Coconut Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole is a tropical twist on traditional sweet potato casserole.
One of my childhood favorites for Thanksgiving was sweet potato casserole topped with toasted mini marshmallows, so when I came across a recipe that used a meringue topping instead of marshmallows for a sweet potato casserole, I knew I had to try it.
I added a tropical touch to the sweet potato casserole, using coconut milk, pineapple and ginger. Although I try to minimize sugar in my recipes, I decided that the meringue topping which requires sugar was still a better choice than store-bought marshmallows (a package I saw in the store contained artificial flavor and artificial color – Blue 1).
This sweet potato casserole is made with a tropical twist. Pineapple, coconut milk and coconut flakes make me think of my favorite place – Hawaii.
Try making this coconut spiced sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving as an alternative to the traditional sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top.
Coconut Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Casserole
- 6 cups sweet potatoes peeled, cut into 2" pieces
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 cup light coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple undrained
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup walnuts toasted
Meringue Topping
- 2 large egg whites at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup organic sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook on medium-low until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well, and place in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat sweet potatoes until smooth. Add maple syrup, coconut milk, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, and salt, and beat until well combined. Add pineapple and mix well.
Spread sweet potato mixture in a lightly oiled pie dish or square pan (or divide among ovenproof ramekins for an extra elegant presentation). Sprinkle coconut and walnuts on top of sweet potato casserole. Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes until warmed through. Remove from oven and set aside until ready to top with meringue.
Meanwhile, prepare meringue topping. Beat egg whites and salt in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar in a steady stream, while beating, until stiff peaks form.
Spoon or pipe meringue on top of sweet potato casserole.
Place sweet potato casserole on oven rack in top third of oven. Broil about 30 seconds, leaving the oven door partially open and watching carefully to prevent burning. Meringue burns quickly!
If you like this Coconut Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole, you might also like:
Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping
I'm on the fence about my feelings towards sweet potato casserole. One year I like it the next I don't. This is a take on the sweet potato casserole I've never heard of and I'm interested!
I hope you give it a try. It's got a tropical twist, so it's different from most sweet potato casseroles.
What is the calorie/fat/sugar content?
Cindy, unfortunately I did not calculate that for this recipe. You might be able to calculate that using one of the online calorie calculators.
Hello this looks great. Just wondering what the serving size is please?
Serving size is your preference, but I would say 1/2 cup – 3/4 cup a person.
Dear Jeannette, Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I made your coconut spice sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving. As I cannot have gluten, dairy or eggs, I chose to use marshmallow for the topping. Everyone loved it. I would like to make this for our work Christmas party. But one of my coworkers is allergic to pineapple . Could you make any recommendations on what I can substitute the pineapple with?
Thank you .
Dawn – thanks so much for trying this recipe and for your feedback. Perhaps you could substitute applesauce for the pineapple. It would add some sweetness and moisture similar to the pineapple.