Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole (gluten-free, dairy-free)

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This paleo sweet potato casserole is the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving table or any meal during the holiday season! This recipe is also also dairy-free and gluten-free so if you are trying to make a delicious paleo side dish that meets your dietary needs while still delivering amazing flavor and the comfort of the traditional sweet potato casserole, look no further! If you are looking for some other Whole30 complaint and paleo friendly Thanksgiving recipe ideas, check out my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Smashed Potatoes and Garlic Green Beans recipes!

Table of Contents hide

Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients

Step by Step Instructions

Variations and Modifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Paleo Recipes You'll Love

Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients

For this paleo sweet potato casserole, you will need the ingredients listed below. I have included some notes in case you need some different options.

ingredients for sweet potato casserole laid out on a marble slab. maple syrup, egg, coconut oil, vanilla, pecans, sweet potato, almond milk

Sweet Potatoes - naturally, this one is important for this recipe. You will need about 2 pounds worth or 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
Almond Milk - you can use coconut milk if you choose. If you are not strictly worried about keeping things paleo, then oat milk is another good substitution here.
Ghee or coconut oil- ghee is similar to butter and will give a similar taste but it is paleo and lactose-free. If you are wanting something more strictly dairy-free, you can use coconut oil.
Pure Maple Syrup - you will want to make sure to grab maple syrup without any additional additives or sugar. The maple syrup itself will provide the perfect amount of sweetness.
Pecans - If you don't love pecans, you can make your sweet potato casserole with walnuts instead. You can use a food processor to chop your pecans using the pulse feature.
Vanilla extract, cinnamon and sea salt
Eggs

prepared gluten free sweet potato casserole

Step by Step Instructions

STEP 1: To prepare this sweet potato casserole, you will start by placing the potatoes in a large pot and adding enough water to cover them by at least 2-3 inches.

STEP 2: Boil your potatoes until they are fork tender then drain and allow to cool

STEP 3: Once cooled, place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl before adding almond milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, sea salt, vanilla extract and mash until smooth.

sweet potato mixed with egg, coconut oil, almond milk, and vanilla in a clear glass bowl

sweet potato mash in a glass bowl with a potato masher inside

STEP 4: Add the sweet potato mash to a prepared 9x9 baking dish and smooth the surface with a spatula

STEP 5: Create your pecan topping by combining pecans, coconut oil, maple syrup, cinnamon and sea salt in a medium sized bowl until pecans are well coated. Sprinkle the pecan topping over the sweet potato mash.

chopped pecans mixed with maple syrup, cinnamon and sea salt

STEP 6: Next, cover the casserole dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20-25 minutes before serving.

prepared paleo sweet potato casserole in a 9x9 baking dish

Variations and Modifications

Feel free to use the dairy-free milk of your choice. My preference is coconut or almond milk. You can also use nutpods dairy-free creamer for a thicker consistency. You can add a little flavor by using the vanilla flavored nutpods or even better, the toasted marshmallow flavor! Nutpods is paleo and Whole30 compliant so this is a great modification if you are trying to add marshmallow flavor while keeping this sweet potato casserole paleo. I do have an affiliate code with nutpods! "BEAUTYANDTHEBENCHPRESS" will save you 15% off your order!
If you are sensitive to ghee and need a strict dairy-free substitution, softened coconut oil works great in this recipe.
If pecans are not your thing, chopped walnuts work great as well.

large spoon digging into prepared sweet potato casserole

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this sweet potato casserole ahead of time?

Yes! The beauty of this healthy paleo sweet potato casserole is that you can assemble the ingredients ahead of time. Simply make the sweet potato mash and place it in the baking dish before covering and refrigerating. You can prepare the pecan topping right before popping it in the oven. This would work great the night before Thanksgiving to ensure it's ready to go for your holiday meal.

Is this sweet potato casserole recipe Whole30 compliant?

No. This recipe includes maple syrup which is not Whole30 compliant. This recipe is paleo friendly, gluten-free and dairy-free (when using coconut oil in place of ghee)

Other Paleo Recipes You'll Love

Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole

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Author: Jen Lopez
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 8 1x
Category: Side Dish
Method: Oven
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This paleo sweet potato casserole is a healthy, gluten-free and dairy-free holiday side dish that will be a hit at your Thanksgiving table!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Sweet Potato Mash

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 medium sweet potatoes)
⅓ cup almond milk (or marshmallow nutpods creamer. See variation section for details)
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Pecan Topping

1 and a half cups chopped pecans
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
½ teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Place cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to cover by at least 2-3 inches.
Boil until the sweet potatoes are fork tender. Drain and let cool at least 10 minutes.
Transfer the sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add almond milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, seat salt, vanilla extract and eggs and mash until smooth. Add the sweet potato mash to a 9x9 baking dish and smooth the surface with a spatula.
Combine chopped pecans, maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Stir until the pecans are well coated and ingredients are evenly distributed.
Sprinkle pecans over the sweet potato mash
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 20-25 more minutes
Serve!

Notes

This paleo sweet potato casserole can be prepared the day before. Make the sweet potato mash, cover and refrigerate and then prepare your pecan topping the next day before placing in the oven
If sweet potato mixture is too thick, add more almond milk to reach desired consistency
You can use ghee in place of coconut oil if you tolerate lactose.