Sweet potato casserole is beloved (by some) as a classic holiday recipe. If I’m being honest, I’m more of a plain baked sweet potato kind of gal, but since some of our extended family prefer the marshmallow-topped type, I decided to concoct a healthy version.
Homemade Sweet Potato Casserole
To make the sweet potato part of the sweet potato casserole, you need cooked sweet potatoes. If I’m making the casserole for a crowd, I like to roast them ahead of time so I don’t have so much to do on a busy cooking day.
You can absolutely boil them if you prefer, but I like the deeper flavor from roasting.
Most recipes for sweet potato casserole include sugar mixed into the sweet potatoes. I’m not taking that advice! Sweet potatoes are already plenty sweet enough, so there’s no need for adding even more sugar! Some recipes also add eggs and milk, but since they don’t really change the flavor or texture and are allergens for some, I leave them out.
Important Note: If you make the sweet potato part of the casserole ahead of time, make sure you heat it up prior to putting on the topping.
To Marshmallow or Not to Marshmallow?
Sweet potato casseroles are usually topped with something sweet like marshmallow or strudel. I do make my own marshmallows, and I’ve found that if I reduce the amount of gelatin in the recipe I can make a marshmallow fluff topping. (Mom Hack: The “marshmallow” topping also makes a great cake icing on coconut flour cakes for kids’ birthdays!)
Another option is to make a Swiss meringue with egg whites and honey. I heat and whisk it over a double boiler until it’s thick and fluffy. If you’re really feeling fancy you can even put the finished meringue in a piping bag and pipe pretty designs on top of the sweet potatoes. As a final step, broil the casserole for a few minutes before serving to brown the meringue just a little.
Important Note: Since the casserole is only in the oven for a couple of minutes, it’s important to make sure that the sweet potatoes are already nice and hot.
If you prefer the streusel-topped sweet potato casseroles, you could try combining the nut and oat topping from this casserole with the topping from my berry cobbler recipe.
Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
"Marshmallow" Topping (optional)
- 5 egg whites
- ⅓ cup honey
Instructions
- In a 425°F oven, bake the sweet potatoes about 40-50 minutes or until soft.
- Cool slightly.
- Remove peels and mash with butter or coconut oil, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Spread evenly into a 9x13 baking dish.
For the "Marshmallow" Topping (optional)
- In a double boiler or small pan with water and a glass bowl on top, whip the egg whites with a hand blender until fluffy.
- Add the honey to the egg whites and place the double boiler on the stove, turning on the heat to medium.
- Using a hand mixer or whisk, whisk the egg white and honey mix as it heats until thick and fluffy.
- Spread the topping over the sweet potatoes and put in the oven and broil for a minute or two to brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Every time I’ve made this sweet potato casserole for family and friends, it’s been a huge hit. This is still pretty high in starch so it shouldn’t be eaten every day, but it is definitely a healthier alternative to the traditional version!
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How does your family cook sweet potatoes? Are you a butter and salt purist or a marshmallow junkie? Share below!
I haven’t been able to have anything resembling marshmallows for years since all recipes call for gelatin and I am hyper sensitive to glutamate. This recipe was simply amazing! My family loved it. Thank you!!!
Can you make and freeze or should you make the topping fresh just before baking?
We call these kumara (pronounced coo-ma-raa), Always savoury and never thought of as a sweet dish. If you suggested putting sugar or marshmallows on them, people would ask why. Its just not done and not even considered. They are peeled, roasted whole, boiled, steamed or made into french fries. Personally I love them steamed in the skin, peel the skin and eat them as they are. Bliss. Amazing mashed with butter and salt. Incredible flavour all on their own and so easy to grow.
While this looks like a fun and tasty recipe, we love our sweet potatoes roasted in the oven with a healthy dose of coconut oil. I add fresh organic cranberries and some chopped sweet onions. The sweetness of the sweet potatoes and sweet onions (used Walla Walla sweets this year) is offset by the delicious tang of the roasted and softened cranberries. You could also add a few curls of orange rind to the mix. Adding a handful of chopped and toasted pecans after the potatoes are done is a great idea too.
So…..sweet potatoes topped with meringue rather than marshmallows – gotcha.
We normally do a topping with flour, brown sugar, butter, and pecan. It makes an AMAZING top layer after baking. I am trying to think of a way to recreate this in a healthy way since flour and brown sugar are out. Maybe almond or coconut flour with maple syrup instead of brown sugar? Would I use the same amount of flour that the “normal” recipe calls for. I have never heard of marshmallows on top of sweet potatoes, must be a Northern thing. In southern Mississippi, everyone does the sugar/pecan crust for sweet potato casserole. The sweet potatoes themselves even have egg, vanilla, and sugar in them.
I am assuming the vanilla and cinnamon go in with the sweet potatoes instead of the topping? the ingredients are listed in the topping, and no where in the instructions does it say to add them.
Yes, I was wondering this as well since I have not ever even had anything other than sweet potato fries so I’m not sure how this pie is supposed to be!
This sounds yummy. Do you have a photo of the finished dish? I would really appreciate it, so I know what it’s supposed to look like when finished. 🙂
I can’t have dairy, so I bake them up then peel them and mash them up with some coconut oil, honey and cinnamon! My son and I love to eat them that way all the time, at least once a week. Another favorite way is to cube them and fry them up in coconut oil and add some ground breakfast sausage, real maple syrup and cinnamon. Both are so yummy and my son can’t stop eating them.