This is a side dish you’re going to want on the holiday dinner table. Or maybe, on your regular fall dinner table. Because who can wait for the holidays? It is sweet potato season after all, which means in this house we’re cooking them a couple times a week. Give me all the sweet potatoes, please. They are the edible equivalent to a big warm hug.
Now that it’s officially November (plus chilly and dark at 6pm…tear…sob), I figure some of us are thinking about happier things…like the holidays and all the delightful holiday food. I know I am. It’s my favourite time of the year to cook and bake. For some reason, I always have oodles and oodles of recipe ideas floating through my mind this time of the year and can’t keep up with testing them all out. You should see my “to make” list…it’s massive!
In preparation for the holidays, I decided to do something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time; I revamped my old sweet potato casserole recipe from 2009. It’s a good recipe, but with 5 years of recipe development under my belt I knew I could improve upon it. This version got lightened up and given a crazy good pecan oat maple crumble topping. It totally blew us away and the previous recipe is all but history in my mind.
Just look at this crunchy crumble…
Here are a few things I changed up:
1) cut sweetener by over half (you won’t even notice)
2) added some heart-healthy virgin coconut oil
3) added a new and improved crunchy topping – gives it a great texture contrast!
4) made this one gluten-free as the old one wasn’t
5) amped up the maple + cinnamon flavours
6) new photos…because 2009 wasn’t my best year for photography…hehe
I recommend serving each portion with a pat of vegan butter or coconut oil on top to really take it over the edge. The butter/oil melts and cascades all over the casserole. Bliss!!
I love you, sweet potatoes.
PS- If you haven’t tried it already, check out my Sweet Potato Oatmeal Breakfast Casserole. Dessert for breakfast!
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Sweet Potato Crumble Casserole
Yield
12 large side servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This is a side dish you're going to want on the holiday dinner table! The crunchy nut crumble tastes just like an oatmeal cookie. I recommend serving this casserole with a pat of vegan butter or coconut oil to really take it over the top. Also try serving it with Coconut Whipped Cream for a decadent twist. In this recipe, I swapped out half the vegan butter for virgin coconut oil to add some heart-healthy fats while still retaining that lovely butter flavour.
Ingredients
For the sweet potato mash:
- 4 1/2 to 5 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 to 5 large)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 mL) vegan butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 mL) virgin coconut oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons (37 mL) pure maple syrup, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon fine grain salt, or to taste
For the Crunchy Nut Crumble:
- 1 cup rolled oats (use certified gluten-free if necessary)
- 1 1/3 cups pecan halves, chopped
- 1/3 cup almond meal or almond flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) virgin coconut oil, melted
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) vegan butter, melted
- 2 1/2 tablespoons (37 mL) pure maple syrup
Directions
- Peel and roughly chop sweet potatoes into large chunks. Place into a large pot and cover with water. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high, and gently boil for 10 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 2 1/2-quart (10-cup) casserole dish and set aside.
- Prepare the crumble topping: Pulse the oats in a food processor until coarsely chopped. In a medium bowl, stir together the chopped pecans, oats, almond meal/flour, cinnamon, and salt. Pour on melted coconut oil, melted butter, and maple syrup. Stir until combined.
- Once cooked and drained, place sweet potatoes into a large bowl.
- Mash potatoes with the butter and coconut oil until smooth. Now, stir in the maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Adjust to taste if desired. Spoon into casserole dish and smooth out.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping all over the sweet potato mixture, evenly.
- Bake, uncovered, at 375°F (190°C) for 16 to 23 minutes, until the dish is hot throughout. Plate and serve immediately with a pat of vegan butter or coconut oil.
Tip:
- For a creamy twist, try subbing some of the butter/oil in the sweet potato mash for full-fat canned coconut cream.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
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WOW! It looks so yummy! I will definitely try this one for thanksgiving! BTW – I found a great vegan wine at Whole Foods Market, it is called “Deccolio Prosecco” and it will be great aperitif to the holiday dinner.
Voted for you on Goodreads! I am utterly obsessed with your cookbook. :) Can’t wait to try making this sweet potato casserole. Just looking at that pecan crumble is making me swoon.
That is really beautiful. I think I’d like to eat it for dessert.. and breakfast. I never was a fan of the marshmallow topping sweet potatoes, but this I could get behind :)
I am totally making this for Thanksgiving!! Can’t wait :D I know that it is going to be amazzzzing!
I just tried this recipe out tonight and WOW! It is amazing, and it wouldn’t feel out of place at the dessert table. A clear winner and I can’t wait to make it again for Thanksgiving-but since sweet potatoes are already sweet, I might leave out the maple syrup in the mashed potato part next time. Going to eat leftovers for breakfast tomorrow!
(Also, no idea how you’re managing to continue posting (awesome recipes) with a newborn! You’re amazing!)
Okay, yum! I love sweet potato. Can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving!!!
I WILL be bringing this to Thanksgiving this year. It looks amazing. The crumble looks like it would be great on some apple crumb pie, too! I will be altering my apple crumb topping. Thanks for posting!
Sweet potatoes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack, I love them so much! This takes them to another dimension, I can’t wait to try this recipe! Thank you Angela!
Sweet potatoes are my favourite and this is such a fab looking recipe, thank you for sharing it!
What can I use in place of coconut oil? I have a sensitivity to it and notice you use it in nearly every recipe. Thanks!
Could this be made ahead of time?
I cant see why not! I haven’t tried it but I think it should work.
We love this recipe! My husband was given a copy of your new cookbook for his birthday a few weeks ago. We are loving it! The recipes are excellent. The photos are a joy. The book is wonderful. Great job!
Thank you Donna! I’m so happy you are enjoying the recipes.
wow this looks so delicious!!
I tried this with Butternut Squash! It was absolutely amazingly delish!
Thanks so very much
This will definitely be an addition to my Thanksgiving table! That makes FOUR of your recipes I’ll be featuring on my holiday table! :-) I’m also including (from your cookbook) your festive kale salad, your raw pumpkin tart and your recent chocolate cream pie/tart. Thank you so much. I’m grateful for your recipes. It such a pleasure to have delicious food that does not hurt my belly or animals. :-)
The crumble looks amazing….gotta try this!
This has to be one of the most comforting meals ever, both me and my husband (who by the way is a meat eater) could not get enough of it! Even though we live in the warm climate of Dubai, this dish had the perfect balance of a comforting feast we would usually eat snuggled up in the UK but light enough for us not to feel too stuffed and heavy. Thank you for the recipe, we will adding this to the mid week favourites list.
Mmmmm, we can’t do nuts so I always have to leave them out. But, just a tip for those that may have an allergy: we have found crushed cornflakes or crunchy puffed rice cereal makes a pretty good substitute. If you assemble ahead of time, the cornflakes will stay crunchy longer :)
Divine! I made a similar dish for Thanksgiving last year and it was a major hit. Looks downright scrumptious!
You know, I hadn’t ever considered having this together. Apples are a go-to with the nut crumble, but the sweet potato, that’s new to me! This is a great addition to any fall cookbook, and something I intend to wow the family with this year for the holidays.