Marshmallow-Topped Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

This vegan sweet potato casserole is a scrumptious, dairy-free spin on the classic, featuring creamy coconut milk, toasty spices, crunchy pecans and fluffy toasted vegan marshmallow topping.

I had big plans to make homemade vegan marshmallows for this casserole, but they didn’t pan out. In hindsight, it was kind of silly idea. I’ve tried making vegan marshmallows before and failed. In fact, I kind of suck at the whole candy-making thing. Even back in middle school when I was a superstar in most aspects of my cooking class, I couldn’t seem to manage candy unless it was something super simple. Thermometers and soft boil stages and all that stuff didn’t work for me.

But yeah, for a little while there I thought it would be brilliant to make this a two-part recipe, with part one being the marshmallows (because you could use them for all kinds of stuff with the approaching holidays), and part 2 being the casserole.

A couple hours, lots of cursing, marshmallow goo in my hair, and a melted candy thermometer later, I decided maybe the marshmallow thing was a terrible idea. At least for me it was. Somebody braver than I can try to supply you guys with the marshmallow component of this recipe. Or you can go buy a bag of vegan marshmallows. Because it seems they’re no longer a luxury, but Dandies are pretty widely available and I hear rumors that Trader Joe’s makes their marshmallows gelatin-free now too.

Plus, had I mastered and posted the recipe, it’d still be a huge pain for anyone that decided to make it. And how many of you guys would end up cursing and melting thermometers and getting a bunch of candy goo in your hair? We can’t have that.

So, let’s talk about the rest of the casserole.

This one made some appearances at Thanksgiving when I was growing up, but that was after I stopped eating gelatin, so I never tried it. It always seemed pretty over-the-top, and now that I’ve made a vegan version and tasted it, I can confirm that it is. But it’s so freaking good.

I spent some time scoping out recipes for traditional versions of the dish online and most of them have a lot of sugar. This one does too, but not quite as much. I’m not sure I could handle the normal version.

I also used maple syrup for this one, because it’s perfect with sweet potatoes and pecans. And instead of butter I went with coconut milk, which made the sweet potatoes so creamy and delicious. A good amount of spices, some pecans, and then the marshmallows on top. It’s been a long time since I had a marshmallow, and really long since I had a toasted one, but boy oh boy, I get what all the fuss is about now.

Wondering what to serve with these sweet potatoes? I highly recommend my vegan meatloaf as a main dish and these Brussels sprouts to round out the meal with some green.

4.67 from 3 votes

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Marshmallow-Topped Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

This vegan sweet potato casserole is a scrumptious, dairy-free spin on the classic, featuring creamy coconut milk, toasty spices, crunchy pecans and fluffy toasted vegan marshmallow topping.

Course Side

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 8

Calories 304 kcal

Author Alissa Saenz

Ingredients

• 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional but really nice)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans, divided
• 3 cups vegan mini marshmallows

Instructions

1. Place the sweet potatoes into a large pot and cover with water. Place over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Allow to cook until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain them into a colander and return them to the pot.

2. Preheat the oven to 400°.

3. Mash the sweet potatoes well with a potato masher, then add the coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom and salt. Stir everything until well blended and creamy. Taste test and adjust any seasonings to your liking. Stir in 3/4 cup of pecans.

4. Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a 9 x 9 inch baking dish and smooth out the top with a spoon. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of pecans, then top with marshmallows.

5. Bake 20 minutes, or until the marshmallows are slightly melted and browned on top. 

6. Serve.

Nutrition Facts

Marshmallow-Topped Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

Amount Per Serving

Calories 304 Calories from Fat 44

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4.9g 8%

Saturated Fat 1.4g 7%

Sodium 168mg 7%

Potassium 1432mg 41%

Total Carbohydrates 62.2g 21%

Dietary Fiber 7.8g 31%

Sugars 10.8g

Protein 3.2g 6%

Calcium 3%

Iron 7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.