Maple AIP Sweet Potato Casserole

If you ask me, sweet potato casserole is one of those dishes that makes any meal feel special.

This AIP-friendly version keeps all the cozy, comforting flavors you love without the ingredients that might cause trouble. Creamy sweet potatoes get paired with warm spices and a simple coconut-based topping that adds just the right amount of sweetness.

It’s made without dairy, grains, or refined sugar, but still delivers that classic holiday taste. The natural sweetness of the potatoes really shines through, and the coconut flakes on top give it a nice crunch.

It’s a dish that works perfectly for anyone following the autoimmune protocol, and honestly, everyone else at the table will love it too.

What Kind of Sweet Potatoes Should I Use?

For this AIP sweet potato casserole, you’ll want to pick up orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, which are the most common variety you’ll find at the grocery store. These have that classic sweet, creamy texture that works perfectly for casseroles. You can use either the lighter orange ones or the deeper orange varieties – both will give you great results. When selecting your sweet potatoes, look for ones that feel firm and heavy for their size, without any soft spots or wrinkled skin. If you can only find smaller sweet potatoes, just grab a few extra to reach that 2-pound target.

Options for Substitutions

This AIP-friendly casserole has some room for swaps, but keep in mind that some ingredients are key to maintaining the autoimmune protocol compliance:

• Sweet potatoes: You really want to stick with sweet potatoes here – they’re the star of the show and other root vegetables like butternut squash or pumpkin would change the whole dish. Orange-fleshed varieties work best for that classic flavor.
• Coconut milk: Full-fat canned coconut milk is ideal, but if you only have light coconut milk, use it and add an extra tablespoon of coconut oil to make up for the richness.
• Palm shortening: If you can’t find palm shortening, coconut oil works as a substitute – just chill it first so it’s solid when you mix it into the topping.
• Cassava flour: This is pretty important for the AIP compliance and texture, but if you’re not following AIP strictly, you could use almond flour instead (though it won’t be AIP-friendly anymore).
• Arrowroot flour: Tapioca starch can be swapped 1:1 for arrowroot flour if that’s what you have on hand.
• Coconut sugar: You can use additional maple syrup instead, but reduce the coconut milk by a tablespoon or two to account for the extra liquid.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making AIP sweet potato casserole is not cooking the sweet potatoes long enough – they should be fork-tender all the way through, otherwise you’ll end up with lumpy, uneven texture that no amount of mashing can fix.

Another common error is adding the coconut milk while the sweet potatoes are still piping hot, which can cause the mixture to become too thin and watery, so let them cool for about 10 minutes before mixing in your wet ingredients.

When making the topping, be careful not to overmix the cassava and arrowroot flours with the palm shortening – you want a crumbly texture, not a paste, so use your fingers or a fork to gently combine until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Finally, don’t skip the resting time after baking – let the casserole sit for at least 15 minutes before serving so it can set properly and won’t fall apart when you scoop it.

What to Serve With AIP Sweet Potato Casserole?

This sweet potato casserole is perfect alongside your holiday turkey or roasted chicken, where its natural sweetness balances out savory main dishes beautifully. I love pairing it with simple roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts or green beans to keep things AIP-friendly, and maybe some herb-roasted carrots for extra color on the plate. For a complete AIP holiday spread, try serving it with coconut flour dinner rolls or cauliflower mash as additional sides. The maple and cinnamon flavors in this casserole also work great with pork tenderloin or even a simple grilled salmon for a lighter meal.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This sweet potato casserole keeps really well in the fridge for up to 5 days when covered tightly with foil or plastic wrap. I actually think it tastes even better the next day after all those flavors have had time to meld together! It’s perfect for making ahead for holiday gatherings.

Freeze: You can freeze this casserole for up to 3 months, which is great for meal planning during busy seasons. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and then foil, or store it in a freezer-safe container. I like to portion it out into individual servings so I can just grab what I need.

Warm Up: To serve from the fridge, just cover with foil and bake at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes until heated through. From frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge first, then warm it up the same way. You might want to add a few extra minutes if it’s still cold in the center.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	30-50 minutes
Total Time	45-70 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2100-2300
• Protein: 10-15 g
• Fat: 120-140 g
• Carbohydrates: 260-280 g

Ingredients

For the sweet potato layer:

• 2 lb sweet potatoes (about 4–5 medium)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the streusel topping:

• 3 tbsp palm shortening
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar, plus 1 tbsp for sprinkling
• 1/4 cup cassava flour
• 2 tbsp arrowroot flour
• 1/4 tsp salt

Step 1: Boil the Sweet Potatoes

• 2 lb sweet potatoes (about 4–5 medium)

Fill a medium to large pot (at least 3.5 quarts) about halfway with water and bring it to a boil over high heat.

Meanwhile, wash or peel the sweet potatoes as preferred and chop them into medium-sized chunks.

Once the water is boiling, add the sweet potato chunks and cook for 17-20 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces them.

Boiling longer will make mashing easier.

Step 2: Prepare the Streusel Topping

• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp palm shortening
• 1/4 cup cassava flour
• 2 tbsp arrowroot flour

While the sweet potatoes cook, prepare the streusel topping.

In a small bowl, mix the salt, coconut sugar, and palm shortening together until fully incorporated.

Then add the cassava flour and arrowroot flour, mixing again until well combined.

The mixture may have a dough-like consistency, which is perfectly fine.

I sometimes rub the mixture between my fingers to create a few crumbs for a rustic effect.

Step 3: Mash the Sweet Potatoes

• cooked sweet potatoes from Step 1
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 cup coconut milk

Once the sweet potatoes are cooked, drain them thoroughly.

While they are still warm, add coconut oil and coconut milk, and mash together with a spoon, food processor, or mixer until smooth.

For extra creaminess, I sometimes reserve a splash more coconut milk to adjust the texture to my liking.

Step 4: Flavor the Mashed Potatoes

• mashed sweet potatoes from Step 3
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Add ground cinnamon, salt, pure maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the mashed sweet potatoes.

Mix until everything is well incorporated and the mash is smooth and fragrant.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Step 5: Assemble and Bake the Casserole

• mashed and seasoned sweet potatoes from Step 4
• streusel topping from Step 2
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar

Transfer the flavored sweet potato mash into a 9×9 inch baking dish or 10-inch skillet.

Press the mash flat and evenly.

Top with the prepared streusel from Step 2, spreading it out to cover the surface.

Sprinkle an additional tablespoon of coconut sugar over the top.

Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25–30 minutes, or until the streusel begins to brown.

Step 6: Cool and Serve

Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes to allow the streusel to set up.

This resting step really improves the texture!

Serve warm, or store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Reheat individual servings in the oven or microwave as needed.