Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole – a simple, paleo-friendly side dish for Thanksgiving. This healthy potato casserole is made entirely in the pressure cooker, saving you valuable oven space. No pre-boiling of the potatoes required!
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MY FAVORITE SWEET POTATO SIDE DISH
When it comes to Thanksgiving recipes, the side dishes will always be my favorite. As much as we love a good roasted turkey, my kids will gladly pile up their plates with some brussels sprouts, carrots and of course some butternut squash.
This Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole is another updated version of our popular Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole. It comes together easily in the pressure cooker without taking up precious oven or stove space during the busy holiday season.
Plus, it’s gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, and can be made either paleo or vegan (simply leave out the egg or use an egg substitute).
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE:
This healthier sweet potato casserole starts off with a smooth and creamy sweet potato puree.
- Start off by prepping your sweet potatoes (peel & cut them into rough 2″ or so pieces) and place them in the Instant Pot along with the water.
- Seal the lid and turn the valve to “sealing”.
- Press the MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK (High) for 8 minutes (it will take approx. 10 minutes or so to get up to pressure).
- Once the potatoes are cooked, do a quick release by pushing the valve to VENTING using a long wooden spoon. Open the lid and test to make sure potatoes are done by poking one with a knife. If they’re not done, put the lid back on and cook them on high pressure for another 2 minutes.
- Carefully take the inner cooking pot out of the Instant Pot and drain the liquid.
Add the milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and egg to the drained sweet potatoes. Using a potato masher or immersion blender, mash the potatoes until they are smooth. Add more milk (1/2 tablespoon at a time) if mash seems too thick. Smooth the surface.
- In a large bowl, combine pecans, oil, maple syrup, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.
I’ve included TWO OPTIONS depending on how you want to serve this healthy sweet potato casserole.
TO SERVE DIRECTLY FROM THE INSTANT POT:
- Spread the pecan mixture over the sweet potato mash. Set Instant pot to SAUTE (less) and cook for 5-10 mins or until the potatoes are heated through and the top becomes bubbly. Keep the sweet potatoes on ‘keep warm’ mode until ready to be served.
TO SERVE IN A CASSEROLE DISH:
Transfer sweet potatoes into a casserole dish. Spread the pecan mixture over the sweet potato mash. Bake for 8-10 minutes in a preheated oven at 400°F, or until browned and bubbly.
IS SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE VEGAN?
You can make this vegan sweet potato casserole with eggs or without. I’ve tested the recipe both ways and they each turned out great.
The eggs (or an egg sub), help to bind everything together and give the sweet potato casserole extra volume and structure.
IS SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE HEALTHY?
Most traditional sweet potato casseroles include brown sugar and marshmallow topping. This recipe does not include the marshmallows and we use maple syrup for the sweetener. Feel free to use coconut sugar, honey (if not vegan), coconut nectar or even a low carb sweetener of like monkfruit, SWERVE, erythritol or stevia if you like.
You can even make this pressure cooker sweet potato casserole ahead of time. And since it’s healthier, that means you’ll have extra room to enjoy a slice of this delicious keto pumpkin pie.
A FEW HELPFUL NOTES FOR THIS SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE:
- Make it ahead – you can make the mashed potatoes the day before. Just mix up the topping right before you cook it in the slow cooker.
- If you’re going egg-free – just leave out the egg. It will still tastes great but the texture will be a bit looser and more like a puree than a cohesive mash. Use a little less milk for a thicker mash or use a chia egg or egg-sub.
- Toasting the pecans adds that extra-special touch of flavor and can be done ahead of time in the oven or on the stove for a few minutes
MORE HOLIDAY SIDE DISHES:
Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic
Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole - a simple, paleo-friendly side dish for Thanksgiving. This healthy potato casserole is made entirely in the pressure cooker, saving you valuable oven space. No pre-boiling of the potatoes required!
- 2 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes , (about 4-5 medium) peeled and chopped into 2
- 1 cup water or vegetable broth
- 2-3 tablespoons milk , plus more as needed, I usually use unsweetened almond or cashew milk
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil , softened (can also sub with ghee or vegan butter)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg , lightly beaten (leave out for vegan or use egg substitute)
- 1 1/2 cups toasted pecans , roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 2-3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup , or more depending on how sweet you want this
- 2 Tablespoons almond flour , or all purpose or all purpose flour for non-paleo versionflour for non-paleo version
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Prep your sweet potatoes (peel & cut them into rough 2" or so pieces) and place them in the Instant Pot along with the water.
- Seal the lid and turn the valve to "sealing".
- Press the MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK (High) for 8 minutes (it will take approx. 10 minutes or so to get up to pressure).
- Once the potatoes are cooked and you hear the beeping sound, do a quick release by pushing the valve to VENTING using a long wooden spoon. Carefully open the lid and test to make sure potatoes are done by poking one with a knife. If they're not done, put the lid back on and cook them on high pressure for another 2 minutes.
- Carefully take the inner cooking pot out of the Instant Pot and drain the liquid.
Add the milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and egg to the drained sweet potatoes. Using a potato masher or immersion blender, mash the potatoes until they are smooth. Add more milk (1/2 tablespoon at a time) if mash seems too thick. Smooth the surface.
- In a large bowl, combine pecans, oil, maple syrup, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.
- Spread the pecan mixture over the sweet potato mash. Set Instant pot to SAUTE (less) and cook for 5-10 mins or until the potatoes are heated through and the top becomes bubbly. Keep the sweet potatoes on 'keep warm' mode until ready to be served.
Transfer sweet potatoes into a casserole dish. Spread the pecan mixture over the sweet potato mash. Bake for 8-10 minutes in a preheated oven at 400°F, or until browned and bubbly.
denise -
omg, this was amazing! thanks
April g -
This was the best sweet potato casserole i have ever had. It was a hit with all of oUr THANKSGIVING guests and my husband’s favorite dish of the day!
Helen -
Wow! This was so delicious 🙂 Thank YOU
Maria -
I just made this today at work for a holiday feast & it was delicious! All of my coworkers loved it. I Brought my instant pot to work and made everything right there (I prepped all of the ingredients the night before so it all came together very easily)! Thanks!