This vegan sweet potato casserole has a crisp maple pecan topping. Seasoned with fall herbs like sage and rosemary, it's a delicious twist on the classic Thanksgiving side dish!
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This vegan sweet potato casserole has a delicious maple pecan topping that’s seasoned with savory herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme. It’s a wonderful addition to a Thanksgiving table. The cozy sweet potatoes and earthy sage pair perfectly with other classic side dishes like vegan stuffing and green beans almondine.
This vegan sweet potato casserole recipe is also great for the holidays because you can make it ahead. Prepare the filling and topping up to 2 days in advance, and store them separately in the fridge until the day of the big meal. Before serving, just assemble and bake!
Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this vegan sweet potato casserole recipe:
- Sweet potatoes, of course! You’ll need 5 large for a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Vegan butter or olive oil – It adds richness to the filling and helps the topping crisp up in the oven.
- Unsweetened almond milk – It helps the sweet potatoes blend into a smooth and creamy puree. I use almond milk because it’s what I keep on hand, but if there’s another non-dairy milk you prefer, feel free to use it instead. Oat milk or soy milk would work well here.
- Ground ginger – For warm depth of flavor.
- Pecans and walnuts – I pulse some into the crumble and leave a few whole for garnish.
- Old fashioned oats – For hearty texture. Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you need this recipe to be gluten-free.
- Fresh rosemary, sage, and dried thyme – For savory autumn flavor.
- Garlic – Along with the herbs, garlic gives this sweet potato casserole its delicious savory taste.
- Pure maple syrup – It adds a touch of sweetness to the nutty topping.
And of course, you’ll need sea salt and fresh black pepper to make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
This vegan sweet potato casserole recipe has 4 basic steps:
1. First, bake the sweet potatoes. Many sweet potato casserole recipes instruct you to boil the sweet potatoes, but I prefer to bake them. I love how the hot oven concentrates their naturally sweet flavor!
2. Meanwhile, make the topping. Pulse the nuts, oats, herbs, garlic, maple syrup, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor until just combined. The mixture should clump a bit, but it should still have lots of texture.
3. Then, blend up the filling. Instead of using a potato masher to mash the sweet potatoes, I use a food processor to get them super smooth.
Peel the cooked sweet potatoes, and place the soft orange flesh in a food processor.
Add the olive oil, almond milk, ginger, salt, and pepper and pulse until well combined.
4. Layer and bake! Spread the creamy sweet potatoes in a large baking dish.
Add the topping…
…and a few whole pecans and sage leaves for garnish.
Bake at 425°F until the topping is golden brown and crisp, and enjoy!
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Wondering if you can make this vegan sweet potato casserole ahead? The answer is yes!
- Up to two days in advance, bake the sweet potatoes and blend up the filling. Store it, covered, in the casserole dish or an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Make the pecan topping, and store it in a separate container in the fridge.
When you’re ready to serve, assemble the casserole and bake!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, warm them in the microwave or bake in a 325°F oven until heated through.
Freezing Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
You can also freeze this vegan sweet potato casserole.Â
If you’re freezing it before a holiday meal, I recommend ONLY preparing the sweet potato filling.
- Spread it in the baking dish and let it cool to room temperature.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Let thaw overnight in the fridge before adding the topping and baking according to the recipe.
If you freeze the fully assembled casserole, the topping will lose its crisp texture. This may not bother you in the case of leftovers, but for a holiday dinner, I recommend adding the topping once the casserole thaws for the best crunch.
More Vegan Holiday Side Dishes
If you love this vegan sweet potato casserole, try one of these vegan holiday side dishes next:
- Vegan Stuffing
- Mushroom Gravy
- Mashed Cauliflower
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Root Vegetables
- Or any of these 34 Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes!
Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 5 large sweet potatoes, 3 pounds
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or melted vegan butter, plus more for drizzling
- 1¼ cups unsweetened almond milk, plus more if necessary
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh sage leaves, for garnish
Crumble Topping
- â…” cup whole rolled oats
- ½ cup pecans, plus more for garnish
- ½ cup walnuts, plus more for garnish
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or melted vegan butter
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt*
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
- Use a fork to poke a few holes into the sweet potatoes. Place on the baking sheet and roast until very tender, about 60 minutes.
- Make the crumble topping: In a food processor, place the oats, pecans, walnuts, garlic, maple syrup, olive oil, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper and pulse until just combined. Remove and set aside.
- Scoop the cooked sweet potato flesh out of the skins and place in a food processor. Add the olive oil, milk, ginger, salt, and pepper and process to combine. Spread the mixture into the baking dish.
- Sprinkle with the crumble topping, additional nuts, and sage leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes, or until the topping is browned and crisp.
