Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

4.85 from 33 votes

Made without dairy, eggs, gluten, or refined sugars, this Sweet Potato Casserole wins over everyone thanks to a rich, velvety base and irresistible oat crumble.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 45

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

Food Processor

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 nutmeg whole bulb grated with a Microplane
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 nutmeg whole bulb grated with a Microplane

Instructions

Preheat 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 rimmed sheet pan.
Roast the sweet potatoes for 45-60 minutes, or until the flesh is completely soft (a fork EASILY goes through). Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and reduce the heat to 350℉ (175℃).
Let the sweet potatoes cool just enough to handle, then remove and discard their skin and place the flesh of the sweet potatoes inside 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 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 to the base. 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 nutmeg. 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. Check on casserole after 30 minutes, if you notice the streusel browning too quickly, tent with foil and continue to bake.

Video

Notes

Sweet Potatoes: Use orange flesh sweet potatoes and 3 pounds of sweet potatoes are about 3 very large sweet potatoes or 6 medium sweet potatoes.

Use an Instant Pot to Prepare Sweet Potatoes: Place sweet potatoes on a trivet above 1 ½ 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: You can replace it with ¼ cup of 100% apple juice or apple cider and increase the maple syrup in the base of the casserole from ¼ cup to ½ cup.

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 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 the crumble of the sweet potato casserole as directed, but don't assemble.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