Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

This Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole gives classic Thanksgiving vibes but is way healthier and a perfect weeknight dish.

Creamy sweet potato casserole topped with crunchy oat crumble and chopped nuts, perfect for healthy holiday meals and nutritious side dishes.

Oh, Thanksgiving! It’s a time for family, football, a giant turkey, competing stuffing recipes, an auntie who has had a bit too much wine (and even more opinions), and that inevitable food coma. While the holiday focuses on gratitude and appreciation, let’s be honest—it’s really all about the food. I often find it challenging to come up with a dish that is both slightly healthy and nutritious while still fitting in with the traditional sides of the holiday. After much experimentation, I finally perfected this healthy sweet potato casserole.

Going back about 100 years, one of the first sweet potato casserole recipes was featured circa 1917 to promote a marshmallow company. Including marshmallows was marketed to homemakers as a way to add a light sweetness to dishes without having to make a meringue. Brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter were also key ingredients in the original version and have remained consistent in many subsequent recipes of the sweet potato casserole’s evolution.

Marshmallows did not make the cut for today’s healthy sweet potato casserole recipe; there’s no space for mass-produced artificial sugar puffs in this healthy version. However, this updated version does include classic flavors we love, such as sweet potatoes, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pecans, for a toasty, nutty crunch. The new healthy additions I’ve added are almond milk, oats, and substituting whole-wheat flour for the traditional AP. These ingredients perfectly blend in the oven to create a perfect autumn aroma and a simply delicious, lower-calorie sweet potato casserole.

Sweet potato cubes, oats, eggs, butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, chopped pecans, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and flour on a white marble surface, ingredients for healthy breakfast recipes or protein-rich snacks.

Introducing a new and improved streusel topping

This crunchy, healthier streusel topping isn’t groundbreaking, but it is a significant improvement over the one that Mom used to make with marshmallows, loads of brown sugar, and, like, an entire stick of butter. Our healthy sweet potato casserole topping features whole-wheat flour, rolled oats, pecans, brown sugar, and butter, but we use the last two ingredients sparingly. Since we use cold, cubed butter in the topping, your topping ends up crisp and golden, not dry.

Oatmeal breakfast casserole topped with crunchy oats and nuts in a white baking dish, healthy meal recipe for weight loss and nutritious eating.

How do I store leftovers?

Once your healthy sweet potato casserole has cooled to room temperature, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you are making this dish in advance, do not add the topping until you are ready to reheat and enjoy.

Baked sweet potato casserole with oatmeal topping in a white baking dish on a stove.

Serving suggestions

Of course, healthy sweet potato casserole is perfect for Thanksgiving. It is a lighter option to serve with your Sausage Stuffing, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and tasty Turkey Gravy. However, it is so easy to make that it can easily be a weeknight side dish. Recently, I served this dish with my favorite Balsamic Chicken and mixed greens with this copycat Olive Garden Salad Dressing. Alternatively, pair it with whatever your go-to weeknight protein is, like BBQ Pork Chops, Rosemary Steak, or Dutch Oven Whole Chicken.