Gluten Free Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Oatmeal Topping

A lighter twist on traditional sweet potato casserole with gluten free ingredients. Enjoy for Thanksgiving or Christmas!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings as a side

Calories 329kcal

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 3 qt baking dish, like a French Corningware, or 9x13 baking dish.
Prepare the sweet potatoes by scrubbing them and roughly chopping into large pieces. You can peel them if desired, but I left the skin on for added fiber. Add them to a large pot and cover with a few inches of water. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes on medium-high heat for ~15 minutes or until they are tender.
Remove the cooked sweet potatoes from heat and drain the excess water. Add the coconut milk, maple syrup, egg, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the pot. Use a hand mixer to blend until smooth. Transfer the filling to the greased baking dish and use a spatula to spread it out evenly.
To make the topping, add the pumpkin seeds, pecans, and oats to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. If you do not have a food processor, you can roughly chop the seeds and pecans with a knife and leave the oats intact. In a small bowl, mix together the chopped seeds, pecans, and oats with the cinnamon, sea salt, maple syrup, and melted butter.
Crumble the topping on top of the filling. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until topping is slightly browned. Enjoy warm!

To make vegan: use coconut oil in place of butter and a flax egg in place of egg (mix 1 tablespoon milled flaxseed with 3 tablespoon water).
To make nut-free: eliminate the pecans and add ¼ cup more oats and ¼ cup more pumpkin seeds or ½ cup shredded coconut in their place.
Make ahead/freezing and storage instructions: Prepare the filling and spread it into the baking dish, cover tightly with foil and store in the fridge up to 24 hours before you plan to bake it. Make the topping right before you put it in the oven. If you want to freeze this instead, cover with foil and then with plastic wrap (or use a throw-away baking dish). Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge the day before you want to make it. Make the topping right before you put it in the oven.
- If you need more oven space, you can make this up to 2 hours before serving it and then store it on top of the oven or counter, covered with foil. It keeps its heat very well.
Leftovers will last 3-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.