Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping has delicious mashed sweet potatoes with a buttery, brown sugar pecan topping. This gluten-free sweet potato casserole is a FAVORITE Thanksgiving side dish every year.
Complete your Thanksgiving feast with these Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls and a Gluten-Free Pumpkin Roll for dessert!
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
Sweet potato casserole is my all-time favorite Thanksgiving side. This sweet potato casserole with pecan topping is a long-time, favorite family recipe. My Mom would make it for Thanksgiving every year and she’s given out the recipe countless times.
Over the past few years I’ve been making it with gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. However, nobody can EVER tell this sweet potato casserole is gluten-free!
The sweet potato filling is smooth and creamy while the topping is crunchy, buttery and laced with brown sugar. It’s hard for anyone to resist this sweet potato casserole! It’s also so easy to make gluten-free (and dairy-free if needed).
How to Make Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole
These how-to numbered pictures match up with the instructions below.
1. Steam the sweet potatoes. You can do this in the instant pot or on the stove top.
2. Peel the steamed sweet potatoes and add the filling ingredients.
3. Whip the filling until smooth and creamy with a hand mixer.
4. Measure out the ingredients for the pecan praline topping.
5. Mash together the ingredients for the topping until you have pea-sized chunks of butter.
6. Spread the filling into the pan.
7. Top with the pecan topping.
8. Bake until golden, bubbly and delicious!
What is the best way to steam sweet potatoes for sweet potato casserole?
How you steam the sweet potatoes is an important step to ensure your filling comes out smooth, but not watery. Lately, my favorite way to steam the sweet potatoes is in the instant pot. It’s so easy to do and the sweet potatoes come out perfect every time.
Cooking Sweet Potatoes in the Instant Pot
- Place a rack in the instant pot and add 1 cup of water.
- Place the washed sweet potatoes on the rack and cook on MANUAL (high pressure) for 15 minutes.
- Allow the sweet potatoes to natural release until the valve drops on its own.
- The sweet potatoes will be soft and easy to peel!
If you don’t have an instant pot you can also steam the potatoes on the stovetop. You do this by adding the sweet potatoes (whole and unpeeled) to a large pot and covering with water. Cover with a lid and boil for 10 minutes. Puncture the sweet potatoes 3 times, then boil for another 20-30 minutes until cooked through.
Can I make this sweet potato casserole in advance?
This sweet potato casserole is a great make-ahead dish. I’m always looking for recipes I can make in advance before Thanksgiving. This one turns out great!
Up to 3 days in advance you can prepare the sweet potato filling and smooth it into a baking dish. Then prepare the topping and store it in an airtight container. Store everything in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, top the sweet potatoes with the pecan mixture and bake as directed.
I hope you enjoy this sweet potato casserole as much as we do! It’s a long-time family favorite and nobody will be able to guess it’s gluten-free. (PS I think it tastes delicious straight out the fridge next day!)
If you love this recipe be sure to leave me a comment below. I’d love to hear how it turned out for your holiday meal!
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes:
Gluten-Free Stuffing everyone needs to eat stuffing on Thanksgiving!
Christmas Cranberry Fluff not just for Christmas. My 2nd favorite Thanksgiving side.
Holiday Fruit Salad another delicious fruit salad option.
Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without it!
Kale Salad with Cranberries festive and tasty.
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Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping {Gluten-Free}
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 3-4 large sweet potatoes
- 1/2 cup coconut milk, or whole milk
- 1/3-1/2 cup sugar, or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup melted butter, or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 egg
For the Topping:
- 1 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup softened butter, or coconut oil in solid form
Instructions
STEAM THE SWEET POTATOES
- In the INSTANT POT (preferred method): Place a rack in the instant pot and add 1 cup of water. Place the washed sweet potatoes on top of the rack. Cook on MANUAL (high pressure) for 15 minutes. Allow the sweet potatoes to natural release, until the valve drops on its own.
- On the STOVE TOP: Place the sweet potatoes (whole and unpeeled) in a large pot and covering with water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. then puncture each sweet potatoes 3 times. Boil for another 20-30 minutes until cooked through.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish. In a bowl, combine the pecans, flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or mix with your hands until the mixture is sandy, with pea-sized chunks of butter. Set aside.
- Peel the sweet potatoes and add them to a bowl with with the other filling ingredients. Use a hand mixer to whip the sweet potatoes until smooth. Taste and add more salt, sugar or milk as needed. (You may need to adjust the consistency/flavor based on how big your sweet potatoes are.) Whip the sweet potatoes until they are creamy and completely smooth.
- Smooth the sweet potato filling into the prepared dish. Top with the pecan mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden and the sweet potatoes are bubbling. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Rochelle says
This sounds amazing! How many does it serve?
Sarah says
Thank you so much for this recipe! My daughter has PKU so we will be leaving out the egg or using an egg replacer and we will make this dish with only the topping on half of it since she can’t have the nuts, but I’m happy that she’ll be able to have this with everyone else!
Erin Collins says
I hope she likes it! It will work totally fine with no egg!
Meghann says
I was wondering what the serving for this recipe?
Jaden says
My sister made this a few years ago and this is now out families favorite sweet potato casserole recipe!! Sooo delicious!!
Dana says
This was unbelievably good! I have celiac disease and wanted to make something everyone could enjoy, that didn’t taste gluten free. This will be my go-to dish!
Erin Collins says
I’m so happy you liked it! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Margo says
Hi there! Excited to try this recipe this Thanksgiving! I can’t use butter (kosher), so wondering if you would recommend a good butter alternative that would also crystalize, or if coconut oil is just as good? Thank you!!
Erin Collins says
Earth Balance buttery sticks or Miyoko’s Vegan Butter both work great. I like those because they still have a buttery taste but coconut oil will also work.
Hannah says
Tastes like the family recipe (containing gluten) my grandmother used to make. Your recipe was enjoyed by all at Thanksgiving! My husband requested I make it again – ASAP. Thank you!
Erin Collins says
I’m so happy to hear you liked it! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Ashley S. says
Thank you so much for this recipe! My family loves it! I love how easy it is to make the sweet potatoes in the instant pot too! Have you ever tried to make regular mashed potatoes with this method before? Steaming whole and then peeling? I would love to know if it works well for those.