This Sweet Potato Pineapple Casserole is a classic Southern holiday tradition. Sweet potatoes are roasted to rich, creamy perfection. Then, they’re mashed with pineapple and topped with a gluten-free, oil-free pecan streusel topping. Skip the brown sugar and butter. This vegan recipe is naturally sweetened. It tastes like a hug from a Southern Grandma.
What is Sweet Potato Pineapple Casserole?
Sweet Potato Pineapple Casserole was one of those dishes that was always at our Thanksgiving table. It combines roasted sweet potatoes with canned pineapple in a Southern food classic side dish. Traditionally made with brown sugar, butter, and topped with mini marshmallows, it was always a favorite when I was growing up.
This adult version takes the same inspiration and elevates it a notch. I’ve still got the roasted sweet potatoes and crushed pineapple. However, I’ve learned you don’t really need all that extra butter and sugar — the roasting brings out the natural sweetness and creaminess of the sweet potatoes.
Then, instead of marshmallows, I top with a Pecan Cashew Streusel. The nutty crunch from the pecans adds a new layer of flavor.
In short, it’s one of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes.
Ingredients You’ll Need for this Sweet Potato Pineapple Casserole:
- Sweet Potatoes — Organic sweet potatoes or yams are my preference. Choose the biggest ones you can find. They take longer to roast, but there’s less peel to remove
- Pineapple — You can use fresh, frozen, or canned pineapple. My first preference is crushed canned pineapple, in natural juices.
- Ground Cinnamon — Don’t skimp here. Cinnamon adds a natural sweetness reminiscent of the holidays
- Ground Ginger — Ginger adds a subtle “zing” to this recipe
- GratedNutmeg — Use fresh-grated nutmeg for optimal flavor. One of the classic ingredients in egg nog and pumpkin pie spice — essential
- Chopped Dates or Date Pieces — Add natural sweetness to the pecan streusel topping
- Brown Rice Flour — Keeps the streusel gluten-free and crumbly. You can also use oat flour, GF baking mix, or, if gluten isn’t a concern, AP flour or wheat flour
- Pecan Pieces – Chopped pecans add nutty crunch to the pecan streusel topping
- Cashew Butter — Creamy, neutral-flavored cashew butter makes a great substitute for traditional butter in this recipe. If you don’t have it, you can also use sunflower butter or tahini. Avoid peanut or almond butter; their flavors are too strong.
Can I Make This Sweet Potato Casserole Ahead of Time?
Yes! This is a great dish to make ahead of time.
Make the sweet potato pineapple mixture and pecan streusel ahead of time, but package them separately. When ready to reheat, cover the sweet potato casserole and bake in a 350F oven until hot, 25-30 minutes. Remove the cover, add the pecan streusel mix and bake until golden brown, another 10-15 minutes.
Learn how to Roast Sweet Potatoes Here: Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Four Ways – Healthy Meal Prep Recipes and Tips
Is this Freezer-Friendly?
Yes, it’s even freezer-friendly! You can freeze the sweet potato pineapple mixture and pecan streusel separately, up to a month in advance. Then, thaw both overnight in the refrigerator. Follow the same reheat instructions as above.
Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips
Make Extra Streusel Topping: The Pecan Streusel topping can be used for Baked Apple Crumble, Blueberry Crisp, and even Pumpkin Pie Custard. Make extras and store in the freezer. You can crumble over any leftover fruit or custard for an easy, satisfying dessert.
Gluten-Free? All of the ingredients for this recipe are naturally gluten-free. However, if you have a severe sensitivity, be sure to purchase “Certified Gluten-Free” nuts, dates, and brown rice flour. Sometimes these items are produced in facilities along with wheat, which can cause cross-contamination.
No Refined Sugars or Syrups: I’m on a mission to avoid using sugar, maple syrup, and other refined sweeteners. These ingredients leave you feeling hungry and can spike a sweet-tooth craving that pushes you to overeat. For this recipe, whole foods, natural sweetness comes from the roasted sweet potatoes, the pineapple, and dates.
Sweet Potato Pineapple Casserole with Pecan Streusel (Gluten-Free, Date-Sweetened)
You’ll love this recipe for Sweet Potato Pineapple Casserole with Pecan Streusel! It’s
- Whole Foods, Plant-Based
- Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
- Great for the Holidays
- A Healthy Twist on a Southern Comfort Food
- Feeds a Crowd
- Freezer-Friendly
- Make Ahead
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Sweet Potato Pineapple Casserole with Pecan Streusel (Gluten-Free, Date-Sweetened)
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes about 4 pounds
- 1 20-oz can crushed pineapple in juice (no sugar added)
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup pitted dates or date pieces
- 1/4 cup brown rice flour
- 2 tablespoons pecan pieces
- 2 tablespoons cashew butter
Instructions
To roast the potatoes:
- Scrub the potatoes and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 425F until completely tender, about 1 hour – 90 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes. This is plenty of time to make your streusel topping and prep your pineapple.
- The potatoes are done with a knife can easily slide in and out. Remove from oven and let cool. Lower your oven temperature to 350F.
To make the Gluten-Free Pecan Streusel Topping:
- In a food processor, combine the dates and brown rice flour. Pulse 15-20 times, until the dates are roughly chopped. If you don’t have a food processor, you can also chop the dates by hand or with a food chopper.
- Combine the chopped dates with the pecan pieces, cashew butter, and a dash of salt. Use your hands to crumble together, just as you would with a traditional butter streusel topping. You want the streusel to hold together in pea-sized bits. If it’s not sticking, add a tablespoon of water and mix well. Check again. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed, until you get the pea-sized bits. Set aside mixture for later
To make the Sweet Potato Pineapple Casserole:
- In a large bowl, combine the crushed pineapple with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
- When potatoes are cool enough to handle, simply peel off the skins. Add to the bowl with the pineapple spice mix.
- Mash to desired smoothness. For completely creamy, best to use a food processor
- Spread potato pineapple mixture into a 9-inch square or round baking dish. Sprinkle the Pecan Streusel topping over the top. Bake at 350 8-10 minutes, until golden brown on top. Dig in!
Notes
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 12.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 191 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 3 g | 5 % |
| Saturated Fat 0 g | 2 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 1 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 289 mg | 12 % |
| Potassium 854 mg | 24 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 38 g | 13 % |
| Dietary Fiber 6 g | 23 % |
| Sugars 18 g | |
| Protein 3 g | 7 % |
| Vitamin A | 70 % |
| Vitamin C | 33 % |
| Calcium | 4 % |
| Iron | 6 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Shopping and Gear List
- Sincerely Nuts Chopped Dates –
- Vör Pure Cashew Butter
- Medium Pecan Pieces
- Kirkland Saigon Cinnamon
- Organic Ground Ginger Root
- Organic Whole Nutmeg
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