Classic Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
Totally vegan sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows is the best side dish for Thanksgiving! Super easy to make, perfect to prep days in advance, and entirely dairy free, egg free, nut free, and gluten free.
Thanksgiving, if you ask me, is all about the side dishes. Everything from a creamy from scratch green bean casserole, soft and fluffy dinner rolls, amazing cornbread stuffing, and even a refreshing Thanksgiving fruit salad. Those are what make up my favorite parts about Thanksgiving!
But no plate is complete without a big scoop of this classic sweet potato casserole with marshmallows. It’s so sweet thanks to the little bit of brown sugar and cinnamon and topped with vegan marshmallows for that perfect toasty crunch on top.
- Buttery brown sugar sweet potatoes with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla
- Toasty marshmallows on top
- Super easy to prep days in advance of Thanksgiving
- Totally vegan, dairy free, egg free, nut free, and gluten free recipe!
Ingredients
For the full list of ingredients, complete with recipe amounts, please see the recipe box below.
- Sweet Potatoes: You’ll need 3 large or 5 medium/small sweet potatoes for this recipe, or about 2 pounds worth (908g). If you get a large bag of sweet potatoes that has more than you need, you can use them in other recipes like my sweet potato brownies!
- Vegan Butter and Milk: I prefer to use plain unsweetened soy milk in this recipe, finding that things like vegan cream just make this dish too heavy. If you love coconut cream, go ahead and use it, just be aware that it will lend a strong coconut flavor to the final dish!
- Brown Sugar: My favorite is dark brown sugar in this recipe for the deep, rich molasses taste that just goes so well with sweet potato. However, if you only can find light brown sugar, you’ll still get a great flavor. And if you are wanting to be refined sugar free, coconut sugar also works really well here!
- Cinnamon and Vanilla: The flavors and aromatics of this dish just really make it stand out.
- Vegan Marshmallows
Substitutions & Variations
Can I use yams in place of sweet potatoes? You can if you like, I just find I prefer the texture of an orange sweet potato over that of a yam. If using yams, they are slightly drier than sweet potatoes, so I recommend adding a bit more butter and milk when making them.
Want to try something different? Check out my Purple Sweet Potato Casserole recipe made with (you guessed it) purple sweet potatoes!
Want to try other toppings? You can!
- Pecans or pumpkin seeds, chopped and mixed with maple syrup and vanilla sprinkled on top
- Cinnamon streussel topping: flour, cinnamon, maple syrup, and melted vegan butter to make a crumble topping
Instructions
Make sure to check out the recipe card below for the full recipe and ingredient list.
- Boil and mash the sweet potatoes. Start by washing and then peeling your sweet potatoes. Give them a rough chop and boil them on the stove until they’re fork tender. Let them cool for about 15 minutes before draining and mashing. You can mash in a large stand mixer with the paddle attachment, with a hand mixer, or with a hand potato masher (which is what I use).
- Add the remaining ingredients. Add the vegan butter, plant based milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Mix it together well. Transfer it to an 8×10-inch (20×25-cm) baking dish.
- Cover with Marshmallows. Cover the top with marshmallows. If using mini marshmallows, you don’t need to do anything. If you’re using big marshmallows, I find that slicing them in half before placing them on top makes them puff up better.
- Bake and enjoy! Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until the marshmallows get a rich color. Remove from the oven and enjoy!
How to Make Ahead
This is a great dish to make ahead of time!
- 1-2 Days in Advance: Boil the sweet potatoes and mash. Add the remaining ingredients and place in a dish. Don’t cover with marshmallows, keep them separate.
- Day of Serving: Transfer the casserole to a baking dish and top with the marshmallows. Bake as directed.
How to Store
Fridge: Store any leftover casserole in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: After assembling, store the casserole in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before bringing the casserole to room temperature (so your baking dish doesn’t break!) and baking as directed.
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Equipment
- 8×10-inch baking dish (20×25-cm)
- Chef’s knife and cutting board
- Large pot
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls and spoons
- Stand mixer or potato masher
Ingredients
- 3 large sweet potatoes
- 2 cups marshmallows
- 1/4 cup vegan butter melted
- 1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon half to 1 depending on taste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Cook the sweet potatoes. Wash, peel, and roughly chop the sweet potatoes. Place in a large pot of water on the stove and boil until fork tender, about 30 minutes at a rolling boil. Drain and place into a large mixing bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Make sure the oven rack is in the center of the oven.
- Combine. Mash the sweet potatoes using your stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with your hand masher. Add the vegan butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and optional splash of vanilla. Transfer to the baking dish and smooth the top down. Cover with marshmallows.
- Bake. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes or until the marshmallows are lightly browned on top. If they are browning too quickly, you can make a tent of aluminum foil. Just spray the foil first so the marshmallows don’t stick. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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