Vegan sweet potato casserole loaded with creamy smooth mashed sweet potatoes, warming spices, dairy-free butter, and a crisp pecan crumble topping. Perfectly balanced with sweet and savory flavors and ready in under an hour!
This vegan sweet potato casserole recipe mashes sweet potatoes with cinnamon, nutmeg, vegan milk, and dairy-free butter. Once whipped until smooth, it’s topped with a crispy pecan crumble. The finished dish is baked until golden brown, sweet, and just a touch bit savory.
To make this recipe vegan-friendly, we’ll be swapping traditional butter and milk for equally creamy and flavorful vegan substitutes like vegan butter and coconut milk. This will give the casserole the same rich texture and full flavor.
This is one of our favorite vegan recipes because it’s essentially a traditional sweet potato casserole but with a few very simple swaps. It’s got every bit of the same sweet and warm spiced flavor, though it’s entirely plant-based!
Discover how to make vegan sweet potato casserole with just a few basic ingredients, plus tips and tricks for making this dish uniquely yours every time.
How to Make Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
Making vegan sweet potato casserole is easier than you think. With minimal prep time needed, you can have this tasty side on the table in less than an hour. Here’s how it’s done:
- Prep work: Preheat the oven to 375°F, grease a baking dish, and set a large pot of water to boil
- Boil the potatoes: Add potatoes to the boiling water and cook until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Build the casserole: To the mixing bowl, add the remainder of the casserole filling ingredients and mash until it reaches your desired consistency. Transfer the filling to your prepared baking dish.
- Assemble the topping: In a medium bowl, combine the topping ingredients. Sprinkle the crumble over the sweet potato mixture.
- Bake the casserole: Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the crumble topping is nicely golden brown and crisp
Ingredients
The ingredient list for this casserole is simple, as many of the ingredients are kitchen staples. Here’s what you’ll need for the casserole:
- Sweet potatoes: Peeled and cut into equal-sized cubes.
- Non-dairy milk: Preferably coconut milk, though any non-dairy milk will work.
- Maple syrup: For added sweetness. Can be swapped for agave if needed.
- Vegan butter: Can be swapped for coconut oil or any neutral oil.
- Vanilla extract: For fresh vanilla flavor. This can be omitted if you want a less-sweet casserole.
- Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Salt: To elevate the dish.
Here’s what you’ll need for the crumble topping:
- Pecans: Coarsely chopped. Can be swapped for walnuts.
- Rolled oats: For added crumble texture.
- Brown sugar: Just a bit for added sweetness.
- Vegan butter: To hold the crumble together. This can be swapped for coconut oil.
- Cinnamon: For added warm spice flavor.
- Salt: To elevate the dish.
Ingredient Swaps & Suggestions
There are plenty of options if you want to customize this recipe, depending on what you have on hand. Here are some suggestions:
- Swap the crumble topping for 2 cups of vegan marshmallows.
- Swap the cinnamon and nutmeg for pumpkin pie spices.
- Omit the maple syrup, crumble topping, and baking spices to make a savory casserole. Increase the salt and add 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese before baking.
- Use coconut oil and add ½ cup of shredded coconut to the crumble topping for an added coconut flavor.
Leftovers
This recipe makes about eight servings, so it should be perfect for a large family dinner. That said, this casserole makes for perfect leftovers.
To store leftovers, put a lid on the casserole dish or transfer the casserole to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
To freeze your leftover casserole, store leftovers in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to reheat the casserole, let it thaw overnight in the fridge first.
To reheat your leftover casserole, either microwave it in 30-second intervals or return it to your baking dish and heat it at 350°F for 5-10 minutes or until fully reheated.
Quick Tips
- Save time and boil the sweet potatoes the night before
- For an extra smooth casserole, use an immersion blender or food processor to blend the potatoes fully.
Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 large sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- ½ cup coconut milk or any non-dairy milk
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil or vegan butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
Crumble Topping
- 1 cup pecans or walnuts roughly chopped
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp coconut oil or vegan butter
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13” baking dish with vegan butter or coconut oil
- Set a large pot of water to boil and add the cubed potatoes. Cook until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer cooked potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
- To the mixing bowl, add the coconut milk, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mash the potato mixture with a potato masher or large fork until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Transfer the mashed sweet potato mixture to your prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the crumble topping ingredients. Mix well to combine, then sprinkle this over your sweet potato mixture.
- Bake the casserole for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and crisp
- Allow the casserole to cool for 5 minutes before serving
