This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This healthy sweet potato casserole is sweet, creamy, perfectly spiced and topped with a crunchy oatmeal pecan streusel topping. You’ll absolutely love this lightened up version of the classic Thanksgiving side dish and you won’t miss the extra sugar and marshmallows!
Looking for another version of sweet potato casserole? Try my cinnamon maple squash casserole!
Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Casserole
Lightened Up – Sweet potato casserole is often heavy on sugar and fat. This lightened up version uses a modest amount of maple syrup in the filling and brown sugar in the streusel. The filling skips the butter and uses plain Greek yogurt to give it a rich flavor and creamy consistency.
Streusel Topping – There’s two ways to make sweet potato casserole. Marshmallows on top or streusel. I’ll pick the crunchy, buttery, pecan oatmeal streusel over marshmallows any day!
Make Ahead – The filling and the topping for the sweet potato casserole can be made a couple day in advance. Store them separately in the fridge and then combine and bake right before serving.
Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes – You’ll want to use orange or red sweet potatoes, not white or purple.
- Maple syrup – Sweetener for the filling.
- Egg – An egg gives the casserole structure and a richer flavor.
- Milk – I used low-fat milk. Use whole milk for a richer casserole. Non-dairy milk can also be used.
- Plain Greek yogurt – Adds creaminess and added protein to the casserole.
- Vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice – Warm, sweet, fragrant spices that flavor the casserole.
- Kosher salt – Salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors in the casserole.
- Old fashioned rolled oats, white whole wheat flour – The base of the streusel topping.
- Dark brown sugar – Regular brown sugar can also be used.
- Pecans – Give the streusel a nice crunch.
- Butter – Butter binds the streusel topping and creates the delicious buttery crumbles.
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with Streusel Topping
This is an overview of the recipe with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Add the sweet potatoes to a pot with cold water and bring them to a boil. Cook until they’re fork tender.
While the sweet potatoes cook, combine the ingredients for the streusel in a bowl. Pour in the melted butter and stir until the mixture looks like wet crumbly sand.
Drain the sweet potatoes and mash them. Add the maple syrup, egg, milk, Greek yogurt, vanilla, and spices in with the sweet potatoes. Continue to mash until everything is mostly smooth, creamy, and well combined. You can also use a hand mixer or stand mixer for a smoother, fluffier, filling.
Pour the filling into a casserole dish and spread the streusel all over the top of the casserole. Bake at 350° F. for 30-40 minutes.
Substitutions
- Swap white whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour.
- Don’t have pecans? Use walnuts or slivered almonds. Omit the nuts for a nut-free sweet potato casserole or use pepitas.
- Butter can be replaced with melted coconut oil.
How to Make Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole
To make this sweet potato casserole gluten-free, simply swap the white whole wheat flour with an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose flour. Check to make sure your oats are certified gluten-free as well.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
Storage – The casserole will keep in an airtight container or in the pan it was baked in covered tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 4 days.
Freezing – Prepare the sweet potato casserole as instructed, but don’t bake it. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil or a lid, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight and allow it to come to room temperature on the countertop before baking it.
Reheating – The casserole can be reheated in the microwave or you can reheat it in the oven at 350° F. until warmed through.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Did you make this sweet potato casserole? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Casserole
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup milk of choice
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, Any fat content works
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/3 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Instructions
- Add the sweet potatoes to a pot and fill it with enough cold water to cover the potatoes. Bring them to a boil and cook until they're fork tender, about 20-30 depending on how big the chunks are.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. While the sweet potatoes cook, combine all of the dry ingredients for the streusel in a bowl. Pour in the melted butter and stir together until the mixture looks like wet crumbly sand.
- Drain the sweet potatoes and mash them in the same pot you cooked them in. Add the maple syrup, egg, milk, Greek yogurt, vanilla, and spices. Continue to mash until everything is smooth, creamy, and well combined. For an extra smooth and fluffy filling use a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Pour the filling into a lightly greased casserole dish. An 8×11'', 9×13'' or deep dish 10'' pie pan will all work. Spread the streusel all over the top of the casserole. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
