Air Fryer Sweet Potato Casserole

If you want to impress the crowd at your next holiday gathering, bring a dish of Air Fryer Sweet Potato Casserole. The fluffy sweet potato filling and crunchy pecan topping will be the star of the show!

This Vegan Air Fryer Sweet Potato Casserole is a decadent dairy-free, gluten-free version of everyone’s favorite sweet potato recipe.

The fluffy sweet cinnamon spiced filling is made with coconut milk for extra creaminess and flavor.

After it’s baked it gets topped with an irresistible brown sugar pecan topping.

Not dairy-free or gluten-free? No problem, use your own favorite butter, milk, and flour.

What You’ll Need

• Sweet potatoes
• Full-fat coconut milk (the canned stuff)
• Brown sugar
• Ground cinnamon

First, Cooking the Sweet Potatoes

This recipe uses diced and boiled sweet potatoes.

They come out super soft, so the texture is perfect for mashing or whipping into a casserole. 

1. Wash and peel your sweet potatoes, then dice them into one-inch cubes. 
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove.
3. Add the sweet potato cubes and boil for 10 minutes, or until soft.
4. Drain the water from the sweet potatoes using a colander before mashing.
5. Allow the sweet potatoes to cool, then scoop the flesh out of the skin before mashing.

Next, Make The Casserole

1. Mash your sweet potatoes in a large bowl using a potato masher or fork.
2. Add brown sugar to the bowl.
3. Measure out 1/2 cup of canned coconut milk, using the cream from the top first, and add it to the bowl.
4. Add ground cinnamon and melted vegan butter to the bowl.
5. Use a fork to mix all of the ingredients until combined.
6. Spread the vegan sweet potato mixture into an oiled oven-safe baking dish, top with topping (directions below), and put into the air fryer basket.

You can use a stand mixer or handheld mixer if you like, but I find that cooked sweet potatoes are soft enough to mash and stir by hand.

Then, Make the Pecan Streusel Topping

It may seem fancy, but making a pecan streusel is super easy. Follow these simple steps to make this yummy streusel topping:

1. Add flour to a large bowl.
2. Then add brown sugar.
3. Add the cinnamon.
4. Pour in melted vegan butter.
5. Use a fork to combine all of the ingredients until the mixture becomes crumbly.
6. Stir in the pecans.

Finally, Put It All Together

After you’re done mixing your pecan streusel topping, all that’s left to do is put everything together. 

1. Sprinkle the pecan crumble topping over the top of your sweet potatoes in an even layer.
2. Use your hands to spread it out if needed.
3. Bake in the oven at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until the middle is set.

Other Toppings Ideas

While I believe this easy vegan sweet potato recipe is best served with the pecan crumble topping, there are some other ways to top it if you don’t like pecans or need to serve nut-free meals.

Marshmallows: Be sure to use vegan marshmallows. Most of the more popular brands of marshmallows contain gelatin, which is made with animal proteins.

Add the marshmallows to the top of the casserole toward the last 5 minutes of baking to brown them, or broil them for 3 minutes or so, making sure to watch closely so they don’t burn.

Crumb topping without nuts: You can omit the pecans and make a simple crumb topping using the instructions for my pecan streusel topping. 

Coconut flakes: You can make a “coconut praline” topping by adding unsweetened flaked coconut to your pecan streusel topping, or your nut-free crumb topping.

It adds a delectable crunch texture to the topping!

Load it up!: If you’re feeling wild, make a “loaded” sweet potato casserole by adding your favorite vegan caramel sauce and a sprinkle of cinnamon to any of the topping ideas above. Yum!