Healthy Coconut Ginger Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe (2024)

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This sweet potato casserole recipe was originally posted in 2012. I’ve updated it slightly and brought it up from the archives to share with you, because it’s one of our favorite Thanksgiving side dish recipes.

I used to think I hated sweet potatoes. I’d try one bite of a sweet potato casserole recipe, you know what I mean, the sugary marshmallow smothered diabetes in a pan dessert that pretends to be a side dish, and nearly gag with the sugar overload. I thought they were just wretched.

Then one day I tried sweet potato fries and realized that the sweet potato casserole recipe was to blame, not the beautiful, simple, naturally sweet orange potato/yam (the difference between a sweet potato and a yam is a whole different post that I must do some day but one soapbox is enough for this post!). So when I was assigned sweet potato casserole a couple years ago for Christmas Eve with Eric’s extended family, I laughed with mischievous glee at the opportunity to create a new, healthier sweet potato casserole recipe, and test it on 50 unsuspecting relatives.

Fortunately, the casserole was a big hit, so I made it again this year for a holiday reunion with my father’s family. My mother hunted me down at the end of the night and grabbed my hand in eager anticipation. “Please tell me that sweet potato casserole was actually healthy. It was SO good!”

I assured her it was as I ran down the ingredient list with her; sweet potatoes, oranges, a little coconut milk, fresh ginger, cinnamon with chopped pecans and crystallized ginger on top.

She looked at me, her eyebrows raised in surprise. “Really, no sugar in the potatoes?”

I shook my head and then we had one of those moments that proves yes, you are your mother’s daughter, no matter how much you tried to deny it as a teenager. At the same time, perfectly in sync, we both proclaimed, “I guess they’re called sweet potatoes for a reason!”

Sweet potatoes are simple, healthy (we’re talking 700% of you daily value for vitamin A and 60% for vitamin C!) and really quite lovely. It’s truly sad that they had been vilified in my mind for so many years. But I’m making up for lost time.

I share this sweet potato casserole recipe now because it’s not just a holiday recipe. I make this at least once a month now to serve with chicken, fish, salad, pretty much anything. With the ginger, cinnamon and coconut milk, it’s got an Asian flair that helps it pair wonderfully with Chinese chicken wings or Korean chicken thighs. But it’s also subtle enough to pair with lemon chicken, or even cauliflower macaroni and cheese for a lovely vegetarian and kid friendly diner.

This has become one of our go to healthy comfort foods and I’m so excited to share it with you. By the way, crystallized ginger is typically made with granulated sugar. It’s on my list to create a version using sucanat instead but you can omit the crystallized ginger and just use the pecans if you prefer.

Now, I have lots of catching up to do, so please share your favorite sweet potato recipes with me so I can try them all! (Feel free to leave links in the comments)

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COCONUT GINGER HEALTHY SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE RECIPE

Yield: 12

Healthy Coconut Ginger Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Healthy Coconut Ginger Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe (5)

This healthy sweet potato casserole recipe has subtle Asian flavors with coconut milk and ginger, but still pairs well with traditional Thanksgiving dishes. And you can even make it ahead!

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time2 hours

Total Time2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3-3 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 3 Tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap sweet potatoes in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 80-90 minutes until easily pierced with a fork.
  2. Carefully unwrap potatoes then pull off and discard the skins (you may want to wait until they cool a little).
  3. Place the roasted sweet potatoes into a large bowl and mash them up, mixing in ginger, coconut milk, cinnamon, orange zest and orange juice.
  4. Pour the sweet potato mixture into a casserole dish and top with pecans and crystallized ginger.
  5. If serving now, cook in the oven for about 15 minutes, until heated through.
  6. If making this ahead, cover with foil and refrigerate, then cook covered for 20 minutes, and uncovered for another 10-20 minutes, until heated through.

Notes

Approximate cost/serving: Sweet potatoes are affordable year round, oranges are cheapest in the winter but still pretty affordable all year. I buy a ton of pecans in the bulk bins during the holidays when they go on sale. Coconut milk is cheaper at an Asian grocery store but you use such a small amount that you can really stretch the cost. The whole casserole cost me just around $3.50 to make. At 12 servings that's just 30 cents a serving.

Vegetarian/Gluten Free: Yes to both and vegan too!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

12 Servings

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 109Saturated Fat: 1.06gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 156.29mgCarbohydrates: 9.48gFiber: 1.49gSugar: 3.18gProtein: 1.12g

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Healthy Coconut Ginger Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the benefits of ginger and sweet potato? ›

Additionally, not only do sweet potatoes pack in a good amount of iron, they also contain copper, a mineral that helps your body absorb iron. Ginger possesses numerous therapeutic properties, including anti-oxidant effects and the ability to inhibit the formation of inflammatory compounds and aid efficient digestion.

What is the most nutritious way to cook sweet potatoes? ›

Boiling sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene and makes the nutrient more absorbable than other cooking methods such as baking or frying. Up to 92% of the nutrient can be retained by limiting the cook time, such as boiling in a pot with a tightly covered lid for 20 minutes.

How do you make sweet potato casserole not watery? ›

If your sweet potato casserole turned out “watery”, its usually because you forgot to add eggs; you didn't let your casserole have enough time to set up after baking or you used fresh sweet potatoes and didn't boil them long enough before mashing.

Why add eggs to sweet potato casserole? ›

A really good sweet potato casserole filling should be light and moist, not dense. If it's dense, then you may not have added an often overlooked ingredient—an egg. An egg adds lift, structure and volume and makes the filling more custard-like.

What happens to your body when you eat sweet potatoes everyday? ›

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.

What organ does sweet potato help? ›

Just one sweet potato gives you 102% of the vitamin A you need each day. This helps keep your eyes healthy as well as your immune system, your body's defense against germs. It's also good for your reproductive system and organs like your heart and kidneys.

Which kind of sweet potato is healthiest? ›

Orange sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. This vitamin is essential for good vision, a healthy immune system, and overall growth and development. These sweet potatoes also contain fiber, vitamin C, and various antioxidants.

Is it better to boil or bake sweet potatoes? ›

Baking can also cause an 80% drop in vitamin A levels, twice as much as boiling. Therefore, from a nutritional standpoint, boiling rather than baking should be recommended for cooking sweet potato.

Why do you need to soak sweet potatoes before cooking? ›

TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: The main secrets to achieving that incredible crispy texture, is to soak the cut sweet potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes. This helps remove the starch from the sweet potatoes so they´re not limp & soggy.

Why is boiling not good for sweet potatoes? ›

Bake, don't boil

Baking sweet potatoes caramelizes their natural sugars, especially when done whole. It intensifies their flavor and creates a richer taste compared to boiling, which can result in a watered-down, bland flavor.

Should sweet potato casserole be firm? ›

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture, then pop it into the oven and let it bake for 40 to 45 minutes. You will know it's done when the topping is lightly browned and the center of your casserole is set and firm.

How do you keep a casserole moist? ›

Pro Tip: Avoid Dry Casserole.

The best way to prevent it from drying out is to add a little bit of water, around ¼ cup, to the top of it. Allow the water to seep between the food and the sides of the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil to seal in the moisture.

How do you make a casserole taste better? ›

Fresh herbs or citrus zest can also punch up flavors with a bit of welcome brightness for a long-cooked dish, as can adding some heat in the form of a dash of hot sauce, a generous pinch of minced or sliced fresh chili pepper, or a shake of red pepper flakes.

What's the difference between sweet potato pie and sweet potato casserole? ›

The difference is that sweet potato casserole can either have a toasted marshmallow top or a crunchy brown sugar/nut top and is made with brown sugar in the casserole. Sweet potato pie is made with white sugar, has nothing on top, but can be served with whipped topping.

Why is potato and ginger good for us? ›

All these compounds have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect and can prevent the growth of cancer. Ginger has the strongest antioxidant level among all herbs. Anon36 suggested that the presence of 12 different Phytochemicals make the ginger one of the most potent food sources of antioxidant.

What are the benefits of eating sweet ginger? ›

Eating ginger can cut down on fermentation, constipation and other causes of bloating and intestinal gas. Wear and tear on cells. Ginger contains antioxidants. These molecules help manage free radicals, which are compounds that can damage cells when their numbers grow too high.

What does sweet potatoes add to the body? ›

They're high in fiber and antioxidants, which protect your body from free radical damage and promote a healthy gut and brain. They're also incredibly rich in beta carotene, which is converted to vitamin A to support good vision and your immune system.

Does sweet potato reduce belly fat? ›

As we know, sweet potato has several benefits that make it worth including in your weight loss diet. So, by incorporating it into healthy meals and watching your portion sizes, you may find that it does support your weight loss goals and results in getting rid of unwanted belly fat.

References

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