This gluten and dairy free Sweet Potato Casserole puts the "A" in amazingly delicious! As the hubs says, it's half side, half dessert. The recipe calls for a delicious sweet potato filling, crisp middle layer, and a fluffy marshmallow topping. It's one big gooey, sweet side dish your Thanksgiving table needs! The texture, flavor, and smell of this baked dish will have guests asking for more.
Jump to:
Did you know there are so health benefits of sweet potatoes?!!
Help your guests feel less guilty about eating this delicious bake by sharing some sweet potato health facts! Sweet potatoes:
- are anti-inflammatory
- boosts immunity
- regulate blood sugar levels
- detoxify heavy metals
- ward off cancer
- help you maintain a youthful glow (sign me up!)
- and prevent heart attacks
Sweet potatoes do amazing work in your body so eat up with less guilt!
This dish is crazy easy to make and on Thanksgiving day, we need easy!
Why Make This Side Dish
- It's a sweet side dish that can help cut down on needs for more dessert
- You're enjoying the health benefits of sweet potatoes
- It only takes 20 minutes of prep time then just let it bake
- It's perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holidays yet is simple enough for a weeknight dinner
- This is gluten free and a great dairy-free option for Thanksgiving dinner
Ingredients Notes
Here is where we share the brand info on the ingredients we used. You'll find quantities in the recipe card towards the bottom of the post.
Everyone always asks about brands and there's not enough room in the card to put it all.
- gluten free rolled oats- We use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. We've also used the quick cooking rolled oats.
- gluten free all purpose flour- Our go to for this is Bob's Red Mill Gluten All Purpose Flour Mix. It's batch tested in a third party lab to ensure that it's gluten free.
- brown sugar- we use light brown sugar, but you can trade this out for dark brown sugar if needed. It may change the flavor of this sweet potato mixture a bit.
- ground cinnamon- always ensure your spices are gluten free and dairy free. Unfortunately, some manufacturers have taken to adding hidden gluten in spices.
- dairy-free butter- For many years, we almost exclusively used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks. Recently we have started using Country Crocks Plant Based Butter too
- fresh sweet potatoes
- cranberries - fresh if possible
- mini marshmallows- Dandies is a safe gluten free labeled and dairy free brand of marshmallows. While Kraft Jet Puffed Marshmallows don't contain gluten specifically, they are not labeled as gluten free.
How to Make Gluten Free Sweet Potato Casserole
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a large pot, add sweet potatoes, cover with water and boil until tender.
- While potatoes are boiling, place rolled oats, almond flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a large bowl. Mix well. Measure out 1 cup and put it aside.
- Chop the cranberries. See notes in tips section if you need help doing this.
- When the sweet potatoes are tender, drain the water. Add the chopped cranberries and crumble mixture to the sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Once the mashed sweet potatoes mixture is well-combined place it into an ungreased 1.5 quart casserole dish.
- Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining 1 cup crumble mixture.
- Sprinkle with reserved crumble mixture.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Remove casserole dish from the oven then cover with a single layer of marshmallows. Bake another 10-12 minutes.
- Once finished, remove from the oven and take to the holiday table to enjoy.
Storage
For best results, leftover gluten free sweet potato casserole can be stored in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Make sure to cool the casserole completely before storing it, and reheat it thoroughly before serving.
Can you freeze this side dish?
If you have a large portion of leftovers, you can even freeze the casserole in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with a couple layers of plastic wrap and aluminum foil. It will last in the freezer for 1-2 months.
Variations
Add a crunchy pecan topping. Give this sweet potato casserole recipe a little crunch by adding some crushed pecan ora ny kind of nut topping on top of the marshmallow layers.
Put them in with the marshmallows in the oven and you'll have golden brown fluffy marshmallows with little pieces of crunch on top of the creamy sweet potatoes.
Make it creamier. Make the potato mixture a little creamier by adding some dairy free heavy cream or some full-fat coconut milk.
Tips
- We find it fastest to use a pampered chef food chopper when trying to chop the cranberries. If you don't have a food chopper, you can try a food processor or just chop with a knife and cutting board.
- Be sure to SET A TIMER and be aware and actively check the marshmallow layer in the oven. We have seen people who get distracted (super easy to do on Thanksgiving while prepping so many dishes) and they forget about this dish. Well, if these marshmallows bake for too long, they can catch on fire! So be careful and set a time and check on them a few times if needed.
- Mashing the sweet potatoes by hand is easiest when using a potato masher.
- If you don't want to mix the sweet potato mash mixture by hand, you can use a hand mixer.
- This recipe is easily scaled. If you want to make more, just scale it as needed. You may need a bigger baking dish, or a second one depending on ho wmuch you want to make.
- This dish is not only gluten and dairy free, but it is naturally vegetarian and vegan (check your brand of marshmallows!). Making it a great dish for just about any palate and anybody following a special diet.
When looking for the best sweet potatoes, it's important to select a variety that is perfect for your recipe.
Look for sweet potatoes with smooth skins that are free from blemishes or soft spots.
Additionally, choose sweet potatoes with a medium size as small ones might not have developed enough flavor yet, while overly large sweet potatoes may not cook evenly and could be woody in texture.
Once you've selected the right variety of sweet potatoes, gently press the flesh of the potato to make sure it has some give and is not too firm.
This indicates that the potato has been stored and handled properly. When selecting sweet potatoes, walk past any bags or containers of pre-cut pieces as these can quickly spoil after being cut open.
That's all there is to picking out the best sweet potatoes! With these tips in mind, you should be able to get perfectly cooked and flavorful results every time when using this versatile vegetable.
With this recipe, we have the best of both worlds. We start by boiling until tender and than bake with the rest of the ingredients to give the maximum flavor and texture.
Sweet potato pie is a classic dessert that can be made with either canned or freshly cooked sweet potatoes. It typically consists of a pastry crust filled with a smooth sweet potato filling, usually containing sugar, butter, spices, and eggs.
Sweet potato casserole is a savory dish featuring mashed sweet potatoes and other ingredients. The casserole may also contain toppings such as marshmallows or nuts for crunch.
The versatility of the dish means you can customize it to your preferences. Both dishes bring out the best in the sweet potato's unique flavor and creamy texture.
No, canned yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. Canned yams are a variety of sweet potato that have been grown specifically for canning, whereas sweet potatoes can be any variety.
The texture of canned yams is firmer than the soft texture of cooked sweet potatoes, and they also tend to have a sweeter taste.
Also, canned yams are usually peeled and cut into slices before being canned, while sweet potatoes may or may not be peeled depending on cook preference.
You do NOT want to use canned yams for this delicious sweet potato casserole side dish.
More Gluten Free Thanksgiving recipes
- Thanksgiving Day recipes-- find everything you need to enjoy the Thanksgiving Day food
- You can't have Thanksgiving dinner without having delicious gluten free and dairy free stuffing! Use this Crockpot recipe to maek your classic recipe without tying up the stove or oven.
- chocolate cream pie-- this layered cream pie is a must this holiday season, you won't believe its gluten and dairy free
Enjoy eating this amazing dairy and gluten-free sweet potato casserole side dish on Thanksgiving, any holiday dinner, or anytime of the year! You really can't go wrong with it.
Sweet Potato Bake
Ingredients
- ½ cup gluten free rolled oats see brand suggestion in post
- ½ cup gluten free all purpose flour see brand suggestion in post
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 7 Tablespoons dairy-free butter see brand suggestion in post
- 2 sweet potatoes ours were about 19 ounces each
- 2 cups cranberries coarsely chopped
- 2 cups mini marshmallows see brand suggestion in post
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Boil 2 large sweet potatoes until tender.
- Place rolled oats, almond flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a bowl. Mix well. Measure out 1 cup and put aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato, chopped cranberries, and crumble mixture. Toss well. Turn into an ungreased 1.5 quart casserole dish.
- Sprinkle with reserved crumble mixture.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Then cover with a single layer of marshmallows. Bake another 10-12 minutes.
Notes
- We find it fastest to use a pampered chef food chopper when trying to chop the cranberries. If you don't have a food chopper, you can try a food processor or just chop with a knife and cutting board.
- Be sure to SET A TIMER and be aware and actively check the marshmallow layer in the oven. We have seen people who get distracted (super easy to do on Thanksgiving while prepping so many dishes) and they forget about this dish. Well, if these marshmallows bake for too long, they can catch on fire! So be careful and set a time and check on them a few times if needed.
- Mashing the sweet potatoes by hand is easiest when using a potato masher.
- If you don't want to mix the sweet potato mash mixture by hand, you can use a hand mixer.
- This recipe is easily scaled. If you want to make more, just scale it as needed. You may need a bigger baking dish, or a second one depending on ho wmuch you want to make.
- This dish is not only gluten and dairy free, but it is naturally vegetarian and vegan (check your brand of marshmallows!). Making it a great dish for just about any palate and anybody following a special diet.
- Storage- store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a few days. Get more info in the post.
Make sure to follow us on Instagram and Pinterest to keep up with all our new recipes. Tag us if you make the recipe on IG or share your thoughts by commenting on the pin on Pinterest. If you try this recipe, feel free to give it 5 🌟 below
Lauren
Monday 11th of November 2019
This sounds wonderful! Can you sub tapioca flour or gluten free all purpose flour in place of the almond flour? My LO has an almond allergy.
Jill
Monday 11th of November 2019
Lauren I'm so glad you reached out. Yes absolutely you can substitute fro the almond flour. I'd suggest a gluten free all purpose flour first. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving. Jill
Jill
Monday 26th of November 2018
Thanks for your comment Jennifer! Maybe the marshmallows will win the family over too! Enjoy.