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Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole: The Perfect Holiday Side Dish

Reading Time: 6 minutes

This Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole is a holiday staple in our home; creamy, lightly spiced, and topped with a golden, buttery crumble that makes every bite taste like a celebration. The original recipe came from my dear friend Lori years ago, and after a few allergy-friendly tweaks, it’s become one of those dishes my family asks for every holiday. It’s the perfect blend of comfort and nutrition, rich enough to feel indulgent yet made entirely with wholesome ingredients you can feel good about serving.

The best part? You can make it ahead of time so that when the holidays roll around, your kitchen feels peaceful and organized instead of chaotic. Simply mix, bake, and reheat… it tastes even better the next day.

Why We Love This Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potatoes have a way of turning an ordinary meal into something special. Their natural sweetness pairs perfectly with warm spices and the just-right crunch of the pecan topping. I love serving this dish on Thanksgiving because it bridges the gap between the side dish and the dessert. It’s creamy like pie filling, but hearty enough to balance a savory meal.

This version skips the marshmallows and refined sugar, relying instead on my Christmas Cookie Blend for sweetness. It’s made with a mix of organic coconut, date, and maple sugars that add flavor depth without the sugar crash. We use coconut milk for creaminess and gluten-free flour for a light, crisp topping that holds up beautifully when baked.

Aside from that, this recipe fits perfectly in our busy lifestyle, because we prep it ahead of time and stash it in the freezer until the big day. We do this with many of our holiday recipes, and by the end, our freezer is one giant game of Tetris! Whether it’s the centerpiece of your holiday spread or a cozy Sunday side, this Sweet Potato Casserole brings that “gather-round” energy to the table.

This year, we had a bumper crop of sweet potatoes, so we are looking forward to making plenty of this casserole!

The Nutritional Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

Organic Sweet Potatoes: Packed with beta-carotene, fiber, and antioxidants, sweet potatoes help support eye health, digestion, and immune function. Their natural sugars release slowly, keeping blood sugar steady even in a sweet dish like this one.

Unsweetened Almond or Coconut Milk Beverage: Both options create that silky texture without dairy. Almond milk keeps the casserole light, while full-fat coconut milk adds richness and healthy fats to keep you full and satisfied.

Organic Pasture-Raised Eggs (or Egg Replacer): Eggs bring structure and protein, while an egg replacer keeps the recipe allergy-friendly and still creates that perfectly smooth texture. Using egg replacer is a great option for large crowds, as everyone can enjoy this dish.

Christmas Cookie Blend: This blend of coconut, date, and maple sugar offers natural sweetness and trace minerals, plus that festive, cozy flavor we love this time of year.

Organic Raw Pecans: These nuts add crunch and healthy fats, plus a boost of zinc and vitamin E; great for immune health and glowing skin. When toasted on top, they also fill your kitchen with the most wonderful aroma.

Grass-Fed Organic Sea-Salted Butter or Extra-Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil: Both options contribute to the casserole’s richness. Butter adds a deep, savory balance, while coconut oil brings a subtle tropical sweetness and healthy medium-chain fats.

Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Sweet Potato Casserole

This delicious recipe comes from my friend Lori. I tweaked it to fit an allergy-friendly lifestyle, and now we enjoy it during the holidays. Make this dish ahead of time for an easy breezy holiday.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Author Mama Z

Servings

Ingredients

Topping

Supplies

Instructions
 

  • For the casserole: Preheat the oven to 350℉ and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, almond milk, eggs, vanilla, Christmas Cookie blend, salt, butter, and pumpkin pie spice. Spread evenly in the baking dish.
  • For the topping: In a separate bowl, mix the butter, flour, Christmas Cookie Blend, and pecans until crumbly. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture. Bake for 45 minutes if the potatoes are cold and 25 minutes if the potatoes are hot.

Step-by-Step Baking Instructions

For the Casserole:

Preheat the oven to 350℉ and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, almond milk, eggs, vanilla, Christmas Cookie blend, salt, butter, and pumpkin pie spice. Spread evenly in the baking dish.

For the Topping:

In a separate bowl, mix the butter, flour, Christmas Cookie Blend, and pecans until crumbly. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture. Bake for 45 minutes if the potatoes are cold and 25 minutes if the potatoes are hot. Enjoy!

Make-Ahead & Serving Tips

This casserole is ideal for busy holiday mornings when your kitchen is already full and time is short. On the day of your gathering, bring it to room temperature, bake until it’s warmed through, and you’ll have a side dish that looks and tastes like it was made fresh that morning.

Leftovers reheat beautifully, which makes this recipe just as practical as it is delicious. Simply cover the dish and warm it at 325°F for about 15 minutes, or until heated through. For an extra touch of richness, drizzle a bit of coconut milk or melted butter over the top before reheating to keep the texture velvety and the flavors bright.

If you’re serving a larger crowd, this casserole doubles easily; no special adjustments needed. It’s a forgiving, crowd-pleasing dish that always earns a spot on the table. We love pairing it with roasted turkey, carrots, or even a simple fall salad. The creamy sweet potatoes balance beautifully with savory flavors, bringing harmony to the entire meal.

You can also take it beyond the holidays, as it’s wonderful served alongside roast chicken on a Sunday afternoon or as a make-ahead meal for a cozy weeknight. No matter when you serve it, this sweet potato casserole brings that sense of comfort and abundance that turns an ordinary meal into a celebration.

Grace for the Gathering

Every holiday meal tells a story…not just of family and friendship, but of God’s steady faithfulness woven through another season of life. Simple ingredients, prepared with care, have a way of softening hearts and drawing people close.

When our table is full, I often think of Psalm 136:1: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever.” Gratitude shifts everything. It moves our focus from what’s missing to what God has already provided. It’s not about perfection or presentation…it’s about recognizing His provision in the everyday: the hands that cook, the family that gathers, the conversations that linger long after the meal is done.

God cares for us. He meets our needs, not just with food for the body but with peace for the heart. As Matthew 6:11 reminds us, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Daily bread…not a year’s supply, not an overflow of excess, but just enough for today. That’s how He teaches us to trust Him one meal, one moment, one season at a time.

So whether you’re baking this for Thanksgiving, bringing it to a friend in need, or simply feeding your family after a long week, let it serve as a reminder of His goodness. Take time to pause, breathe in the aroma of cinnamon and sweet potato, and thank Him for what’s right in front of you: the nourishment of body, the warmth of community, and the unshakable truth that He is always faithful.

“The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest.” – Psalm 85:12

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” – Colossians 3:15

References:

  1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8156662/
  2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15883432/
  3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4975867/
  4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9601893/
  5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23021850/

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