disposable foil baking pan. Wrap tightly in 3 layers of foil. Transfer the sweet potato casserole to the freezer and freeze for up to 1 month. Remove the casserole from the freezer 24 hours prior to baking, to allow it to fully defrost. Let the casserole sit on the counter, as the oven preheats to 350 degrees F. Once the oven is fully preheated, bake for 55-60 minutes, or until warmed through.