Gluten Free Sweet Potato Casserole
on Nov 21, 2022, Updated Apr 11, 2024
This gluten free sweet potato casserole is a family favorite for Thanksgiving! Delicious sweet potato filling is topped with a homemade salty sweet pecan crumble.
This sweet potato casserole is a family favorite!
This pecan and brown sugar topped sweet potato casserole is melt in your mouth delicious. A must make for your Thanksgiving dinner!
This sweet potato casserole with pecan topping is nothing like the bland sweet potato casseroles of the past.
It is buttery, spiced perfectly, and topped with the most amazing salty sweet pecan topping that makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
It’s even naturally gluten free for anyone with allergies. Everyone who tries it can’t get enough! It’s a holiday recipe that is sure to impress.
More Thanksgiving must haves
Ingredients to make gluten free sweet potato casserole
- sweet potatoes
- butter
- milk
- pure maple syrup
- brown sugar
- pecans
- vanilla extract
- cinnamon and salt
How to make Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
Step 1: Make the sweet potatoes. You will need 5 cups of mashed cooked sweet potato. Peel the sweet potatoes first.
Since I’m always finding ways to make Thanksgiving day faster, I often will boil my sweet potatoes the day before Thanksgiving and put them in the fridge.
You will need around 3 – 4 large sweet potatoes, depending on the size. If you cut them into chunks before boiling you can cut down on the time that it will take for them to be fork tender.
Step 2: Once the sweet potatoes are cooked, you can make the filling.
Add the mashed sweet potato, butter, milk, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt to a bowl and stir to combine.
This sweet potato filling is buttery, sweet, and tastes heavenly!
Step 3: Transfer the sweet potato casserole filling to a 9 by 13 baking dish and start making the pecan topping.
This recipe calls for pecan crumbs, which is basically just taking pecans and placing them in a blender until a flour like texture forms. It only takes a few seconds to blend up.
Add the pecan crumbs, butter, brown sugar, and salt to a bowl. Use a rubber spatula to stir until combined. The pecan crumble should resemble wet sand as pictured below. I love using pecan crumbs in desserts for the holidays!
Step 4: Spread the pecan topping evenly over the top of the sweet potatoes and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, until browned and bubbly.
When you have something sweet like the classic favorite sweet potato casserole, you absolutely need some salt in there to help counteract all the sweetness.
While this is definitely sweet, it is contrasted by the saltiness of the topping and the flavors coincide perfectly in your mouth with each bite.
Sweet potato casserole went from a no-thank-you to a non negotiable part of my Thanksgiving table each year! It just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without this delicious sweet potato casserole on the table.
p.s. if you are more of a marshmallow person be sure to try my sweet potato casserole with marshmallows!
Love Pecans? be sure to check out my pecan cream pie, pecan pie bars, pecan pie brownies, or my dark chocolate pecan cookie bars for Thanksgiving dessert!
More Thanksgiving Recipes
- Funeral Potatoes
- Skillet Corn Recipe
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
- Cranberry Apple Crisp
Sweet Potato Casserole FAQs
Yes! To make this dairy free, use vegan milk and butter.
Leftover sweet potato casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Gluten Free Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 5 cups mashed sweet potato, around 3-4 large sweet potatoes
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ⅓ cup 2% milk
- ¼ cup pure grade a maple syrup
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
For the Pecan Topping
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 ¼ cups pecan crumbs, see notes
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Peel and boil the sweet potatoes until they are soft and fall apart easily. You can do this the day before to save time on prep work.
- Measure the mashed sweet potato into a bowl
- To the sweet potatoes, add butter, milk, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt and stir well
- Transfer the sweet potato filling to a greased 9 by 13 casserole dish
- Add the pecan crumbs, butter, brown sugar, and salt to a bowl and mix with a rubber spatula to combine. The pecan crumble should resemble wet sand
- Spread the pecan topping evenly over the top of the sweet potato filling
- Bake the sweet potato casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until bubbly
Can you make this the night before then bake it in the oven the following day?
Yes! I would just leave off the crumble and add it once you’re ready to bake
How can I make this for 2 people?
If you want leftovers, I would cut the recipe in half and then you could eat on it a few times. This is what I have done in the past when it’s just my husband and me eating.
Serve cold.
Add a la mode with butter pecan.
Add a bottom layer of ground pecan.
I love it cold right out of the frig.
As a dessert a la mode.
Can at a bottom layer of pecans.
Getting ready to make this again for thanksgiving. Everyone loves it!
So glad your family enjoys the recipe, Happy Thanksgiving!
Has anyone used canned yams instead of sweet potatoes?
Has anyone made this the night before and then heated on Thanksgiving? Looking to make things ahead if possible.
Every Thanksgiving & Christmas I’m asked to make this casserole. Only difference is that my family likes some crunch so I just use chopped pecans instead of using a blender to make the flour texture. It’s became a tradition for holiday meals.
I love to hear that. Thank you so much for sharing and Happy Thanksgiving to your family!
Delicious, we make it every year!