One of my go-to side dishes this time of year is this maple granola sweet potato casserole that can double as dessert! It’s a delicious, healthified version of the traditional sweet potato casserole, perfect for your Thanksgiving table or holiday party dinners.

Instead of using loads of sugar and butter, this vegan-friendly and gluten-free version is lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup and gets its richness from a few spoonfuls of coconut oil. Feel free to adjust the sweetness according to your liking and substitute organic grass-fed butter for coconut oil for a more “buttery” taste. The topping is a delicious and refined sugar-free granola, whose crunchy texture pairs perfectly with the soft and creamy sweet potato center.

One of my favorite things about casseroles is that you can prepare them ahead of time, store in the fridge, and bake right before you’re ready to serve. If that’s the case, make sure you don’t place the cold dish in a preheated oven cause it can break in a matter of seconds! Take out the casserole dish from the fridge, let it sit on the counter for 10-15 minutes and then place it in the oven. Turn on the oven and let it preheat with the casserole dish inside. Check the casserole after 30-35 minutes and let it cook longer if needed until it starts to get golden brown on top.

Maple Granola Sweet Potato Casserole #glutenfree #dairyfree #vegan #sugarfree Easy Make-ahead Dish for Holiday Parties #Nutriholist

This recipe is part of a series I designed for the latest issue of Nature’s Fare Markets’ Good Life Magazine where you can find a bunch of other healthy holiday sides, desserts, and much more!

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts about this flavorful dish. If you try it out, please leave a comment below and tag me @nutriholist and #nutriholist on Instagram and/or Facebook.

Maple Granola Sweet Potato Casserole

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Mash

  • 4-5 pounds sweet potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (more if desired)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut or almond milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Granola Topping

  • 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
  • 1 cup pecans, walnuts, or almonds
  • 1/4 cup almond flour (or almond meal)
  • 6 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • Pinch of sea salt

Directions

  1. Fill up a large pot with about 2 inches of water and add in the cleaned sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes (depending on the sizes) until potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork. Drain the water and set them aside until cool enough to handle or run cold water over them to quick-cool
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the granola topping: Add all granola ingredients to a food processor and pulse a few times until fully combined but still chunky. Alternatively, you can mix everything in a bowl as long as you chop the pecans first
  3. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Peel the sweet potatoes and add them to the food processor in batches and process until smooth. You can also do this by hand using a potato masher, but a food processor will yield much smoother results. Add the rest of mash ingredients and mix until fully combined
  4. Pour the sweet potato mash into an oven-safe casserole dish, even out the surface with a spatula, and cover with the granola topping, evenly distributed
  5. Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown on top. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes and enjoy!