The best holiday side dish gets a pretty purple makeover! My purple sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is the sweetest way to bring everyone together at your holiday gatherings. Vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free, it comes topped with marshmallows that bring out the naturally sweet flavors of this iconic root veggie.
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Table of Contents
When I first saw a recipe with purple sweet potatoes my jaw dropped. They are absolutely stunning. I was so excited to make some recipes with purple yam sweet potato at the center. So, I picked some up and made several tasty purple sweet potato recipes including this vegan sweet potato casserole.
I remember growing up, there was always sweet potato casserole at my grandma’s home for Thanksgiving. Back then, you couldn’t really find purple sweet potatoes like you can now. I love that I can take a dish that I remember from my childhood and give it a colorful, plant-based twist. (And make it with significantly less sugar!)
Enjoy this purple sweet potato casserole with vegan marshmallows alongside leek and potato soup, vegetable pot pie, and roasted sweet potatoes and carrots. For dessert try my vegan apple pie or dairy-free pumpkin pie.
Looking for more cozy meal? Check out my collection of vegan dump-and-bake casserole recipes.
Where can I find purple sweet potatoes?
If you’re wondering where you can get purple sweet potatoes, I’ve got you. In the fall and winter, I see them often at stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Safeway, and QFC. If you’re struggling to find them, then I recommend checking out your local Asian store. Where I’m at that would be H Mart.
Nutrition For Mental Health
One cup of purple sweet potatoes contains 41g of carbohydrates (6.6g of fiber), 4g of protein, and 0.3g of fat. It is rich in antioxidants, vitamins A, C, B6, manganese, copper, pantothenic acid, and potassium. Purple sweet potatoes are also a good source of niacin.
As a nutritionist, I love diving into how food can impact your mood! Purple sweet potatoes are high in the antioxidant anthocyanin. A cross-sectional study found that a higher dietary intake of foods rich in anthocyanins is associated with lower rates of depression.
Ingredients + Substitutions
Whether you don’t have an ingredient or want to make a change, these substitutions can help ensure you get this ube casserole with marshmallows ready to go.
- Purple sweet potatoes: These beautifully vibrant sweet potatoes have a naturally sweet flavor and a dense, starchy texture. Did you know that purple sweet potatoes, purple yams, and ube are often used (or at least spoken about) interchangeably? However, they’re not all the same vegetable! Say what!? Ube and purple yams are actually the same thing, whereas purple sweet potatoes are an entirely different plant. While the two are not identical, you can often substitute one for the other to make an ube casserole. Keep in mind that purple yams can be less dense than purple sweet potatoes, so you may need to reduce the amount of milk you add to the purple yam casserole.
- Milk: This recipe for vegan sweet potato casserole with marshmallows uses oat milk. That being said, any milk you have on hand will work, including soy milk, almond milk, homemade cashew milk, or this easy hemp milk recipe. Keep in mind that oat milk is sweeter, though, so once everything is combined, do a taste test and decide if you’d like to add a bit more maple syrup to the mix.
- Ginger: I used fresh grated ginger in this recipe. However, you could substitute ground ginger. Keep in mind that dried herbs and spices are more potent, so if you opt for dried ginger, start with one teaspoon (as opposed to the three teaspoons of fresh minced ginger).
A full list of ingredients with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
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How To Make Baked Purple Sweet Potato Casserole
It couldn’t be any easier to make this vegan sweet potato casserole. And when it’s all ready, your whole home will smell as sweet and lovely as every single bite of it!
- Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.
- Add chopped sweet potatoes to a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until they are fork-tender. Strain potatoes and add to a large mixing bowl (or use the pot you cooked them in).
- Add milk, butter, maple syrup, spices, and salt. Whip with a hand mixer until well combined.
- Spread sweet potato mixture into a baking dish (I used a 7.5 x 6-inch rectangular baking dish). Add mini marshmallows on top and bake for 15-20 minutes. If needed, turn to broil for the last 5 minutes to ensure marshmallows are golden brown.
Storage Tips
A vegan sweet potato casserole in your fridge can make the next few nights of dinner easier than ever. You’ll have up to 5 days to finish it off, though, even as delightful as it is, no one likes eating the same thing every day. To that end, you can put it in an airtight container and freeze it, which allows you to keep it for up to 3 months.
FAQ
Aside from the obvious difference in color, purple sweet potatoes stand out with an even sweeter flavor that is ever-so-slightly nuttier. The texture is also denser, which makes it a dream in this sweet potato casserole recipe.
Purple sweet potatoes can pair well with both sweet and savory flavors. In this vegan sweet potato casserole, I use maple syrup, cinnamon, and cardamom along with plenty of vegan marshmallows to bring out the sweetness. If you’re up for making something savory with them, you could use garlic and rosemary.
While the standard orange sweet potato is a healthy choice full of nutrients, purple sweet potatoes have them beat. They have higher levels of vitamin A and a rich content of antioxidants.
Sweet potato casserole generally contains milk, butter, sweetener, spices, and marshmallows. This vegan version uses dairy-free milk, vegan butter, maple syrup, and vegan marshmallows to provide the perfect flavors and textures of this beloved classic casserole.
Boiling them is best for a casserole like this, as it makes them less wet, allowing you to get that rich, creamy texture that everyone loves about this side dish.
More Vegan Sweet Potato Recipes
If you tried this Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Purple Sweet Potato Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups purple sweet potato, washed, peeled, cubed + water for boiling
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced or finely grated
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon of cardamom
- 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 2 cups mini vegan marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.
- Add chopped sweet potatoes to a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until they are fork-tender. Strain potatoes and add to a large mixing bowl (or use the pot you cooked them in).
- Add milk, butter, maple syrup, spices, and salt. Whip with a hand mixer until well combined.
- Spread sweet potato mixture into a baking dish (I used a 7.5 x 6-inch rectangular baking dish). Add mini marshmallows on top and bake for 15-20 minutes. If needed, turn to broil for the last 5 minutes to ensure marshmallows are golden brown.
Notes
A vegan sweet potato casserole in your fridge can make the next few nights of dinner easier than ever. You’ll have up to 5 days to finish it off, though even as delightful as it is, no one likes eating the same thing every day. To that end, you can put it in an airtight container and freeze it, which allows you to keep it for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
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Reference
Chen, W. L., & Zhao, J. (2023). Association between dietary anthocyanidins intake and depression among US adults: a cross-sectional study (NHANES, 2007-2010 and 2017-2018). BMC psychiatry, 23(1), 525. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05029-8
This was so good!
Thanks so much Alex!