Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans and Honey

My most favorite Thanksgiving dish… oh, I’m getting giddy… is the sweet potato casserole! I could probably eat one whole 9×13 pan by myself.

This healthy sweet potato casserole blends roasted sweet potatoes with honey, vanilla almond milk, eggs and cinnamon until silky, then bakes it under a crunchy pecan and brown sugar topping. Trust me, no one in your family will even know it’s healthy.

The Best Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole (Creamy, Crunchy and Honey Sweetened)

I have loved creating Thanksgiving dishes this week. I’m just preparing and stretching my stomach for the big day. I LOVE Thanksgiving!

How could you not love the creamy and sweet texture topped with crunchy pecans and brown sugar? I may or may not have made two so I could freeze one for a later (most likely sooner) date!

Trust me, no one in your family will even know it’s healthy. I love “health punking” people! My goal is to health punk every meal, and I’ve been doing it for years on my husband.

The filling is sweetened with honey or agave instead of a pile of sugar and gets its creaminess from vanilla almond milk instead of cream.

The sweet potatoes are baked whole until they are completely soft, which brings out their natural sweetness, then blended smooth so the filling is velvety with no stringy bits. The topping is where the classic flavor lives: brown sugar, a little butter, whole wheat pastry flour and plenty of chopped pecans baked until golden.

Okay, enjoy the healthy sweet potato casserole with your eyes while I go enjoy another helping with my mouth.

Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Casserole

• Healthier but still indulgent. Honey or agave sweetens the filling, and nobody at the table will guess it’s lighter.
• Silky filling. The blender turns roasted sweet potatoes into a smooth, creamy base in seconds.
• Crunchy pecan topping. Brown sugar, butter and pecans bake into a golden, crumbly crust.
• Make one to freeze. It’s easy to double, so you can stash a second pan for later.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here is what goes into this sweet potato casserole with pecans and what each ingredient does. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Sweet potatoes: Four to five medium ones. Baking them whole concentrates their sweetness and makes the flesh soft enough to blend perfectly smooth. Choose firm potatoes with smooth skin and no soft spots.
• Honey or agave: Sweetens the filling instead of white sugar. Honey adds a warm, floral note, while agave tastes more neutral. Use whichever you prefer. Both blend easily into the warm potatoes and help keep the filling moist.
• Vanilla almond milk: Thins the potatoes into a creamy, pourable filling and adds a hint of vanilla without heavy cream.
• Eggs: Two large eggs set the filling as it bakes so it slices and scoops cleanly instead of staying loose. Let them sit out for a few minutes so they blend in smoothly with the warm potatoes.
• Vanilla and cinnamon: Classic warm flavors that make the casserole taste like the holidays. A little cinnamon goes a long way.
• Brown sugar: The topping’s sweetness. It melts and caramelizes in the oven, giving the crunchy crust its deep, toasty flavor.
• Whole wheat pastry flour: Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour is what I used. It binds the butter and sugar into crumbly clusters, and its fine texture keeps the topping tender rather than gritty.
• Butter: Soft butter mixes easily into the sugar and flour. It is what turns the topping golden and gives it that rich, crumbly bite.
• Pecans: Chopped pecans add crunch and a buttery, nutty flavor that balances the sweet filling. Chop them fairly small so they spread evenly over the top and every scoop gets some crunch.

How to Make Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

1. Bake the sweet potatoes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash the sweet potatoes and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until they are soft all the way through when pierced with a knife. The skins will look wrinkled and you may see some syrupy juices on the pan.
2. Cool and peel. Remove them from the oven and let them cool for 10 to 15 minutes, until they are easy to handle. The skins should slip right off.
3. Blend the filling. In a blender, add the peeled sweet potatoes, honey or agave, milk, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, with no lumps left. The filling should be thick but pourable, about the texture of a pumpkin pie filling.
4. Fill the pan. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking pan with olive oil cooking spray. Pour in the sweet potato mixture and smooth the top with a spatula.
5. Make the topping. Combine the brown sugar, flour, butter and pecans until the mixture looks like coarse, clumpy crumbs. Sprinkle it evenly over the top.
6. Bake. Reduce the oven to 350°F and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is set around the edges. Your kitchen will smell like cinnamon and toasted pecans. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving so the filling can finish setting.

This will be perfect with the other Thanksgiving dishes I have created for you. Have you already checked out my fabulous turkey recipe?

Sweet Potato Casserole FAQs

• Can I make it ahead? Yes. Bake the sweet potatoes and blend the filling a day ahead, then keep it covered in the fridge. Add the topping just before baking so it stays crunchy.
• Can I freeze sweet potato casserole? Yes. I may or may not have made two just so I could freeze one. Cool it completely, wrap it well and freeze. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat until hot in the center.
• How long do leftovers last? Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a covered container and eat them within 3 to 4 days.
• Can I use canned sweet potatoes? This recipe was written for fresh baked sweet potatoes, which give the best flavor. If you try canned, drain them well so the filling isn’t watery.
• Can I use a different milk? Vanilla almond milk is what the recipe calls for. Another milk will work, though you may want a little extra vanilla.
• How do I know when it’s done? The topping should be golden brown and the filling set, after about 30 to 35 minutes at 350°F.
• Is this a side dish or a dessert? It’s a Thanksgiving side dish, but with its honey sweetened filling and brown sugar topping, nobody will complain if you call it dessert.
• Can I use regular whole wheat flour in the topping? Yes. Whole wheat pastry flour is finer, but regular whole wheat flour still binds the butter and sugar into crumbs.
• Can I skip the pecans? You can, but you’ll lose the crunch. The brown sugar topping is still delicious on its own.

Honey Sweet Potato Casserole

Healthy sweet potato casserole made with baked sweet potatoes blended with honey, vanilla almond milk, eggs and cinnamon. It is creamy and sweet under a crunchy pecan and brown sugar topping.

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Ingredients

  

• 4 to 5 medium sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup honey or agave
• 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Topping:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour I used Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• 1/4 cup soft butter
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash sweet potatoes and place on baking sheet. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes until soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before peeling.
• In a blender, add peeled sweet potatoes, honey/agave, milk, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon. Blend until smooth.
• Light spray 9x13 baking pan with olive oil cooking spray. Pour sweet potato mixture into prepared pan.
• Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle evenly over the top.
• Reduce oven to 350 F and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until top is golden brown.

Made this casserole? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell me in the comments who you health punked with it. I love hearing about your holiday tables.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Thanksgiving Turkey
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Classic Bread Stuffing
• Apple Sausage Stuffing
• Healthy Pumpkin Pie