Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk

posted by Alex Aldeborgh, RD on Nov 21, 2023 0 comments »

This vegan whipped sweet potato casserole is incredibly smooth and creamy, but it’s made without any butter or dairy! Instead, we use canned coconut milk to provide richness and creaminess. Using a stand mixer (or a handheld one) ensures light and fluffy whipped sweet potatoes for a versatile, healthy side dish for any meal.

white casserole dish with whipped sweet potatoes with a gold serving spoon

As a Registered Dietitian, I love to put a nutritious spin on classic dishes without compromising on flavor.

While smooth and creamy whipped sweet potatoes are typically made with butter and milk, I opted to make this recipe deliciously dairy free and vegan. Instead of butter and milk, we’re using canned coconut milk.

Canned coconut milk, which has a high fat content, adds richness and creaminess to these mashed sweet potatoes.

Plus, the light coconut flavor perfectly compliments the flavor of sweet potatoes!

To make this recipe, you’ll roast the sweet potatoes in the oven to intensify their natural sweetness, then just whip them in a stand mixer with coconut milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of fresh ginger.

Just like my roasted sweet potato wedges, this whipped sweet potato casserole would be an easy addition to your holiday table – especially if you’re serving guests with dietary restrictions.

This recipe serves 4-5 as a side dish and can be ready to eat in about one hour of mostly hands-off time.

Ingredients

You need just six ingredients to make this recipe:

Sweet potatoes: Regular sweet potatoes are best for making whipped or mashed sweet potatoes. Look for sweet potatoes with orange skin and orange flesh. You might see them sold as Jewel sweet potatoes in stores.
Canned coconut milk: Full fat canned coconut milk has a high fat content and creamy texture, making it an ideal vegan and dairy free substitute for butter and milk. Avoid using reduced fat/lite coconut milk, or coconut milk from a carton, because these will not provide the same richness.
Cinnamon: Warming spices including cinnamon enhance the sweetness of the sweet potatoes.
Nutmeg: Just a little bit of nutmeg adds dimension and compliments the other flavors in this dish.
Fresh ginger: A bit of grated fresh ginger adds a welcome amount of zippy heat.
Salt: Salt is an essential ingredient in recipes that lean on the sweeter side – it enhances the flavors and adds depth and dimension.

This recipe does not call for any added sugar or sweetener.

Because the sweet potatoes are roasted in the oven, their natural sugars are caramelized to intensify their natural sweetness.

If you taste the whipped sweet potatoes and want to make this dish sweeter, add one or two tablespoons of maple syrup.

Kitchen equipment needed

Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Measuring cups and spoons
Stand mixer with whisk attachment, or handheld mixer
Casserole dish for serving

Step-by-step instructions

3 roasted sweet potatoes on parchment paper on a baking sheet — 1. Roast whole sweet potatoes in the oven on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, with a few holes poked into each potato with a fork.

3 roasted sweet potatoes cut in half on a parchment paper lined baking sheet — 2. Cut the sweet potatoes in half when they’re cool enough to handle.

sweet potatoes roasted and cut in half with a spoon scooping out some of the flesh — 3. Scoop out the sweet potato flesh from the skin using a spoon.

whipped sweet potatoes in a stand mixer bowl — 4. Whip the sweet potatoes in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment until well mixed.

whipped sweet potato casserole in a white casserole dish next to a striped tea towel — 7. Transfer the whipped sweet potatoes to a small casserole dish and spread into a smooth layer.

If the sweet potato casserole isn’t warm enough once you assemble it, heat it up in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through.

Storage

Fridge: Store covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

If any liquid separation occurs, just give it a stir.

Reheat individual portions from the refrigerator in the microwave for 30 seconds – 1 minute, until warmed through. Or, reheat the entire casserole in the oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, until completely hot.

Freezer: Store in an airtight container or freezer safe baggie in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Defrost from from frozen in the fridge overnight. Give the defrosted whipped sweet potatoes a stir, then reheat as you would normally.

Serving suggestions

Mashed sweet potatoes are delicious when served simply on their own.

If you’d like to add some crunch or get a little fancy, you can top the sweet potato casserole with toppings, such as toasted pecans, toasted almonds, marshmallows, or a streusel topping (such as the oat streusel topping from this apple pear crisp recipe).

This sweet potato casserole would be a perfect addition to a holiday meal for Thanksgiving or Christmas. You can pre it ahead of time and just reheat in the oven!

Here are some other healthy side dishes for the holidays you can make alongside it:

Sweet potatoes nutrition benefits

Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients! One cup of raw sweet potato provides:

4 grams of dietary fiber (14% of your daily needs)
2.1 grams of plant-based protein
448 mg potassium (10% of your daily needs)
942.97 mcg vitamin A (105% of your daily needs)
1.064 mg pantothenic acid (21% of your daily needs)
0.276 mg vitamin B6 (21% of your daily needs)
0.20 mg copper (22% of your daily needs)
0.343 mg manganese (15% of your daily needs)

Orange sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant compound. Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A in the body, so it has benefits for eye health, skin health, and immunity.

Let me know if you love this post by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!