Sweet Potato Casserole: Healthy, Easy & Delicious

One of the tastiest vegetables that sees its peak in autumn, the nutrition-rich sweet potato is packed with a variety of vitamins and potassium. Plus it ranks much lower on the glycemic scale than regular old potatoes, which makes this vegetable a great alternative to starchy carbs.

While many sweet potato recipes are often relegated to a side dish, the potatoes take center stage at the table in my sweet potato casserole recipe. (A side dish that fits nicely next to this casserole? Our roasted Brussels sprouts recipe.)

Gluten- and meat-free, this is a healthy, delicious alternative to the calorie-packed versions, made with all-natural ingredients — there are no canned potatoes here! It’s perfect to serve around the holiday season or anytime you’re feeding a crowd.

Healthy Ingredients

What makes this a healthy sweet potato casserole? How many calories are in a sweet potato casserole? One serving is only 204 calories, and it’s still super-healthy thanks to the main ingredients:

1. Sweet potatoes

Are yams and sweet potatoes the same thing? No, and they’re actually entirely different plants. And while they’re similar, they have different nutrition profiles as well.

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Which is healthier: potatoes or sweet potatoes? While they are similar in calories and carbs, sweet potatoes are slightly lower in both and have more fiber. As such, they can help with blood sugar balance, brain function, immune health, vision and weight management.

2. Pecans

Pecans supply a good amount of healthy fats, manganese, protein, fiber, copper, thiamine, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus. Thanks to these nutrients, pecans are great for supporting weight loss, heart health, brain function and more.

3. Coconut sugar

While you certainly don’t want to overdo it, coconut sugar makes for a healthier alternative to regular white sugar. That’s because it provides more vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, making it a better choice for diabetics and anyone else looking to better gut balance.

4. Grass-fed butter

Another source of healthy fats, grass-fed butter, in moderation, is a healthier choice than processed butter products. It provides vitamin A, medium-chain triglycerides, conjugated linoleic acid and arachidonic acid, which all can boost health.

5. Coconut milk

High in manganese, copper, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, selenium, potassium, zinc and folate, mineral-rich coconut milk can benefits the heart, muscle mass, energy, weight management, digestion, blood sugar and join health.

6. Eggs

An excellent protein source, cage-free eggs are good for the eyes, heart, brain and skin.

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

How to do you make sweet potato casserole from scratch? While it takes a few hours to prepare, the amount of hands-on time is so minimal you’ll almost feel guilty about how easy this gluten-free sweet potato casserole recipe is — almost.

Ready to get your sweet potato fill? Let’s get started.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit while you prick the sweet potatoes with a fork. This ensures the insides remain fluffy while baking and keeps the potatoes from exploding in the oven.

Place them in a baking dish and bake for 60–90 minutes, until they’re cooked through and tender. When the potatoes are done, lower the oven temperature to 350 F — we’ll be back soon.

After letting the sweet potatoes cool off, peel the skins then place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl.

Let out any aggression while you mash them up, then add in half of the coconut sugar and butter, along with the coconut milk, vanilla, eggs and salt. Mix everything together until all ingredients are blended together.

Spread the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Now it’s time to get our hands dirty with this easy sweet potato casserole.

In a small mixing bowl, mix the rest of the coconut sugar with the Paleo flour (see our Paleo flour recipe). Add the rest of the butter and combine the ingredients with your hands until it resembles a crumble.

Stir in the pecans. This is my favorite part of this dish.

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Spread the crumble over the sweet potatoes and bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy.

This healthy sweet potato casserole is one of my favorite dishes to bring to holiday potlucks, or to serve at your own dinner. It’s always a crowd favorite, and it really is so simple to make.

You can get the kids helping in the kitchen with this recipe, too. They’d be great at peeling the potatoes (once they’ve cooled) or preparing the crumble.

I hope this healthy sweet potato casserole becomes a holiday favorite in your home like it is in mine!

Similar Recipes

Looking for other healthy recipes in the casserole category? Try these:

• Sweet Potato Hash Brown Casserole Recipe
• Vegetarian Egg Casserole Recipe
• Green Bean Casserole
• 45 Best Casserole Recipes (Including the Healthiest Chicken Casseroles!)

Here are a couple more sweet potato recipes as well:

• Sweet Potato Hash Browns
• Sweet Potato Hash Recipe
• Whipped Sweet Potatoes Recipe
• Sweet Potato Latkes
• Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Gluten-free sweet potato casserole is good for you, delicious and easy to make. Here’s a great version of this holiday classic.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes (roughly 6 medium-sized)
• ¾ cup coconut sugar, divided
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided and softened
• ¼ cup coconut milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ tablespoon salt
• ⅓ cup Paleo flour
• ¾ cup chopped pecans

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400 F.
2. Prick the sweet potatoes using a fork and slice sweet potatoes lengthwise.
3. Place facedown on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 45 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F.
5. Peel the skin off the sweet potatoes, place the meat in a large mixing bowl, and mash it with a fork or potato masher. Add half the coconut sugar and butter, along with the coconut milk, eggs, vanilla and salt. Mix until well blended.
6. Spread mixture evenly into a baking dish or cast iron skillet.
7. In a small mixing bowl, mix the other half of the coconut sugar along with the flour. Add the other half of the butter and combine the ingredients with your hands until it resembles a crumble. Stir in the pecans.
8. Spread the crumble mixture over the sweet potatoes and bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes

• If coconut sugar is too much sugar for you, you can try other sugar alternatives, such as stevia or monk fruit.
• Opt for organic, grass-fed butter and cage-free, free-range eggs.

• Prep Time: 60 min
• Cook Time: 75 min
• Category: Main dish
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving (114g)
• Calories: 204
• Sugar: 16.2g
• Sodium: 376mg
• Fat: 2.8g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4.2g
• Trans Fat: 0.2g
• Carbohydrates: 31.2g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 3.1g
• Cholesterol: 38mg