Description
This Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans is a delightful twist on a classic comfort dish, featuring creamy mashed sweet potatoes infused with warm vanilla and spices, topped with a crunchy, oat and pecan crumble. Perfect for holiday dinners or a cozy family meal, this casserole balances sweet and savory flavors with a satisfying texture contrast.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 4 ½ pounds sweet potatoes scrubbed (about 4–5 very large sweet potatoes)
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 2 vanilla beans or 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste
- 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil, melted
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Pecan Oat Topping
- 1 ⅓ cups old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten free if necessary)
- 1 cup roughly chopped pecans, untoasted
- ½ cup almond meal
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Casserole Dish: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with oil or non-stick spray and set it aside to be ready for assembling the casserole.
- Bake the Sweet Potatoes: Prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet lined with foil or a silpat mat. Bake until fork-tender, approximately 1 hour depending on size. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes until easily handled.
- Peel and Mash Potatoes: Peel the skins off the sweet potatoes using your fingers. Break the sweet potatoes into large chunks and place them in a bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment.
- Prepare Vanilla Almond Milk: While potatoes bake, pour almond milk into a small saucepan. Split vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape seeds into the milk, adding the pods as well. Warm the milk gently over medium heat without boiling for 5 minutes, then remove from heat to steep.
- Combine Ingredients for Mash: Remove vanilla pods from almond milk. Pour almond milk and vanilla seeds into the mashed sweet potatoes. Add melted coconut oil, cinnamon, kosher salt, freshly grated nutmeg, and white pepper.
- Mash Sweet Potatoes Smoothly: Mash or beat the mixture until fairly smooth but with some texture remaining. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes into the prepared casserole dish and smooth the top evenly with a rubber spatula.
- Prepare Pecan Oat Topping: In a separate bowl, combine rolled oats, chopped pecans, almond meal, cinnamon, kosher salt, melted coconut oil, and maple syrup. Mix thoroughly until the ingredients are evenly moistened and combined.
- Assemble and Bake Casserole: Sprinkle the pecan oat topping evenly over the mashed sweet potatoes. Bake at 375°F for about 20 minutes until the topping is toasted, fragrant, and the casserole is warmed through.
- Serve Warm: Remove from oven and serve the casserole warm as a delightful side dish.
Notes
- For extra flavor, freshly grate your own nutmeg instead of using pre-ground.
- If you cannot find vanilla beans, vanilla bean paste is a great substitute.
- Use gluten-free rolled oats if you need to make the recipe gluten-free.
- Gently heat almond milk; avoid boiling to preserve flavor and prevent curdling.
- You can prepare the sweet potatoes a day ahead and assemble before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 of casserole
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
