This sweet potato souffle with pecans recipe will enhance any Thanksgiving menu! Creamy sweet potatoes are topped with pecans, cinnamon, coconut sugar and baked to perfection.
I married into this delicious holiday side dish! I was introduced to this sweet potato souffle the first Thanksgiving I spent with my wife and family. So rich, creamy, and sweet, should this be a side dish or a dessert? I will let you decide.
Over the years, I have tweaked this recipe to make it dairy-free, paleo, and refined-sugar-free. Coconut milk, coconut sugar, and ghee help make this recipe healthier.
If you are tired of the same old Thanksgiving side dishes, try this one on for size. I would not be surprised if this is your most requested dish around the holidays! Check out my Healthy Pumpkin Muffins for more fall favorite recipes. Don't forget to check out my Quick Homemade Cranberry Sauce for that must-have condiment.
Are you looking to make your kitchen Paleo and Whole30 friendly? Check out my Healthy Pantry Essentials to see what I keep in my kitchen!
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What makes this sweet potato souffle so good?
- Dairy-Free - coconut milk is used to make this recipe dairy-free. Combine with sweet potatoes for a match made in heaven!
- Refined-Sugar-Free - instead of granulated sugar, maple syrup adds a delicious sweetness with hints of vanilla.
- Freezer Friendly- perfect make-ahead side dish! Simply thaw and bake before your next holiday party.
Sweet Potato Souffle Ingredients
To make this recipe you'll need:
- sweet potaotes
- ghee
- maple syrup
- vanilla extract
- coconut extract
- almont extract
- coconut milk
- eggs
- gluten-free flour
- baking soda
- salt
- pecans
- coconut sugar
- cinnamon
How To Make Sweet Potato Souffle with Pecans
Making a sweet potato souffle is so easy! Here's how we make them:
- Peel, and chop sweet potatoes into a large dice. Place into a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until tender. Tip - done when the knife goes through it like butter.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix chopped pecans, coconut sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Drain sweet potatoes and place them in a mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy in your stand mixer or by hand.
- Add coconut milk, extracts, salt, eggs, maple syrup, gluten-free flour, and baking soda to the mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes or until everything is incorporated.
- Transfer sweet potato mixture to a large ramekin or baking dish. Smooth the top with an offset spatula.
- Sprinkle sugar-pecan topping on the souffle and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Hint: Ensure that the sweet potatoes are cooked through. Undercooked potatoes will result in a grainy texture.
Substitutions for Sweet Potato Souffle
- Butternut Squash - if the market is all out of sweet potatoes or you want to switch things up, butternut squash is a great option. Orange in color and packed with flavor!
- Coconut Oil - butter or ghee can be replaced by coconut oil or vegan butter in this recipe.
- Eggs - I have not tried replacing eggs in this recipe. I am not sure if flax eggs will work.
- Gluten-Free Flour - Any all-purpose flour will work as a replacement for gluten-free flour. Check out my All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour recipe.
- Honey - swap out maple syrup for sugar or honey.
Variations
There are several ways you can customize this souffle. Here are some of our favorite mix-ins:
- toasted coconut
- almonds
- walnuts
- pumpkin pie spice
- marshmallow
How To Store Leftover Souffle
Double this recipe and place souffle ramekins in the freezer.
I like to keep the sugar-pecan topping separate in a ziplock bag and top just before baking.
Transfer to refrigerator 24 hours before baking, so it has time to thaw. Sprinkle with topping and bake.
I like to double this recipe for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Pro Tips
Here are some helpful tips and tricks to make this recipe go smoothly:
- Overcook sweet potatoes - by cooking them to the death, you will ensure a smooth and creamy texture. Undercooked potatoes will produce a grainy souffle.
- While the sweet potatoes are cooking, mix topping. You will have 20-30 minutes of downtime while potatoes are cooking, so get as much prep work done as possible.
- Beat sweet potatoes in a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat potatoes at a medium speed.
- Freeze for the holidays. Before Thanksgiving, I like to make a double batch and freeze in two large ramekins.
To reheat cover the souffle dish with aluminum foil and bring to room temperature. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until heated through. Souffle is heated through when the internal temperature is 165 degrees.
A souffle uses whole eggs or egg whites to make the sweet potatoes lighter and to give them some lift. A souffle has a smooth and creamy texture whereas a casserole is a bit chunky.
You can bake, steam, or boil the sweet potatoes. Whatever cooking method you choose make sure to fully cook the potato. Undercooking the sweet potatoes will yield a grainy souffle.
Other Holiday Favorite Recipes
📖 Recipe
Sweet Potato Souffle with Pecans
Ingredients
- 2 pounds yams cut into pieces
- ¼ cup ghee
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 whole eggs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 ½ tablespoon gluten-free flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Peel, and cut sweet potatoes into large pieces. Place into a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until tender. Drain.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine coconut sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans. Set aside.
- Place cooked sweet potatoes in a bowl of a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment. The texture should be smooth and creamy.
- Add coconut milk, maple syrup, extracts, salt, baking soda, flour, ghee, and eggs. Mix on medium speed for a couple of minutes.
- Transfer mixture to a large souffle dish or ramekin. Using an offset spatula, smooth out the top to make it level.
- Sprinkle the pecan-sugar topping over the souffle. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and serve. Enjoy!