Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Oat Streusel Recipe
This Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Oat Streusel is a nutritious and delicious twist on a classic dish, featuring perfectly roasted sweet potatoes blended with warm spices and pure maple syrup. Topped with a crunchy pecan oat streusel, this casserole strikes the perfect balance between sweet and savory, making it an ideal side dish for holiday meals or comforting dinners.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
For the potatoes:
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large or 5 medium sweet potatoes)
- 2 ½ tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ cup (120g) unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg (or can leave out if vegan)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch of allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the topping:
- ¼ cup (28g) whole wheat pastry flour or regular flour (if GF, use gluten free oat flour)
- ⅓ cup (32g) rolled oats (gluten free if desired)
- ⅓ cup (71g) packed brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- ½ cup (56g) coarsely chopped pecans
- 3 tablespoons melted butter (or sub vegan butter or coconut oil)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F to prepare for roasting the sweet potatoes.
- Roast the sweet potatoes: Wash the sweet potatoes and pierce each one 4-5 times with a fork to allow steam to escape. Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until they are very fork tender. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before handling. Then reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare the baking dish: Lightly spray an 8×8 inch pan, 9 inch pie pan, or a 1 ½ to 2 quart oven-safe baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
- Make the sweet potato mixture: Carefully cut open the sweet potatoes and scoop out the flesh, discarding the skins. Place the flesh in a large bowl and add maple syrup, almond milk, vanilla extract, egg, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Use an electric mixer to beat the mixture until smooth and creamy, adding a splash more almond milk if needed. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top evenly.
- Prepare the topping: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, and pecans. Stir in the melted butter using a fork until the mixture forms a crumbly streusel topping. Evenly sprinkle this topping over the sweet potato mixture in the baking dish.
- Bake the casserole: Bake in the preheated 350 degrees F oven for 25-30 minutes or until the streusel topping is lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- You can make this dish vegan by omitting the egg and substituting vegan butter or coconut oil for the butter in the topping.
- Use gluten-free oat flour and oats if you need a gluten-free version.
- Adjust the sweetness by modifying the amount of maple syrup and brown sugar to your preference.
- This casserole is great for holiday meals but can also be enjoyed as a nutrient-packed side any time of year.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently in the oven or microwave.
Keywords: sweet potato casserole, pecan streusel, healthy sweet potato recipe, gluten free side dish, holiday casserole, vegan optional sweet potato dish
