Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole
This Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole features a smooth creamy filling and crispy pecan topping! It has all the warm spices and cozy flavors of fall and Thanksgiving. This classic dish is great for any time of the year!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The sweet potato filling so smooth and creamy.
- In contrast, the pecan topping so crispy, crunchy and delicious.
- This Paleo sweet potato casserole is easy, quick, and simple to make.
- It is great for Thanksgiving but tasty year round.
- This recipe is naturally sweetened with coconut sugar.
- Check out this Gluten Free Sweet Potato Casserole!
- This healthy sweet potato casserole is made without marshmallows and without brown sugar.
- It is Paleo, grain free, gluten free, and can be made dairy free.
What is Sweet Potato Casserole?
Sweet potato casserole is traditionally a Southern dish that is made with sweet potatoes, nuts and marshmallows. A creamy sweet potato filling is topped with either pecans or marshmallows or both.
Then, this classic Thanksgiving dish is baked to bubbly golden perfection.
This Paleo version is made with all the same flavors, but no gluten or dairy. It is great as a side dish or dessert!
Ingredients & Substitutions
The mashed sweet potatoes are the heart of the filling. See section below for how to roast sweet potatoes.
Grass fed butter is used in both the filling and topping. Feel free to substitute ghee or coconut oil in its place.
The full fat coconut milk adds so much creaminess to the filling! Buy this in the Asian aisle in grocery stores. Shake can or stir before measuring and using.
A little bit of coconut sugar is used in both the filling and topping. It is similar to brown sugar. Substitute brown sugar if needed.
The egg helps bind together the sweet potato layer.
Maple syrup adds both sweetness and stickiness to the topping. It helps keep the topping together!
Use pecan halves or crushed up pecans for topping.
Cinnamon and nutmeg provide the warm spices.
How to Prepare Sweet Potatoes
The most flavorful way to prepare the sweet potatoes is to roast them.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Wrap each sweet potato in tin foil and pierce several times with a fork.
Place on baking sheet.
Bake for at least 60 minutes or until fork tender.
Then, scoop out sweet potato flesh and discard skins.
Alternatively, sweet potatoes can be boiled or microwaved. Roasting is superior though because it gets the potatoes caramelized.
How to Make
Step 1
First, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with coconut oil spray.
Step 2
Make pecan topping. Combine all topping ingredients with a fork or hands in a mixing bowl. Mixture will be crumbly. Set in fridge.
Step 3
Then, make filling. Combine all filling ingredients in mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
Step 4
Pour filling mixture into greased pan. Spread into one even layer.
Step 5
Remove topping from fridge. Then, sprinkle topping down over filling.
Step 6
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until filling is bubbly around the edges and topping is golden.
Step 7
Finally, remove from oven and serve!
Expert Tips & Tricks
Roast sweet potatoes (as opposed to boiling or microwaving) for the most flavor.
The pecan topping will be crumbly. Mix together with hands or fork.
Bake until sweet potato layer is bubbling around the edges and topping is lightly golden. If topping begins to burn, place tin foil over top and continue baking until filling is cooked through.
Paleo Thanksgiving Recipes
Paleo sweet potato casserole is just one part of the meal!
In addition to the turkey, I serve this roasted cauliflower and asparagus and air fryer carrots.
It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without Whole30 Gravy and Whole30 Scalloped Potatoes!
For another delicious dessert, check out these Paleo Pecan Pie Bars.
Check out these Thanksgiving Recipes for more great ideas!
How to Serve & Store
Serve warm from the oven! This casserole is great when served warm.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat, microwave in a bowl or place pan back in oven. Heat at 300 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! Use coconut oil in place of the butter.
I don’t recommend omitting the egg. It really helps keep the filling together.
Sure! Either prepare and then bake just before eating. Or, bake and then store in fridge. Then reheat and eat!
The best way to cook the sweet potatoes is roasting them.
Sure! Thaw before reheating and eating.
You May Also Like
If you make this recipe, I would love to see it! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I would love for you to follow along! For more healthy dessert ideas, check out my Dessert recipes page.
Get the Recipe: Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Filling
- 2 cups mashed sweet potato
- ¼ cup grass fed butter, or ghee or coconut oil
- 3 tbsp full fat coconut milk
- 3 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp nutmeg
Pecan Topping
- 1 cup pecan halves
- ⅓ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- ¼ cup grass fed butter, or ghee or coconut oil
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- pinch sea salt
Instructions
- First, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 inch by 5 inch casserole dish with coconut oil spray. This can be made in an 8 inch by 8 inch pan as well.
- Make pecan topping by combining all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Use fork or fingers to combine, until mixture is crumbly. Store in fridge.
- To make the filling, combine all filling ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- Spread sweet potato layer on bottom of greased dish.
- Remove topping from fridge. Sprinkle pecan topping on top of sweet potato layer.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Finally, remove from the oven and enjoy!
Notes
- See blog post above for ways to cook sweet potato before mashing.
- Use canned coconut milk. I love the brand Thai. It comes in the Asian aisle at most grocery stores. Shake can or stir before using.
- Use a 9 inch by 5 inch pan or an 8 inch by 8 inch pan.
- The pecan topping will be crumbly. Use a fork or your hands to make pecan topping.
- Bake until sweet potato layer is bubbly around the edges and the topping is golden but not burnt.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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One Comment on “Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole”
My family loved this and had no idea it was Paleo! Thank you!