This delicious sweet potato pie recipe balances savory with sweet to create a dish that everyone craves. Serve it as a side dish or as a dessert with a few minor recipe changes.
One of our favorite traditions when it comes to family gatherings is, by far, doing what we call recipe "makeovers". It's actually something we do all the time on the blog, but it's particularly fun to do with traditional Holiday recipes. We either give them a fun twist or modify them to make them suitable for people who have dietary restrictions. We can make them vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, lower in fat... You know, all that fun stuff. And the main reason we do it is that so many people have to follow special diets nowadays... And a lot of them don't even know where to start.
For us, the most fulfilling part of it is being able to help people, by creating recipes that EVERYONE can enjoy.
Like our easy sweet potato pie recipe.
How is This Sweet Potato Pie Different?
Most homemade sweet potato pie recipes call for dairy products and eggs for the filling. Here we made it vegan (and lower in fat!) by simply using sweet potatoes, warm spices, and a little corn starch as a thickener. Make it gluten-free by using a gluten-free crust or by preparing your own homemade crust by mixing gluten-free oats and pecans. And for the final twist, we made it sweet and savory with a little kick, just for fun, so the amount of sugar is lower and can be enjoyed as a side dish for your main meal.
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Pie
- Sweet Potatoes.
- Onion.
- Maple Syrup.
- Balsamic Vinegar.
- Cornstarch.
- Plain Unsweetened Plant-based Milk.
- Turmeric.
- Cinnamon.
- Ground Ginger.
- Cumin.
- Aleppo Pepper. Or hot red pepper flakes. This is optional.
- Pie Crust.
Ingredients for the Topping
- Pecan Halves.
- Brown Sugar.
- Cinnamon.
How to Make Sweet Potato Pie
Making a sweet potato pie begins with roasting the sweet potatoes.
How to Roast Sweet Potatoes
To roast the sweet potatoes, wash them first. You do not need to peel the potatoes since the flesh will be easy to scoop from the skins. Once washed, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake them at 425ºF for 45-60 minutes or so until they are fork tender.
While the sweet potatoes are baking, sauté the other ingredients and prepare the crust. Then mash the roasted sweet potatoes and mix them with the other ingredients. Press the mixture evenly into the pie crust and top with the pecan topping spread evenly. Bake and enjoy!
Variations for a Side Dish or Dessert
Now if the idea of a vegan sweet potato pie appeals to you, but you would like to use it as a dessert, all you need is a couple of simple changes, and done!
- Use sweetened vanilla plant-based milk beverage instead of unsweetened.
- Add ¼ to ½ cup light brown sugar to the filling when processing, depending on how sweet you want the filling to be. Remember, no raw eggs here, so you can taste it as you go!
- Add 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Sauté a finely grated medium apple instead of the onion.
- Add an additional tablespoon of brown sugar to the topping and skip the black pepper.
- Nutmeg or a tiny bit of cloves would be a nice addition to the sweetened version as well.
And voilà! There you have it. 2 recipes in one 🙂
How to serve the sweet version: add whipped cream and serve it just like you would pumpkin pie.
Tips and Tricks
- If you are using already mashed sweet potatoes use about 2 ½ cups. You can also substitute this with butternut squash or pumpkins.
- The sweet potatoes just need to be soft. I think roasting them is the easiest method, but you can also dice and boil them or put them whole in an Instant Pot for 20 minutes on high pressure.
- You can use a potato masher to mash the sweet potatoes, but the texture of the pie may be improved if you use an electric mixer.
FAQ
Do you put eggs in sweet potato pie?
Traditionally, yes. However, our recipe gives you an incredibly tasty egg-free version your entire family can enjoy.
Does sweet potato pie have any nutritional value?
Any version of this pie will have the same amount of nutritional value as a baked sweet potato and roasted nuts. The nutritional value of these items doesn't disappear when you add sugar or other ingredients.
Our sweet potato pie is not old-fashioned but is healthy with little sugar and a whole lot of flavor.
Can sweet potato pie sit out overnight?
Regardless if your sweet potato pie is made with eggs and milk, or if is it's vegan like this one it should be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated. It will keep longer if it is stored in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze sweet potato pie?
Yes. Place single servings or a whole pie in an airtight container in your freezer and thaw at room temperature. Heat through to serve.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe? Do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.
Sweet Potato Pie Vegan and Gluten-Free
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 pie - 8 slices 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This savory sweet potato pie balances savory spices with the sweetness from the sweet potatoes. The nutty pecans and the oat-pecan crust make this pie even more delicious.
Ingredients
Sweet potato pie as a side dish
- 2 large sweet potatoes, washed and scrubbed ( see note 1)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced small
- 1 ½ tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ cup plain unsweetened plant-based milk
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ginger powder
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp Aleppo Pepper or Hot Red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 store-bought frozen pie crust of your choice or make your own crust. See recipe below.
Topping
- ¾ cup pecan halves, chopped
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
Sweet potato pie as dessert
- Use sweetened vanilla plant-based milk beverage instead of unsweetened
- Add an additional ¼ to ½ cup brown sugar to the filling when processing, depending on how sweet you want the filling to be. Remember, no raw eggs here, so you can taste it as you go!
- Add 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Sauté a finely grated medium apple instead of the onion.
- Add an additional tablespoon of brown sugar to the topping and skip the black pepper.
Homemade Crust
If you prefer to make your own homemade crust, instead of using a store-bought one use this recipe.
- 1 cup gluten-free oats
- ½ cup pecan halves
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil.
- Place the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet, and carefully poke the sweet potatoes multiple times with a sharp knife. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft all the way through. Insert a knife to check, the sweet potatoes should be soft with no hard spots.
- While the sweet potatoes are roasting, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the diced onion and cook at medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add maple syrup and balsamic vinegar and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes
- Combine corn starch and warm plant-based milk in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
- Mix all the topping ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Once the sweet potatoes are baked and cool enough to handle remove and discard the skin and place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Mash with a fork.
- Once the sweet potatoes are done cooking reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
- Add cooked onions, spices, and corn starch mixture to the mashed sweet potatoes and mix until combined.
- Pour spiced mashed sweet potatoes into the pie crust and top with the pecan mixture.
- Place the pie crust on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.
- Let the pie cool before enjoying it.
If making a homemade crust
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Combine Oats, pecans coconut oil, and salt in the food processor, and pulse until well combined. Add maple syrup and pulse until the mixture comes together when you pinch it with your fingers.
- Press dough onto a 9" glass pie dish and bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the crust cool. Continue with step #9 above.
Notes
- If you are using already mashed sweet potatoes use about 2 ½ cups.
- Calories are calculated without the additional sugar added to the dessert sweet potato pie.
This post was originally published on October 15, 2014. It has been updated with fun new information.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 mins
- Category: Sides
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 176
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 258
- Fat: 11.9
- Saturated Fat: 1.4
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 17
- Fiber: 2.7
- Protein: 1.9
- Cholesterol: 0
Melissa {lilmisscakes}
This sounds amazing! I need to try this pie crust, how inventive!
Vicky & Ruth
thank you Melissa!