Featured Comment
From Carol: “One of my favorite recipes ever! Seriously I could just eat this for dinner and be happy! ★★★★★”
From Kala: “My “normal” sweet potato casserole recipe was a copycat recipe from a large chain steakhouse. I decided to give Erin’s a spin this year instead; this will be my new casserole recipe! This was delicious, and I loved the spices added to the potatoes; the nutmeg gave them extra depth! ★★★★★”
From Tina: “I have been making this for the last several years. Everyone loves it and looks forward to it every year. Love it!! ★★★★★”
Why Try This Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole
It isn’t Thanksgiving without sweet potato casserole! Years ago, I took a treasured Southern family recipe and made this gluten-free version. Of all my gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes, it has easily become my all-time favorite holiday side dish.
- The perfect crumble topping. I prefer this buttery, brown sugar pecan topping over the traditional marshmallow-topped recipe. The crunchy pecan topping paired with the smooth, creamy filling creates the perfect texture in every bite!
- Everyone loves it! I’ve found that if I don’t tell people it’s made with gluten-free flour, no one notices. This is always one of the most popular dishes at any holiday or Thanksgiving I’ve made it for.
- Make-ahead friendly. I love having dishes ready to go as much as possible before Thanksgiving Day! The filling and topping can be prepared up to 3 days ahead.
- Make it dairy-free or egg-free. I’ve made this recipe with both coconut oil and dairy-free butter, and both work well! It even works without the egg (just expect it to be a little softer since the egg isn’t there to help the filling bind together).
What You Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make this gluten-free sweet potato casserole. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Sweet potatoes. Fresh sweet potatoes are a must for the best flavor and creamiest filling! I don’t recommend using canned sweet potatoes or yams. They tend to make the filling too soft.
- Milk. I use canned full-fat coconut milk for a richer, creamier filling. Definitely use the canned kind, not the carton variety! It also makes it easier to make the dish dairy-free. Whole milk works well, too, if you prefer to use dairy!
- Sugar. I tend to use regular sugar in recipes, but this is one where replacing the sugar with maple syrup works just as well! The syrup will add a slightly different flavor, while sugar will keep the taste closer to my family’s traditional recipe.
- Pecans. I love pecans in the brown sugar crumble topping. They add a nice crunch and mild nutty flavor that balances the sweetness of the side dish. Other nuts can work, but keep in mind some may add a stronger nutty flavor and change the texture a bit.
- Gluten-free flour. Any gluten-free measure-for-measure flour will work. I tend to use King Arthur. I don’t recommend almond flour, coconut flour, or other single-ingredient gluten-free flours because they’ll change the texture of the topping.
- Butter. I use butter because that’s how my family’s recipe was made, but I’ve also tested this with coconut oil and dairy-free butter. Both work well! For the topping, make sure the butter is softened, not melted, so you get that crumbly texture.
How to Make Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole
Here’s an overview of how to make this recipe. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
Cook the sweet potatoes. I like to use my Instant Pot to steam the sweet potatoes. It’s so easy and I feel like I get the most reliable results every time. You can also boil them on the stovetop!
Make the topping. Throw all of the topping ingredients in a bowl. You can either cut the butter in using a pastry cutter or work it in with your hands. I look for the mixture to become sandy, with pea-sized pieces of butter.
Erin’s Tip
How you steam the sweet potatoes is so important for creating a smooth filling that isn’t watery. Whether you use the instant pot or stovetop, I recommend keeping them whole and unpeeled. I’ve found if they’re cut into small pieces, the potatoes absorb too much water and make the filling runny.
Make the filling. I peel the sweet potatoes and add them to a mixing bowl with the remaining filling ingredients. You can use a stand or hand mixer to whip the filling until smooth and creamy.
Assemble and bake. Add the layers to the greased 9×13 and bake. I go by look and pull it from the oven when the topping turns golden brown and the filling starts bubbling. This usually takes 25-30 minutes.
Erin’s Tip
When making the sweet potato filling, I like to adjust it to taste. Depending on the size of the sweet potatoes, it may need a little more of something. I’ll add a little more salt, sugar, or even milk until I get the filling just right!
More Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Recipes
Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole (Pecan Praline Topping!)
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 3-4 large sweet potatoes
- 1/2 cup coconut milk or whole milk
- 1/3-1/2 cup granulated sugar or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 large egg
For the Topping:
- 1 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 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 9×13 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!
I want yo make this, how many pounds of sweet potatoes? I ask because there are in so many different sizes. HELP!
Hi Dennese! 3-4 large sweet potatoes should be about 1.5-2 pounds. We hope you love the recipe!
Thank you! I will be making for Thanksgiving.
I would love to make this! We have a tree nut allergy in our family, is there any sub for the pecans?
Hi Alicia! We haven’t tried to make this nut-free before, but we’d try omitting the pecans rather than subbing. The topping will just have less crunch. We hope you love the recipe!
My “normal” sweet potato casserole recipe was a copycat recipe from a large chain steakhouse. I decided to give Erin’s a spin this year instead; this will be my new casserole recipe! This was delicious, and I loved the spices added to the potatoes; the nutmeg gave them extra depth!
Hi! How many people does this serve? I couldn’t find that info in the recipe but I could have overlooked it?! Thank you so much—Jessie
Hi Jessie, this recipe is for a 9×13 baking dish, which typically serves 10-12 people.
Great! Thank you so much Brooke—looking forward to making for a Thanksgiving gathering we’re going to on Saturday!
Could you sub coconut sugar for brown sugar in the topping? I see the maple syrup sub in the filling. Just trying to avoid refined sugars.
Hi Laura, we don’t typically bake with sugar substitutes. The coconut sugar may work, but it is drier than brown sugar so the swap may change the texture of the topping. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
I tried this recipe with coconut sugar last year and it turned out great! Planning to do it again this year!
Hi Ivy, thanks so much for the comment! Glad it worked out well with the coconut sugar!
This is always a big hit with the family! It’s the perfect mix of flavors! A repeat winner!
Hi there, so glad your family enjoyed the sweet potatoes! Thanks for the review!
Making this again today for Christmas dinner, halving the recipe for two people (with leftovers ). Winner, hands down!
Can this be made ahead and be frozen?
Hi Ron, for the best texture we’d recommend freezing it before baking. You can prep the filling and freeze it in the pan, then thaw it overnight in the fridge when you’re ready. The topping is best placed on the filling just before baking. We hope you enjoy the casserole!
I have been making this for the last several years. Everyone loves it and looks forward to it every year. Love it!!
Aww, we’re happy to hear it has become such a go-to recipe for you, Tina! Thank you for your kind feedback!
Approx. how many cups of sweet potato are 3-4 large sweet potatoes?
Hi Jenny, generally it would be about 5-6 cups when chopped. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
I have a kitchen because it came with the house! I tell people I can make 5 dishes. I will invite guests over 5 different times and then I start all over with the same dishes! After making this recipe I now have 6 dishes I can make! (J/k) I followed the casserole recipe as listed and it came out perfectly. The Only thing I did different was baked my sweet potatoes. I appreciate knowing how to make this a head of time which I will be doing for this year’s Thanksgiving. Thank you Erin, I so appreciate your food talent. It truly is a blessing.
Aww we’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe so much, Leigh! Thank you for such kind feedback about Erin’s recipes!
Is it possible to half this recipe?
Hi Alex, you can cut it in half and use an 8×8 pan with the same temperature and time since that pan will offer a similar thickness with the half recipe. We hope you enjoy the casserole!
Do not have an Instapot. Please provide a different way to cook potatoes?
Thanks
Hi Cheryl, for stovetop you can skip step 1 and go straight to step 2 which covers stovetop instructions. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
One of my favorite recipes ever! Seriously I could just eat this for dinner and be happy!
I’m glad I tried this recipe. I used the instant pot method, and true enough the potatoes came out perfect. Thanks for sharing!