Holiday & Seasonal
Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole
Whipped sweet potatoes with a little brown sugar and vanilla under a crunchy pecan streusel.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Rest
- 10 min
- Total
- 1 hr 30 min
- Makes
- 8 servings
Times are estimates.
Let’s Get Cooking
Ingredients
For 8 servings
You’ll Need
- Large pot and colander
- Potato masher or hand mixer
- Large bowl and medium bowl
- 2-quart baking dish
- Instant-read food thermometer
Method
Cook the Sweet Potatoes
Put the sweet potato chunks in a large pot and cover them with cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until a fork slides in easily. Drain well and return them to the warm pot for a few minutes so the extra moisture steams off.
Heat the Oven
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 2-quart baking dish with the butter or oil.
Make the Filling
Mash the sweet potatoes until smooth and let them cool for 5 minutes. Beat in the 1/2 cup brown sugar, the 4 tbsp melted butter for the filling, the milk, vanilla, cinnamon and 1/2 tsp salt. Beat in the eggs until the mixture is even, then spread it in the baking dish.
Make the Pecan Topping
In a bowl, stir together the 3/4 cup brown sugar, the flour blend and the 1/4 tsp salt. Stir in the remaining 4 tbsp melted butter until the mixture forms moist clumps, then stir in the pecans. Scatter it evenly over the filling.
Bake
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the topping is browned and the filling is hot in the center. Because the filling contains eggs, check that the center reaches 160°F with a food thermometer.
Rest and Serve
Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving so the topping firms up.
A Little Extra Guidance
Recipe Notes
Ingredient checks, storage, and food handling guidance.
Before You Cook
The sweet potato filling has no flour in it at all. The only gluten-containing part of most versions is the streusel topping, which here uses a gluten-free flour blend. Let the mashed potatoes cool for a few minutes before the eggs go in, so the eggs mix in smoothly instead of starting to cook.
You can assemble the filling a day ahead, cover and refrigerate it, and add the topping just before baking. A cold dish needs extra time in the oven, so check that the center is hot.
Choosing Gluten-Free Ingredients
Check the label on the flour blend. Brown sugar, pecans and vanilla extract are normally gluten-free, but packaged nuts sometimes carry a may-contain-wheat warning, so read those labels too. This recipe contains eggs, dairy and tree nuts. See the FDA guide to gluten-free labels.
Marshmallow Topping Instead
For a marshmallow top, leave off the pecan topping and bake the filling for 25 minutes. Scatter 2 cups of mini marshmallows labeled gluten-free over the top and bake for 5 to 8 minutes more, until they are puffed and golden. Watch closely, because marshmallows brown quickly.
More Holiday Recipes
Rounding out the table? Try our gluten-free gravy, pumpkin pie and apple crisp.
Food Handling and Leftovers
Use a food thermometer and the safe cooking temperature chart. Refrigerate perishable food within two hours, or one hour above 90°F, in shallow containers. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below. Use refrigerated cooked leftovers within 3–4 days; reheat cooked leftovers to 165°F. See USDA leftover guidance.
Browse the gluten-free recipe collection.
Storage and Leftovers
Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven until hot in the center (165°F); the topping softens a little in the fridge.
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