Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole with Crunchy Oat Pecan Topping

This Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole is a lighter, gluten-free version of the classic holiday side dish — naturally sweet, incredibly creamy, and topped with a crunchy oat-pecan streusel that tastes like a warm granola crumble.

I've been making this healthy sweet potato casserole for over ten years in a row.  Every Thanksgiving it is the number one requested recipe, which always shocks me since no one loves sweet potatoes that much, but they sure do love this healthy sweet potato casserole.   

As a Registered Dietitian, I love this version because roasting the sweet potatoes enhances their natural sweetness, so you can keep added sugar to a minimum without sacrificing flavor. The topping has the perfect mix of buttery crunch and warm cinnamon spice, making this dish a total crowd favorite every Thanksgiving.

Whether you're hosting, traveling with a dish, or prepping ahead, this healthy sweet potato casserole is simple, wholesome, and always one of the first sides to disappear from the table. As always, don’t forget to let me know if you try it!

Why You'll Love This  Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

• Make-Ahead Friendly: Prep components 1–2 days in advance.
• Lightened-Up: No heavy cream, marshmallows, or excess sugar. Roasting the potatoes brings out deep caramelized flavor — you need less sugar overall.
• Crowd-Pleasing Topping: Crunchy and toasty, like a holiday granola. Even people who are not fans of sweet potato will be fans of this casserole!

INGREDIENTS & NOTES

Sweet Potatoes

The base of the casserole uses 6–8 large sweet potatoes. Roasting them instead of boiling helps concentrate sweetness, preserves antioxidants, and prevents watery mash. 

Almond Milk

The recipe uses ¾ cup almond milk for creaminess without adding heaviness. Any milk works (dairy or nondairy).

Coconut Sugar

Just 1 tablespoon is added to the potato mixture! Roasting gives all the sweetness you need.

Warm Spices

A touch of cinnamon and nutmeg gives that cozy holiday flavor without overwhelming the dish.

Oat-Pecan Streusel Topping

This topping is made with oats, almond meal, pecans, cinnamon, butter/ghee, coconut, and brown sugar.  

• For the oats, use rolled or old-fashioned oats.  Quick oats may work, but the topping will be a slightly different texture.  
• For the almond meal, try to use almond meal OR unblanched almond flour.  The difference between blanched and blanched almond flour is whether the skin was kept on the almond before milling. We want the skin as it results in a coarser flour and deeper flavor.  But you can substitute regular almond flour in a pinch.  
• Can you make this dairy free, use any meltable dairy-free butter in place of the butter or ghee.  I don't recommend using avocado oil or 
• Can you swap out the pecans?  Yes!  You can use slivered almonds, walnuts/walnut pieces, or even pumpkin seeds if you have a nut allergy at your table!

Pro tip: To save calories, you can cut the topping in half and sprinkle it on more sparingly.  You'll still get a crunchy, sweet topping in every bite, but with fewer calories and fat.    

Pro Tips for Success

Roast Don't Microwave

I know it's tempting to microwave your sweet potatoes, but roasting them is worth it.  Roasting is the secret to maximizing flavor. Potatoes should be very soft and caramelized when ready. Roasting sweet potatoes helps retain their beta-carotene content and creates deeper natural sweetness. It should take about an hour, but honestly, I've had it take up to two hours before to get them all truly soft, especially if they are big! I promise it's worth the time to roast it!

Mash Potatoes Using Electricity 

Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the potatoes for the creamiest consistency.  

MAKE-AHEAD & FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS

This casserole is perfect for Thanksgiving meal prep.

Option 1 — Prep Components (Best Quality)

Roast and whip potatoes. Mix the topping, but keep it separate from the rest of the ingredients. Refrigerate both up to 48 hours or freeze for up to 3 months. If frozen, defrost under refrigeration. Then assemble and bake day-of.  For freezing, sweet potatoes may become slightly watery, stir potatoes before topping with oat-pecan streusel.  

Option 2 — Fully Assemble, Bake Later

Assemble casserole (do NOT bake). Cover tightly and refrigerate 24 hours or freeze up to 3 months. If frozen, defrost under refrigeration. Bake 45–55 minutes from cold, covering as needed. 

Option 3 — Bake Fully, Reheat Day-Of

Bake completely and allow to cool completely.  Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat at 325°F for ~25 minutes. To freeze, allow to cool completely and freeze for up to 3 months.  Defrost under refrigeration and reheat in the microwave or alternatively bake for 20-30 minutes at 325F.  

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4.58 from 14 votes

Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

This Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole is lightly buttery and fluffy with a sweet crunch oatmeal pecan crust that everyone will love! Gluten Free

Cook Time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Gluten Free

Keyword: healthy sweet potato casserole

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 348kcal

Author: Kelli Shallal MPH RD

Equipment

• 9 x 13 dish
• baking tray
• hand mixer or stand mixer

Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 6-8 large sweet potatoes
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¾ cup almond milk
• dash nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar

Topping:

• ½ cup almond meal
• 1.5 cup oats
• ⅔ cup butter or ghee
• ⅔ cup coconut or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cup pecan halves or pieces

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 F. Clean and wash potatoes.  Rub them with coconut oil and poke holes in them with a knife.  4-6 holes in each potato should do it.  Place the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil.  Bake sweet potatoes for one hour (or until soft and caramelized) on a large baking sheet, turning halfway through. Once potatoes are soft remove them from the oven, cut them in half and let them cool until they can be handled.
  
• Discard the skin and place the potatoes in a large bowl or stand mixer. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip the potatoes with the cinnamon, almond milk, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and coconut sugar. 
  
• In a separate bowl mix together butter, almond meal, oats, coconut sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and pecan halves.
  
• Grease a 9 x 13 oven-safe casserole dish and add whipped potatoes in an even layer.
  
• Top with the pecan oatmeal mixture.
  
• Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes until the top is slightly browned and looks “crunchy.”  Since you are technically “reheating the potatoes,” check to make sure they reach 165 F before pulling them from the oven. 
  

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 517mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 18333IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?I'd love to see what you made! Tag me @hungryhobbyRD or tag #hungryhobby if you try this recipe!

FAQs

Why does sweet potato casserole get watery?

• Excess moisture usually comes from boiling, using canned, or undercooking sweet potatoes, if you roast the potatoes you should not have this issue. 

Can you freeze sweet potato casserole?

• Yes!  Find instructions for freezing in the section above the recipe card (storage & freezing).  Please note, sweet potatoes will become slightly watery when frozen.  If this bothers you option 1 in section above is your best bet because you can re-stir the potatoes before moving forward with baking the casserole.  

Can I use canned sweet potatoes?

• You can, but the flavor and texture will be softer and slightly sweeter.  The texture may also be more prone to becoming watery, drain well before mashing.

Can this be baked in a crockpot?

• Yes — cook on LOW for 2.5–3 hours or until heated through and topping is golden.  Please note, I have not tested this. 

What to Serve With Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

• Make this for Thanksgiving?  Serve with any of my Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes I've been making for my family for over 10 years! Or, you can even serve this sweet potato casserole alongside any of my Healthy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes.  
• Making this on a regular weeknight? Serve with a protein like turkey, roast chicken or even a baked salmon (like my garlic dill salmon with lemon herb butter.) Pair your protein and sweet potatoes with a veggie like my air fryer asparagus, buttermilk cauliflower mash, bacon almond green beans, or a quick salad!