The Best Gluten-free Sweet Potato Casserole

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No Thanksgiving table is complete without the best gluten-free sweet potato casserole; it's a favorite side dish, year after year.

When it comes to gluten-free side dishes for Thanksgiving, this sweet potato casserole recipe is a must have. I mean, who can resist deliciously fluffy mashed sweet potatoes that have the right amount of sweet and savory goodness topped the way you like them.

Jump to:

• Is sweet potato casserole gluten-free?
• Ingredients
• Ingredient notes and substitutions.
• Alternate topping.
• Steps.
• Tips and tricks.
• Make ahead.
• Storing leftovers.
• Reheating.
• Serving suggestions.
• More gluten-free side dishes.
• 📖 Recipe

Is sweet potato casserole gluten-free?

Sweet potatoes, like regular potatoes, are naturally gluten-free. However, not all sweet potato casserole recipes are gluten-free. The problem usually lies in the topping. A lot of sweet potato casseroles are topped with either non-gluten-free marshmallows or can contain flour if they have some sort of nut crumble topping. It is always a good idea to verify the ingredients with the person that cooked the sweet potato casserole to find out if it is or is not gluten-free before consuming it.

Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes
• Heavy cream
• Brown sugar
• Butter
• Eggs
• Vanilla
• Salt
• Spices
• Mini gluten-free marshmallows

Ingredient notes and substitutions.

• Sweet potatoes. - You want to use red or orange skinned sweet potatoes for this casserole. These are sometimes labeled as yams at the grocery store.
• Dairy-free sweet potato casserole. - To make this gluten-free sweet potato casserole dairy-free, substitute the butter and heavy cream for dairy-free alternatives. You will also want to ensure you are using dairy-free marshmallows, or see below for an alternate topping.
• Brown sugar. - The brown sugar adds a bit of sweetness. If you prefer your sweet potato casserole on the sweeter side, you can swap the brown sugar for regular cane sugar. You can also double the sugar if you want it sweeter.
• Eggs. - The eggs in this casserole help bring it all together. You can leave them out but note that the texture won't be as fluffy without the eggs.

Alternate topping.

I like to keep it simple, and what the kids like best when it comes to topping this gluten-free sweet potato casserole, so I tend to stick to mini gluten-free marshmallows. However, if you prefer something different, here are a few of my other favorite ways to top this casserole.

Pecan topping. - Sweet potatoes and pecans taste delicious together, so topping this casserole with a pecan topping is a no-brainer.

• 1 Cup Chopped Pecans
• ½ Cup 1:1 Gluten-free Flour
• ½ Cup Brown Sugar
• ¼ Teaspoon Salt
• ¼ Cup Butter or Solid Coconut Oil

1. Combine the chopped pecans with the gluten-free flour, brown sugar, and salt together in a bowl.
2. Cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse sand.
3. Set it aside to top the casserole.

Steps.

Step 1. Roast and mash the sweet potatoes.

1. Place the whole sweet potatoes onto a baking sheet and roast them for about an hour until they are tender.
2. Let the sweet potatoes cool long enough, and then remove the skins.
3. Place the peeled, roasted sweet potatoes into a bowl to mash,

Step 2. Mix, top, and bake.

1. Combine the brown sugar, eggs, heavy cream, butter, and spices with the mashed sweet potatoes.
2. Mix the sweet potatoes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
3. Transfer the casserole filling to a baking dish.
4. Top with the mini marshmallows (or pecan topping) and bake.

Tips and tricks.

• Bake the sweet potatoes. - When it comes to getting the most flavor into sweet potato casserole, you want to bake the potatoes instead of boiling them. Roast the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet at 400 degrees for about an hour or until they are tender. If you want your sweet potatoes to bake faster, wrap them in foil.
• Peel easy. - Roasted sweet potatoes actually peel quite easily, but if you want to make it even easier, place them in the fridge to cool for about 30 minutes. The cold will steam the skins a little bit more, and the sweet potato's flesh will slide out.
• Test the spice and sweetness before adding the eggs. - Roasted sweet potatoes get sweeter after they are baked. I find it important to test the level of sweetness and the spices of the casserole before adding the eggs to make sure they are balanced. If adjustments are needed, do it now, so you aren't taste-testing raw eggs.
• Watch your marshmallows. - I like to wait and add the mini marshmallows in the last few minutes of baking. Adding them at the beginning can cause them to get overcooked and become crunchy instead of melted and gooey.

Make ahead.

To make this sweet potato casserole ahead of time, you have a few options.

• You can bake the sweet potatoes 1-2 days ahead of time and store them in the fridge.
• If you want to make this casserole completely ahead of time, you can also do that. Just make it, cover it and store it in the fridge for up to two days ahead of time.

Storing leftovers.

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to four days.

Reheating.

You can reheat this sweet potato casserole in a 350-degree oven until warm or warm it up in the microwave in 30-second increments.

Serving suggestions.

Side dish or dessert?

The great debate on whether sweet potato casserole is a side dish or dessert. The answer is going to depend on who you ask. I grew up in the south, and you would most likely get a funny look if you added this dish to the dessert table at Thanksgiving. In our house, it's definitely a side dish, but no matter how you serve it, it's always delicious.

This gluten-free sweet potato casserole is delicious paired with some gluten-free stuffing and gluten-free green bean casserole at Thanksgiving, no matter if you're serving ham or turkey.

More gluten-free side dishes.

📖 Recipe

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #grainfreetable or @grainfreetable on Instagram. I'd love to see what you come up with!