This baked Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecans is the one! It’s sweet and savory, with a creamy sweet potato filling and delightful pecan oatmeal topping. I’ve been cooking it for more than a decade, and it’s everyone’s favorite!
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Why You’ll Love This Easy Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
- No Cloying Casseroles Here! As you can see from my Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Whiskey Pecans and Sweet Potato Souffle, I’m not opposed to a sweet potato casserole that’s sweet. Now, so sugary and covered with marshmallows that you get a toothache just looking at it? That’s where I draw the line! This sweet potato casserole recipe is juuuust sweet enough without overdoing it.
- A Thanksgiving Classic. Sorry, turkey. For many of us, it’s all about the sides on Thanksgiving. Every family has their faves and for mine, it’s the Butternut Squash Casserole, Cornbread Stuffing, and my sweet potato casserole recipe.
- That Little Je Ne Sais Quoi. My two tricks to setting this sweet potato casserole recipe apart from others you’ve tried are vanilla beans and a crunchy pecan oatmeal topping. The vanilla flavor is subtle but surprising and the savory crunch of the oats and pecans is an ideal counterpoint to the velvety sweet potatoes.
- Vegan and Gluten-Free. But no one will suspect. Struggling to find some side dishes that everyone at the table can eat? In addition to being gluten-free, this sweet potato casserole is vegan. (Does this resonate? Check out my full list of Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes.)
5 Star Review
“Had a family cookout today, and my youngest daughter made this. It was amazing! I’ll be having some for breakfast!”
— Carla —
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecans
The Ingredients
For the Sweet Potato Casserole Filling:
- Sweet Potatoes. This, friends, is important! While purple and white sweet potatoes are fabulous, they have a higher starch content than their red and orange cousins. You might be tempted to give this sweet potato casserole recipe a gourmet upgrade with a unique sweet potato variety, but stick with the tried-and-true for that classic creamy, velvety texture.
- Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk. Or another plant-based milk.
- Vanilla Beans. Or use vanilla bean paste. Basically, we want those glorious little flecks of vanilla in our casserole, which is a visual cue that says: this is going to be delicious. Will vanilla extract work? Absolutely (just no flecks).
- Virgin Coconut Oil. This has a light coconut flavor that you’ll appreciate in this recipe.
- Seasonings. Ground cinnamon, kosher salt, grated nutmeg, and white pepper.
For the Pecan Oat Topping:
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats. Not steel-cut or quick oats, which don’t have the right texture for the topping.
- Pecans. You’ll be chopping them anyway, so buy pecan pieces, which are cheaper than whole pecans.
- Almond Meal. Not to be confused with almond flour! Almond meal is coarser and the skin is still on the almonds when they’re ground. (You can swap almond flour if that’s what you have.)
- Ground Cinnamon. Key for cozy fall flavor.
- Coconut Oil. For more subtle coconutty-ness. Feel free to swap butter.
- Pure Maple Syrup. The kiss of fall! Honey works too. Need more sweet potato sweetness? Check out my Candied Sweet Potatoes.
The Directions
- Prepare. Preheat your oven and grease a casserole dish.
- Bake the Sweet Potatoes. Until they are nice and soft.
- Peel and Prep. Scoop the sweet potato flesh into a big bowl.
- Make the Vanilla Milk Mixture. Warm the almond milk and vanilla beans in a small saucepan, simmering for 5 minutes to infuse the milk with flavor.
- Combine All the Ingredients. We’re making the mashed sweet potato base.
- Mash. Beat with a paddle attachment or mash by hand until the mixture is smooth, then season to taste.
- Make the Topping. Stir together all of the ingredients in a separate bowl and sprinkle over the potatoes.
- Bake. Place the dish in the oven and bake sweet potato casserole until the topping is toasted and the casserole is warmed through. ENJOY!
Meal Prep Tip
This sweet potato casserole recipe can be prepared up through Step 5 one day in advance. Store it in the refrigerator with plastic wrap over the top of the dish and let it come to room temperature before baking.
Recipe Variations
- Make It With Butternut Squash. Yes, you can! Butternut, honeynut, or another sweet winter squash variety would work well in this recipe.
- Use Dairy. You can use cow’s milk instead of the almond milk and butter instead of the coconut oil. Because vanilla dairy milk isn’t a thing, you may want to add an extra splash of vanilla extract to make up for it.
- Change Up the Topping. If you have a go-to topping you like, feel free to use that instead. You might even want to try the topping from my Pineapple Casserole for a change of pace. (Unlike vanilla dairy milk, pineapple casserole is a thing that exists.)
What to Serve with Sweet Potato Casserole
- Special Occasion Main Dishes. Turkey is the obvious choice on Thanksgiving, but Smoked Pork Tenderloin or Air Fryer Whole Chicken are excellent too.
- Traditional Thanksgiving Sides. We’re talking Crockpot Mashed Potatoes, Healthy Green Bean Casserole, and Turkey Gravy.
- Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Sides. Change up your Thanksgiving dinner with Broccoli Rice Casserole or Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use the Vanilla Beans. Or the vanilla bean paste! You’ll get a much richer flavor. If it’s absolutely not an option, 2 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract will do in a pinch.
- Make Almond Meal if You Can’t Find It. Almost every grocery store sells it these days, but it’s easy to make! Pulse whole, raw almonds in the food processor just until they form fine crumbs.
- Grate Your Own Nutmeg. It’s an amazing flavor upgrade to grate your own nutmeg. I use this zester to do it.
- Roast the Sweet Potatoes. Some sweet potato casserole recipes will have you zap the potatoes in the microwave or boil them. Don’t do it, I beg you! Baking sweet potatoes in the oven caramelizes the sugars, concentrates their flavor, and gives them a smooth, creamy texture. It’s so worth it.
- Buy Sweet Potatoes That Are Roughly the Same Size and Shape. A one-pound sweet potato that’s short and squat will take a lot longer to cook than a one-pound potato that’s long and thin. To make sure your potatoes are done at the same time, they should be the same size, shape, and thickness throughout.
- Don’t Rush It. Keep in mind that even after an hour, a hefty sweet potato may not be done cooking. A knife should slip in easily, the skin should start feeling loose as the flesh inside collapses, and caramelized juices should be seeping from the holes you’ve poked.
Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecans
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings (1 9×13-inch casserole)
My family's favorite sweet potato casserole with pecans! Creamy and decadent, it's the perfect balance of sweet and savory.
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Ingredients
For the Sweet Potatoes:
- 4 ½ pounds sweet potatoes scrubbed (about 4–5 very large sweet potatoes)
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 2 vanilla beans or 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste*
- 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil melted
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (it’s an amazing flavor upgrade to grate your own nutmeg. I use this zester to do it.)
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
For the Pecan Oat Topping:
- 1 ⅓ cups old-fashioned rolled oats gluten free if necessary
- 1 cup roughly chopped pecans untoasted
- ½ cup almond meal**
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish or other and set aside.
- Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, then place them on a baking sheet lined with foil or a silpat mat. Bake until the potatoes are fork tender, about 1 hour or so, depending upon the size of your potatoes. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Peel and discard the skins (they should come off easily with your fingers), break the potatoes in large chunks with a fork, then place the chunks into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl.
- While the potatoes bake, pour the almond milk in a small saucepan. Split the vanilla beans, scrape the seeds into the pan, then add the empty pods to the pan too. Bring to a very gentle simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not let the almond milk boil. Remove from heat and let the vanilla steep while the potatoes continue baking.
- Remove the vanilla bean pods from the saucepan, then pour the almond milk and vanilla bean specs into the bowl with the sweet potato chunks. Add the melted coconut oil, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and white pepper.
- Mash the potatoes together with the milk and spices (or beat gently with a mixer or your paddle attachment or run though a food mill) until fairly smooth with some texture remaining. Taste and add additional salt/pepper as desired. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. With the back of a rubber spatula, press and smooth into a single layer.
- In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients—oats, pecans, almond meal, cinnamon, salt, coconut oil, and maple syrup—until moist and evenly mixed. Sprinkle over the sweet potatoes.
- Bake until the topping is toasted and fragrant and casserole is warmed through, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- *You can substitute 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract for the vanilla beans, but the flavor will not be as rich and you lose the pretty specks.
- **To make your own almond meal, pulse whole, raw almonds in the food processor until they form fine crumbs. Do not over process, or you will have almond butter instead.
- MAKE IT AHEAD: Casserole can be prepared up through Step 5 one day in advance. Store refrigerated with plastic wrap over the top of the dish. Let come to room temperature prior to baking.
- TO STORE. Let the sweet potato casserole come to room temperature, then place it in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- TO REHEAT. Heat up leftovers in a 350 degree oven F until warmed through, or warm in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE. To freeze sweet potato casserole, wrap it in the casserole dish with plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil, or freeze leftovers in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before reheating according to the instructions above.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 10)Calories: 422kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 7gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gPotassium: 778mgFiber: 9gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 28965IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 121mgIron: 2mg
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I can’t wait to make this for my family’s Thanksgiving dinner! Trader Joe’s sells a 2-lb bag of pre-cut sweet potatoes….could I use 2 bags of those instead of roasting whole potatoes for an hour? Would I need to microwave or boil them a bit to soften?
Hi Liz! Before you can use the sweet potatoes for the filling, you need to cook them to make them soft enough to mash for the filling. You could use about 4.5 pounds of the precut, but you would still need to cook them. You could do this by drizzling them with olive oil or melted coconut oil and roasting to soften them (you could also boil them, but that would have less flavor). Honestly, since the part of the recipe where you bake the potatoes to soften them is totally hands off (and doesn’t require using olive oil), I don’t think you’d be saving much time using the precut. Does that make sense? It is an option though if that’s what you want to do. Hope you love the recipe!
Do you have any idea how long they’ll need to bake if I do the make ahead option?
Hi Marci! I’m afraid I do not have an exact number, but it shouldn’t be too much longer. I’d try baking it for 5 to 10 extra minutes, then check it frequently after.
I just made this today. It looks and smells fantastic!
Ellen, I am so excited to hear this! Enjoy every bite, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Made these for Thanksgiving today! They were amazing. I messed up and made large cubes out of the potatoes and it made mashing them pretty tough because of the skin that forms on them. Would recommend keeping them while. Also I used equal vanilla extract and thought it was great.
As for the topping, I will hold most of the salt, but I think that’s because we’ve been consciously limiting it and this tasted almost like a salted caramel-ish granola topping. This recipe is going in the “keep” file for sure!
Sheesh, I should proofread better!! I meant “recommend keeping them “WHOLE” (not while) and baking them, not using precut cubes. Also, the tipping was still great as is!!! I ate it just fine. Haha. Forgot to add I didn’t have coconut oil on hand so I searched online and found I could sub with avocado oil, which I had. Would have used a mild olive oil otherwise.
Kim, I’m so so happy to hear this! Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe! It was my favorite dish of the day. I’ll be making this year round!
Marci, I am so overjoyed to hear this! I can’t say enough how much it means that my recipe was a part of your Thanksgiving meal. I hope you love the leftovers, and continue to enjoy the recipe long into the future!
I had another sweet potato casserole in mind when you posted this, but this sounded exactly like what I wanted in the way of flavor. It turned out sooooo good! This recipe is a definite keeper.
Susan, this brings me so much joy! I’m so happy that you liked it. Thanks for letting me know, as always!
Hope you are enjoying a terrific Thanksgiving weekend. My family definitely enjoyed this delicious dish at our dinner table yesterday.
Amy, I am so, so happy to hear it, and I’m honored that my recipe was a part of your Thanksgiving. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend too!
Had a family cookout today, and my youngest daughter made this. It was amazing! I’ll be having some for breakfast! This is Not just for Thanksgiving.
Carla, I am sooooo happy to hear that you all enjoyed this recipe so much. I love sweet potatoes year-round too. Thanks so much for sharing this kind review!
This recipe is exactly what i was looking for! Thank you.
I hope you love it Melissa!
I make this for breakfast!
I only change the recipe slightly. I make a smaller portion and do about half sweet potato filling and half topping. My husband is allergic to almond so we use cashew or regular milk. I add Brown sugar (and sometimes a small bit of butter) to the topping. I leave out the nutmeg so my birds can eat it (toxic to cockatiels), and today I added an egg to the filling for extra protein and fluff! No sugar in the filling, but if we need it sweeter we add honey after (and it’s pretty!).
Delicious recipe!!
Eowyn, what a wonderful way to start your day! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and taking time to leave your review. It really means a lot, and I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe so much.
I just made this tonight for dinner and it was amazing! I paired it with pumpkin soup and toasted green beans, it went so well together! The only thing I changed was adding some brown sugar, but it doesn’t need it at all, I just wanted extra sweetness (; ! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
YAY! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this casserole. It’s one of my favorites too. Thanks for trying the recipe and leaving this kind review!
Can this be adapted to a crockpot? I lack oven space on Thanksgiving!
Hi Kelley! I actually would not recommend making this recipe in a crock pot. It’s really designed for the oven, and I worry that the topping wouldn’t crisp up properly. You might take a look at this Crock Pot Stuffing (https://www.wellplated.com/crock-pot-stuffing/) and these Slow Cooker Brussels Sprouts (https://www.wellplated.com/slow-cooker-brussels-sprouts/) if you’re interested in a few other recipes that won’t need any oven space!
This looks so yummy! I’m going to make this for Thanksgiving Dinner. Do you think coconut milk would work instead of the vanilla almond milk?
Hi Heather, yes, I think that would work fine! I hope you enjoy!
If I use vanilla bean powder would I still use 2 Tablespoons of it? Also, can I reduce the coconut oil in the topping and increase the maple syrup for the topping?
Hi Ariana, I’m not too familiar with vanilla bean powder, but from a quick internet search, it looks like you should use half the amount when substituting. I wouldn’t recommend decreasing the amount of oil in the topping because it won’t brown properly. If you prefer the topping to be more sweet, I think it would be fine to add additional maple syrup to taste. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
I’m making this today for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I planned to make the sweet potato part and the topping part separately and then sprinkle on the topping tomorrow and bake it then. Do you think the topping can sit overnight with the coconut oil & syrup in it and not be soggy when I put it on the dish tomorrow? Thanks!
Monica, I’m honestly not sure, as I have never tried. I think I’d try to wait until the day of just to be safe (a few hours ahead should be fine), but if you do decide to try it ahead, I’d store it in the refrigerator.
I just wanted to let you know I made this last year and it was everyones favorite- even my 2 year old! I swore I would make it again, but that never did happen. I made it today, through step 5, and am sooooooo excited to have it tomorrow! I have also given it to a few friends who plan to make it.
Thank you for a great recipe!
YAY!!! Happy Thanksgiving Alyson. I’m honored this recipe will be at your Thanksgiving table!
This recipe sounds so yummy and a better choice for healthier eating. We have an almond allergy. What do you suggest as an alternative to the almond meal?
Trela, can you use another nut meal such as hazelnut flour or ground pecans (see notes to make your own nut flour). Otherwise, you could try swapping in an additional 1/3 cup rolled oats—I haven’t tried these methods myself, but that would be my best advice. I hope you love the recipe!
if I make this with vanilla extract instead of beans or paste, how much should I use?
Lindsay, you’ll see this in the recipe notes too, but I suggest 2 tablespoon vanilla extract. Make sure it’s the real (pure) kind. I hope you enjoy it!
thanks! sorry I missed the notes, will read them now
No worries at all Lindsay! I just wanted to let you know that I add them to my recipes as a resource (and they are often the fastest way to get your question answered!)
This looks incredible! I’ve never had sweet potato casserole because a) not a tradition in my family and b) it looks unappealing… until now:) I want to sub soy milk in for the almond milk since it’s naturally sweeter; do you recommend I should still add the maple syrup or will it be sweet without? If you’re not sure I’ll just try it anyways. Thank you for your time and amazing recipes!
Elly, soy milk will be fine! You can always reduce the maple syrup by a teaspoon or two if you are concerned. I hope you enjoy it!
I made this for Christmas dinner as an alternative to a much sweeter sweet potato casserole my family usually has for holidays. Everyone liked this and my immediate family–including my elementary and preschool-aged kiddos–definitely preferred it to the sweeter casserole we’ve made in the past. I’ve served it with turkey and ham now and at both dinners it was among the most popular dishes on the table.
I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit, Rebekah! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!
Can I use almond flour in lieu of almond meal?
Thanks in advance for your response.
Sure Robbie!
Erin, I made the sweet potato casserole but with the vanilla extract and it turned out really good! I plan to make it again for Thanksgiving and use the real vanilla beans!!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Lisa! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Could your tell me what is the serving size for this dish
Hi Rita! There are 10 servings in this dish. I hope you enjoy it if you try it!
This was delicious. Thank you.
FYI, I used skim milk in place of almond milk and vanilla in place of vanilla beans, simply because I didn’t have those items. It was still delicious. I did use fresh nutmeg.
This casserole was sweet, but not too sweet, just right.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Carol! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Hi Erin!
I am interested in making this for family over the holiday, however we have a few tree nut allergies. Coconut oil is not a problem, pecans can be left out of the topping, and I assume I could use any other milk as a substitute for the almond milk (?)…I’m just not sure about a substitute for almond meal. Thanks!
Hi Sue! I’ve only tested this recipe as written so I wouldn’t be able to advise what you could substitute for almond meal. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
This looks really good. Except… Oats are not well tolerated in our house. What do you suggest to use instead? Thank you!
Hi Sunshine! I’ve only tested this recipe as written so I wouldn’t be able to advise what you could substitute for oat. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
i don’t have vanilla beans right now, how much vanilla extract should I try? Making this for Easter and will be cutting it half only 4 of us. I am making a mayo potato salad for others and this for myself.
Hi Nana, just want to make sure you are seeing the recipe card on your end because I had already made a note of this substitution in the notes of the recipe card? It’s 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract for the original recipe. Hope you enjoy it!
This is simply the best! Creamy, not too sweet, and pretty easy. my new go to dish for family gatherings
My family couldn’t get enough of this dish and we were all so impressed by its flavor and texture. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Hi Jaimee! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I used oatmilk and it was super good. Not too sweet and we loved the crunch
Fabulous! Thanks Catherine!
I’ve never been a huge fan of sweet potatoes, but this one taste so gooood. The flavors are incredibly balanced.
AWESOME! So happy to hear it Hanna!
I tried this recipe last night and the flavors are just right. I don’t have vanilla beans available so I just use a regular vanilla extract. I will buy vanilla beans next time and make this again. Thank you for the recipe.
So glad you liked it Zyrene, thank you!
This recipe is a new family favorite!! The topping is phenomenal with the touch of coconut. And the sweet potatoes with maple syrup and just divine! Thank you for this recipe that is now a staple on our Thanksgiving table!
Yay! Great to hear, thank you Mel!
My husband would NEVER eat anything with the world Sweet Potato in it. Until I cooked your Sweet Potato Casserole. I finally got him to taste it and OMG…He LOVES it! He requested it again for this year’s Thanksgiving. Although this is the only thing he will eat that has sweet potatoes in it. So glad I found your recipe! Thank you so much, Erin!
Makes me so happy to hear! Thank you Anya!
This has become our go-to holiday sweet potato recipe. It is absolutely delicious, plus it can be made ahead of time which is an enormous plus. I initially thought it sounded as if it would be too sweet, but the ratio of topping to sweet potatoes is actually perfect. Love all your recipes! Thank you 🙂
Makes me so happy to hear, thank you Maika!
I don’t usually write reviews, but this Sweet Potato Casserole was too good not to share! It was perfectly balanced – sweet but not overly sweet, with nice, crunchy toppings. I can’t wait to make it again on Thanksgiving!
Makes me so happy to hear, thank you Alicia!
This casserole was perfect! Not too sweet, but also not savory. It was a nice accompaniment for our Thanksgiving meal. And even better to eat for breakfast the next morning. ;)
Love that you had it for breakfast, thank you!