Best Easy Gluten Free Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

This easy gluten free sweet potato casserole recipe with a candied pecan topping is the perfect side dish for the holidays! It’s also dairy-free and paleo-friendly.

I’m always in charge of the sweet potato casserole on Thanksgiving day. Luckily, it’s one dish I love to make every holiday season! I usually do a traditional sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, but I thought it would be fun to try a crunchy candy topping this year!

It was a massive hit with my family! They all gave it a 5 star rating, and the best part? This is a classic recipe that the whole family can enjoy — even those on a dairy-free or gluten-free diet!

Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients

This dairy-free, gluten-free sweet potato casserole contains sweet potatoes, almond milk, eggs, ghee, cinnamon, pecans, and maple syrup.  

Are sweet potatoes gluten-free?

Yes, sweet potatoes on their own are gluten-free and considered a starchy vegetable. Someone with celiac or following a gluten-free diet should be able to consume sweet potatoes, but they do have to watch out for cross-contamination, as well as, what other ingredients are used in a sweet potato casserole. For example, the sweet potato mixture may be gluten-free, but the toppings on top may not be.

How do you make gluten free sweet potato casserole?

It’s very easy to make a gluten-free sweet potato casserole with simple ingredients. This recipe also includes a pecan crumble topping that is also gluten-free.

Plus, you don’t need weird ingredients!

What You’ll Need for a Gluten Free Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potato mixture ingredients:

• 3 pounds fresh sweet potatoes (about 3 large sweet potatoes)
• 1/2 cup almond milk 
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 2 eggs 
• 3 tablespoons ghee
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the crumble topping ingredients:

• 2 cups pecans roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2  tablespoons ghee

5 Easy Ways to Cook Your Sweet Potatoes

You can choose to cook your sweet potatoes a variety of different ways: microwave, boiling, baking, or using an air fryer or crockpot. Any cooking option works.

With whatever option you pick, you’ll want to rinse your potatoes before cooking, and you’ll also want to let them cool before peeling them.

1. Microwaving your sweet potatoes

I used microwaveable sweet potatoes & followed the directions to cook. This was about 13 minutes for 2 potatoes at a time on high, but you should follow the instructions on the brand you buy.

They should be soft when pierced with a fork. Allow to cool and peel the skin.

2. Cut and boil your sweet potatoes

You could also cut and boil your potatoes. To do so, you will want to peel and dice up the sweet potatoes to start. Then boil the diced potatoes for approximately 20 to 30 minutes or until done. They should be easy to mash with a fork.  Once cool, peel the skin away.

3. Baking your sweet potatoes

Baking is another option for your fresh sweet potatoes. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and pierce each one 2 or 3 times with a fork. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until tender. Let cool and then peel.

4. Using a crockpot

To cook your sweet potatoes in the crockpot, layer them evenly into a 6-quart or large crockpot. Cook the potatoes on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

The potatoes should be tender when pierced with a fork, and the time may vary a bit depending on the size of the potatoes.

After the are soft, carefully remove the potatoes from the crockpot and allow them to cool. Then you can peel the skin off.

5. Using an air fryer

If you have an air fryer, you can also cook your sweet potatoes with it. Poke each potato 2 or 3 times with a fork, place evenly into the air fryer, and air fry at 370 degrees 35-45 minutes.

How to Make This Creamy Sweet Potato Casserole with Crunchy Topping

1. Cook the sweet potatoes

You can use any of the cooking options listed above. Once they are cooked and cooled, scoop the sweet potato mixture out of the skins or peel them. The potatoes should be mashed up – this can be with a potato masher, food processor, or by hand. Once mashed, place the mashed sweet potatoes into a medium bowl.

2. Mix In a Large Bowl

Then add maple syrup, milk, ghee, eggs, cinnamon and salt to your mixing bowl with the potatoes. Use a hand mixer to blend everything together.  

3.  Place Mixture in a Baking Dish

Put the sweet potato mashed mixture in a 2.5 quart casserole dish. Smooth out evenly. 

4.  Bake at 375 degrees and for approximately 20 minutes.

5. Create the Topping

While that is cooking, mix the pecan toppings together. 

After the 20 minutes, pull the sweet potatoes out of the oven and put the topping on.

6. Cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes minutes.

Make sure to keep an eye on the topping because it’s easier to burn than the sweet potato mixture. 

Tips for Baking Your Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole

1. Hold off on putting the candied pecans on until the sweet potatoes have cooked for 20 minutes.  If you put them on too soon, they will burn. I cook my potatoes for 20 minutes.  Then I will pull the casserole out and add the candied pecans and cook for an additional 20 minutes.
2. Don’t like almond milk? You could try out different non-dairy milks like oat milk or coconut milk. For us, the almond milk was the best!
3. If you’re not worried about the recipe being dairy-free, you could also use melted butter versus ghee.
4. This recipe also works great if you wanted to do a marshmallow topping. We prefer mini marshmallows, and we just cook the sweet potato mixture for about 30 minutes and top with marshmallows for the last 10 minutes to let them brown.
5. Make this recipe your own! You can use less maple syrup.  Try out some pumpkin pie spice and maybe even some nutmeg.  Play with the spices that you like.  

FAQs

What do you do with Sweet Potato Casserole leftovers?

If you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container or cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap.  The leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

Yes! You can easily make this sweet potato casserole ahead of time! We like to go ahead and make the sweet potato casserole filling and topping up to 2 days before baking. Store the sweet potato mixture in the refrigerator until you’re ready. Then you can just bake as directed when you’re ready.

Dietary Questions

Are sweet potatoes allowed on paleo?

Yes, sweet potatoes are approved on a paleo diet; however, some people choose to limit how many they eat because too many carbohydrates can spike their blood sugar level.

Are sweet potatoes allowed on Whole 30?

Absolutely!! For anyone who has done the Whole 30, you realize just how much a treat sweet potatoes are!!

Not being allowed ANY sugar at all, makes a sweet potato a real sweet treat.  No pun intended.  

Do sweet potatoes have dairy?

Sweet potatoes are a starchy vegetable and do not contain lactose.  However, you’ll find very often cooks will put a dairy product in or on potatoes of all varieties, so make sure when you’re ordering or visiting someone to ask before if they used dairy to prepare their casserole.  

To keep our sweet potato casserole paleo, we used almond milk which is dairy free.

You may also like our:

• Rachel’s English Trifle Recipe from Friends
• Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe
• Printable Thanksgiving Potluck Sign Up Sheet

We hope you have a wonderful holiday meal with loved ones!