Description
This Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping is a classic comforting dish perfect for holiday gatherings or cozy dinners. Featuring tender mashed sweet potatoes blended with maple syrup, vanilla, and warm spices, it’s topped with a crunchy, buttery pecan and oat praline that adds the perfect sweet and nutty contrast. Baked to a golden brown finish, this casserole offers a delightful balance of creamy and crisp textures in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 to 6 medium)
- Olive oil spray
- 1/2 cup fat free milk (or dairy-free milk alternative)
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
Topping
- 2/3 cup pecans or walnuts (coarsely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
- 1/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats (or gluten-free oats)
- 3 tablespoons brown monk fruit sweetener (or brown sugar)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
Instructions
- Preheat and Bake Sweet Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Using a fork, prick each sweet potato several times and place them on a sheet pan. Bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced. Set aside to cool enough to handle safely.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Lightly spray a 9 x 9 inch pan, 9 inch pie pan, or 2-quart baking dish with olive oil spray and set aside.
- Mash Sweet Potatoes: Once cooled, peel the sweet potatoes and place the flesh in a large mixing bowl. Mash thoroughly using a fork or potato masher until smooth.
- Mix Filling Ingredients: Add fat free milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, and beaten eggs to the mashed sweet potatoes. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is uniform and well combined.
- Transfer Filling to Dish: Pour the sweet potato mixture into the greased baking dish, smoothing the top evenly with a spatula to create a uniform surface.
- Prepare Praline Topping: In a medium bowl, combine the chopped pecans or walnuts, flour, rolled oats, brown monk fruit sweetener (or brown sugar), ground cinnamon, and kosher salt. Stir in the melted butter or coconut oil until all ingredients are well combined and crumbly.
- Add Topping to Filling: Evenly sprinkle the praline topping mixture across the sweet potato filling in the baking dish, covering the surface completely.
- Bake Casserole: Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the topping turns golden brown and crisp.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for at least 5 minutes to set before serving. Enjoy warm as a delicious side or dessert.
Notes
- The sweet potato skins are discarded after baking and peeling.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute milk with a plant-based alternative and use coconut oil in the topping.
- Brown monk fruit sweetener can be replaced with brown sugar if preferred.
- Ensure sweet potatoes are fully cooked through for optimal texture in the casserole.
- Use gluten-free flour and oats to make the dish gluten-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 of casserole (~200g)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
