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Are there any foods out there that you have a distinct memory of eating for the first time? For me, one of those foods is sweet potato casserole. I remember being at my grandma’s house for the family Thanksgiving dinner. The spread was massive, and it seemed even more massive as a kid. I remember sitting at my grandma’s house, trying the sweet potato casserole on my plate and falling in love with the delicious sweet and warm flavors. After that, I would look for it every year. This AIP Sweet Potato Casserole takes me straight back to the holidays at my grandma’s house and is a great AIP side dish and a perfect AIP Thanksgiving recipe.
I may be biased, but I think AIP Sweet Potato Casserole is even better than the original. Ok, hear me out. I used to have an intense sweet tooth, I still do love sweets, but I have lost the ability to eat spoonfuls of sugar in my foods. Sweet potato casserole is delicious, but now it always seems a little TOO sweet. You know what I mean?
In AIP Sweet Potato Casserole the maple syrup and coconut sugar naturally compliments and enhances the flavor of the sweet potatoes without making the sweet flavor too intense and overbearing. The potatoes are topped with a simple streusel that is sweet and crispy and adds a nice texture to this AIP side dish. It’s a pretty simple AIP side dish to make and is a definite must AIP Thanksgiving recipe or AIP holiday recipe.
Tips for making This AIP Thanksgiving Recipe
Do I need to peel my sweet potatoes for this AIP Sweet Potato Casserole?
It really depends on your personal preference. I like a little texture in my sweet potato casserole and keeping the peel on adds to the texture. Keeping the peel on the potatoes also cuts down on prep time and adds a little extra nutrients. If you keep the peels on, it is easier to use a large food processor to mash the potatoes. But If you prefer a smoother texture in your sweet potato casserole, then you should peel the potatoes.
How do I mash the potatoes in this AIP side dish?
It depends on what you have available and what kind of texture you like. I like a little bit of a texture, so I just used a wooden spoon to mash the potatoes. If you like smooth potatoes then you can use a food processor, just be careful not to over process as this can make them gummy or sticky, You can also use a hand mixer to mash your potatoes for a smoother texture.
Tips on making this dish the perfect AIP Thanksgiving recipe!
There are a couple things you can do to make sure this AIP Thanksgiving recipe comes out perfect! First thing is to boil your sweet potatoes long enough. The softer they are, the easier they will be to mash. So make sure to turn up the heat on your stove to high to get the potatoes boiling and cook for at least 17 minutes, but 20 is even better. Next, When you mash the potatoes, don’t over mash them as it can give them a gummy texture and that is not tasty. For the streusel, make sure to use a good quality Cassava flour to ensure the texture is crispy. I really like Otto’s Cassava flour. My recipes always turn out good when I use them.
Let's make some AIP Sweet Potato Casserole
When making this AIP Thanksgiving recipe, the first thing you will want to do is take a medium to large pot and fill it about halfway with water. A 3.5 quart pot or larger will work well. Set it on the burner on high heat with a lid on to get the water boiling.
While the water is heating, wash or peel your sweet potatoes (reference here for notes on which to do), and chop the potatoes into medium sized chunks. Once they are chopped, add them to the pot and let them cook for 17-20 minutes or until you can easily spear them with a fork. The longer you boil them, the easier they will be to mash.
While the potatoes cook, in a small bowl, mix the streusel. Start by mixing the salt, sugar, and palm shortening together. Mix until fully incorporated.
Next, add in about half of the flour to the butter and sugar mixture and mix again until the flour is well combined then repeat until all the ingredients are combined. The streusel may come out more dough-like than a crumbly streusel, but it probably just means the oil got too warm. You can stick it in the fridge to help it be more crumbly.
When the potatoes are done cooking, take them off the burner and drain the hot water from the potatoes. Next, mash the potatoes. Add the coconut oil and coconut milk to the sweet potatoes and mash with a wooden spoon, food processor, or mixer.
Once the potatoes are well mixed add in the cinnamon, salt, and maple syrup. Mix again until everything is well incorporated and the potatoes are at the consistency you like. Be careful with a food processor and mixer not to over mix the potatoes as that will make them gummy and sticky.
Add the mashed sweet potatoes to an 9×9 baking dish or use a 10.25 inch skillet (this is the one I use and I LOVE it!). Press the potatoes flat, then add the streusel on top. Finally sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar.
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes or until the streusel starts to brown.
When you take the casserole out of the oven, the streusel will be soft, so let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving to allow the streusel to set. You can also store this in the refrigerator for up to a week and heat it back up in the oven or microwave when you want to serve it.
If you liked this AIP Thanksgiving recipe you should check theses out!
AIP Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
Sweet potatoes
- 2 lbs Sweet potatoes about 4-5 potatoes
- ½ Cup Coconut milk
- 3 Tablespoons Coconut oil
- ¼ Cup Maple syrup
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- ½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
Streusel
- 3 Tablespoons Palm shortening
- ¼ Cup Coconut sugar (plus 1 tablespoon for topping)
- ¼ Cup Cassava flour
- 2 Tablespoons Arrowroot flour
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Start with medium to large pot (3.5 quart+) and fill it about halfway with water. Set it on the burner on high heat to get the water boiling.
- While the water is heating, wash or peel your sweet potatoes (reference the notes on which to do) and chop into medium sized chunks. Once they are chopped, add them to the pot and let them cook for 17-20 minutes or until you can easily spear them with a fork. The longer you boil them, the easier they will be to mash.
- While the potatoes cook, in a small bowl, mix the streusel. Start by mixing the salt, sugar, and palm shortening together. Mix until fully incorporated. Next, add in the flour to the butter and sugar mixture and mix again until the flour is well combined. It may come out more dough like than crumbly streusel, but that is ok.
- When the potatoes are cooked, take them off the burner and drain the water from the potatoes. Add the coconut oil and coconut milk to the potatoes and mash with a spoon, food processor, or mixer.
- Once it is well mixed add in the cinnamon, salt, and maple syrup into the potatoes. Mix again until everything is well incorporated.
- Add the mashed sweet potatoes to an 9X9 baking dish or use a 10 in skillet. Press the potatoes flat, then add the streusel on top. Finally sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar.
- Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes or until the streusel starts to brown.
- When you take it out of the oven, the streusel will be soft, so let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving to allow the streusel to set. You can also store this in the refrigerator for up to a week and heat it back up in the oven of microwave.
