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This classic vegan sweet potato casserole is silky smooth with golden brown toasted marshmallows and crunchy candied pecans on top. It’s completely dairy-free and can be made ahead of time for holiday dinners like Thanksgiving.
Why You’ll Love this Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
This casserole is probably one of my all-time favorite Thanksgiving sides. Your traditional sweet potato casserole often has butter and milk in it. Today, I’ll show you how to make the best Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole topped with candied pecans and toasted marshmallows.
Here are a few reasons we love this recipe and you will too!
- Silky Smooth, Creamy Texture: This casserole has a divine texture without any dairy!
- Simple Crunchy Toppings: Use pecans (or other nuts) plus vegan marshmallows fo a winner casserole that will rival traditional versions.
- Easy Recipe: Only 8 ingredients are needed to make this!
- Perfect Side Dish for You Holiday Table: This casserole is sweet and easy and pairs wonderfully with other holiday main courses or side dishes.
The Ingredients
This vegan sweet potato casserole recipe only uses a few common ingredients. They are:
- Sweet Potatoes: These are the main ingredient for the sweet potato filling. Pick large sweet potatoes that are free from holes or sprouts.
- Vegan Butter: I use Earth Balance or Country Crock Plant Butter in this recipe.
- Oat Milk: This helps create a creamy texture.
- Brown Sugar: To help sweeten the casserole and for the candied pecan topping. If your sweet potatoes are very sweet, you can omit this.
- Ground Cinnamon: A little bit adds lots of fall flavor and warmth to the dish.
- Vanilla Extract: This helps to flavor everything.
- Pecans: For the crunchy pecan crumble topping.
- Vegan Marshmallows: Also for the topping, these are optional!
Substitutions
- Dairy free milk: If you don’t have oat milk you can use full-fat coconut milk, soy milk, cashew milk or almond milk in its place.
- Vegan Butter: Melted coconut oil or coconut cream can be used in place of vegan butter.
- Brown Sugar: This can be substituted with pure maple syrup or coconut sugar.
- Cinnamon: This can be substituted with other warm spices like a pumpkin pie spice blend or an apple pie spice blend.
Vegan Marshmallows
The vegan marshmallows I’m using in this recipe are from Trader Joe’s. You could also order Dandies Marshmallows online if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you.
Since I couldn’t find mini marshmallows, I chose to cut the full-sized vegan marshmallows into quarters. This helps the marshmallow layer from being too thick on the top.
Helpful Equipment
- Casserole Dish
- Food Processor or Potato Masher
- Large Bowl (if not using a food processor)
Step By Step Instructions
Pre-Baking Sweet Potatoes
To get a super silky smooth and sweet casserole filling, I recommend baking the sweet potatoes instead of preparing them a different way. Baking helps soften the sweet potatoes while caramelizing the insides, bringing out the natural sweetness. Here’s how to do it:
STEP 1: You can prep your sweet potatoes by first washing them and poking the exteriors with a fork. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven.
STEP 2: Bake them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour. This results in perfectly soft and caramelized potatoes. After they’re done baking, you can let them cool slightly at room temperature and remove the skins.
Make the Sweet Potato Filling
STEP 3: Prep a casserole dish by greasing it.
STEP 4: In a food processor add the baked sweet potatoes, melted vegan butter, oat milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Blend until the mixture is smooth and combined.
📌 TIP: If you don’t have a food processor, you can mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher or an immersion blender. Then mix the other ingredients into the mashed sweet potatoes until well combined. (You can do this by hand or use a hand mixer).
STEP 5: Transfer the blended sweet potato mixture to the greased baking dish, smoothing out the top with a spatula. Make sure the mashed potatoes are in an even layer.
Making the Toppings
To top this casserole, I’m using both candied pecans and vegan marshmallows. Both of these are traditional casserole toppings, but why pick one when we can use both?!
STEP 6: The crunchy pecan topping is super simple to make. Before putting them on the casserole, you can mix chopped pecans with melted vegan butter, brown sugar, and a little cinnamon. When the casserole bakes, the heat will caramelize and candy the exterior of the pecans.
📌 TIP: To prevent your knife from sticking to the marshmallows, you can run it underwater or dip it in water between cuts.
STEP 7: You can then top off your casserole with whatever pattern you’d like! I chose to top mine with 2/3rds candied pecans and 1/3 marshmallows.
STEP 8: Bake for 35 minutes at 375 degrees F. Increase the temperature to 425 and bake for another 3-5 minutes to brown the vegan marshmallows.
📌 TIP: Be sure to keep an eye on the casserole for the last 5 minutes because the marshmallows may brown very quickly!
Serving
After baking in the oven, the marshmallows get super toasty and a little crunchy. And the pecans are perfectly candied! This classic vegan sweet potato casserole is a definite crowd-pleaser.
It has just the right amount of sweetness and the perfect combination of textures. This recipe should make about 8 good-sized servings or about 10 smaller side portions.
Serve this casserole alongside other classic Thanksgiving side dishes like:
- Maple Balsamic Brussel Sprouts
- Glazed Rainbow Carrots
- Vegan Cornbread
- Vegan Brioche Rolls
- Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup
- Or even this Stuffed Acorn Squash!
Storage
This casserole is great because it can be made ahead of time or the day before you’d like to serve it. Just prep the filling and spread it into your casserole dish.
Cover the casserole and store in the fridge for 1-2 days, wait to put any topping on the sweet potato mash until you’re ready to bake it. After you bake it, it will say fresh in the fridge (stored in an airtight container) for up to 5 days.
And there you have it…the best vegan sweet potato casserole with candied pecans and marshmallows on top. Perfect for the holidays, Thanksgiving Day, or Christmas.
looking for some more vegan Thanksgiving sides? check out these recipes!
- Sweet & Savory Maple Balsamic Brussel Sprouts
- Maple Tahini Glazed Rainbow Carrots
- Pumpkin Biscuits
- Vegan and Vegetarian Stuffing
- Vegan Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash
Did you make This easy vegan sweet potato casserole Recipe?
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Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole with Candied Pecans
The best classic vegan & gluten-free sweet potato casserole with candied pecans and marshmallows on top. Perfect for the holidays, Thanksgiving, or Christmas.
Ingredients
Casserole
- 5-6 large sweet potatoes (about 7 cups)
- 3 tbsp melted vegan butter
- ¾ cup oat milk
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Candied Pecans
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp melted vegan butter
- 2 cups pecans, roughly chopped
Marshmallows
- Vegan Marshmallows, I use Trader Joe’s brand or Dandies (If gluten-free, make sure the brand you use is completely gluten free)
Instructions
Bake the Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Wash the sweet potatoes and poke holes in the exterior a few times with a fork.
- Place the potatoes on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour until tender. Let them cool for 5-10 minutes at room temperature, then remove the skin.
Make the Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease a 9x13” baking dish or casserole dish.
- In a food processor add the baked sweet potatoes, melted vegan butter, oat milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Blend until the mixture is smooth and combined.
- Add a pinch of salt to taste. Sweetness will vary based on your produce, so add any additional sugar as needed.
- Transfer the blended sweet potato mixture to the greased baking dish, smoothing out the top with a spatula.
Make the Candied Pecans & Prep the Marshmallows
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the melted vegan butter and the roughly chopped pecans. Stir the vegan butter and the pecans together until the pecans are evenly coated.
- Add the brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix the ingredients together until sugar and cinnamon coat all of the pecans.
- If using full-sized vegan marshmallows, cut them into quarters. To prevent your knife from sticking to the marshmallows, run it under water or dip it in water between cuts.
Assembly & Baking
- Place the coated pecans and marshmallows onto the sweet potato mixture. I placed mine on the left and the right, leaving room for marshmallows in the center, but feel free to do any pattern on top that you’d like!
- Bake for 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Increase the temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for another 3-5 minutes to brown the vegan marshmallows. *Be sure to keep an eye on the casserole for the last 5 minutes because the marshmallows may brown very quickly!*
Notes
Substitutions
- Dairy free milk: If you don't have oat milk you can use full-fat coconut milk, soy milk, cashew milk or almond milk in its place.
- Vegan Butter: Melted coconut oil or coconut cream can be used in place of vegan butter.
- Brown Sugar: This can be substituted with pure maple syrup or coconut sugar.
- Cinnamon: This can be substituted with other warm spices like a pumpkin pie spice blend or an apple pie spice blend.
Tips:
- If you don't have a food processor, you can mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher or an immersion blender.
- Then mix the other ingredients into the mashed sweet potatoes until well combined. (You can do this by hand or use a hand mixer).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 475Total Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 106mgCarbohydrates: 146gFiber: 7gProtein: 5g
Nutritional info is an estimate
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Categories:
10 Ingredients or Less, Comfort Food, Fall, Recipes, Seasonal, Sides & Snacks, Southern, Thanksgiving, Vegan & Gluten-free,
