Sweet Potato Apple Casserole: A Healthier Twist on a Holiday Classic
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy.
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 60 minutes | Total Time: 75 minutes
Servings: 8-10
Our recipe for Sweet Potato Apple Casserole combines fresh sweet potatoes, crisp apples, and warm fall spices under a crunchy pecan topping to create something truly special that’s perfect for Thanksgiving or any family dinner.
The best part? It’s healthier than traditional sweet potato casserole because we use fresh ingredients and keep that wonderful chunky texture! The whole thing takes about an hour and fifteen minutes from start to finish.
Why I Love This Recipe
What makes this recipe so special is that it uses fresh sweet potatoes and real apples instead of canned ingredients. The potatoes keep their natural texture, the apples add little pockets of tartness, and the warm spices make your whole kitchen smell amazing.
Key Ingredient Notes
While you’ll find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below, I wanted to highlight a few important ingredients:
- Fresh Sweet Potatoes: We’re using about 3-4 large sweet potatoes (around 3 pounds). Look for ones that are firm with smooth skin. The fresher they are, the better they’ll taste! You’ll roast them first to bring out their natural sweetness.
- Apples: Pick apples that won’t turn to mush when baked, like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji. The tartness of Granny Smith apples works especially well to balance the sweetness. You’ll need 2-3 medium apples.
- Brown Sugar: We use brown sugar instead of white sugar because it has a deeper, more caramel-like flavor that goes perfectly with the sweet potatoes and apples. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
- Pecans: Fresh pecans make the topping extra crunchy and delicious. Walnuts or almonds work just as well.
- Warm Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice are the secret to making this taste like the holidays. These spices bring out the natural flavors without making it taste like pumpkin pie.
How to Make the Perfect Sweet Potato Apple Casserole
While not required, roasting the sweet potatoes first brings out their natural sweetness! Place the sweet potatoes in a baking dish and drizzle them with vegetable oil. In a preheated oven, bake them until softened, approximately 30 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Add the apples to the roasted (or unroasted) sweet potatoes and sprinkle with the brown sugar spice mixture.
Prepare the pecan topping and spread it over the roasted sweet potatoes and apples.
Bake for an additional thirty minutes. You will have a delicious dessert or holiday side dish.
Pro Tips for Making Perfect Sweet Potato Apple Casserole
Before you head to the recipe card, here are some helpful tips I’ve learned from making this dish many times:
Keep It Chunky: This isn’t your typical smooth and creamy sweet potato casserole. We want nice chunks of sweet potato and apple in every bite, so don’t over-mix or mash it too much.
Watch Your Pecans: The pecan topping can burn quickly, so keep an eye on it during the last few minutes of baking. If it starts getting too dark, just cover the dish with aluminum foil.
Let It Rest: After it comes out of the oven, let the casserole sit for about 5-10 minutes. This helps everything set up and makes it easier to serve.
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
I'd like to receive more tips and recipes from Hostess At Heart!
Serving Suggestions
This Sweet Potato Apple Casserole pairs wonderfully with roasted turkey, baked ham, or pork chops. For a complete Thanksgiving meal, I like to serve it alongside roasted Brussels sprouts and homemade ciabatta bread.
Storage and Leftovers
This dish will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days stored in an airtight container. To reheat individual portions, simply pop them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. If you’re reheating the whole casserole, cover it with foil and warm it in a 350°F oven for about 20-25 minutes until heated through.
If you want to prep ahead, you can roast the sweet potatoes and chop the apples the day before. Just keep them separate in the fridge and assemble the casserole when you’re ready to bake. This recipe also freezes surprisingly well! Freeze the unbaked casserole (without the topping) for up to 2 months. Add the pecan topping after thawing and before baking.
Variations to Try
- Add Marshmallows: If your family loves the traditional marshmallow topping, add about half a cup of mini marshmallows on top during the last 10 minutes of baking. They’ll get all golden and toasty!
- Make It Dairy-Free: Replace the butter with coconut oil or vegan butter. The flavor will be slightly different, but it’ll still be delicious.
- Nuts: Mix different nuts in the topping! Try half pecans and half walnuts, or add some sliced almonds for extra crunch.
- Skip the Sugar Topping: For an even healthier version, leave off the sweet pecan topping and just sprinkle with chopped nuts and a little cinnamon.
- Add Dried Cranberries: Toss in a handful of dried cranberries with the apples for extra color and a little zing of tartness.
Why This Is Healthier Than Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole
Unlike many sweet potato casserole recipes that use lots of butter, sugar, and marshmallows, this version keeps things lighter and more natural. We’re using fresh sweet potatoes (not canned), real apples, and just enough brown sugar to bring out the flavors without making it taste like dessert. The chunky texture means you’re eating real food, not a sugary mash. Plus, sweet potatoes are packed with vitamins, fiber, and good stuff your body loves!
Related Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoy this Sweet Potato Apple Casserole, I bet you’ll also love some of my other side dish recipes! My Orange Salad is a bright citrus twist that’s perfect for individual servings. For a savory option, try my Easy Cheesy Potatoes Casserole with Real Potatoes, which is perfect for feeding a crowd. And if you’re looking for another make-ahead holiday side, my Twice Baked Potato Casserole is always a hit at gatherings!
Ready to Try It?
This Sweet Potato Apple Casserole has become one of my most treasured holiday recipes, and I hope it becomes a favorite in your home too! The combination of chunky sweet potatoes, tart apples, and crunchy pecans makes it stand out from other sweet potato casseroles you’ll find. It’s healthier, more interesting, and honestly just tastes better because you can actually taste each ingredient.
Ready to try it? I’d love to hear how it turns out in your kitchen! After you make this recipe, please come back and leave a comment below and give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ five-star rating. Your feedback helps other home cooks know this recipe is worth making, and it truly makes my day to hear your success stories! Did you add extra cinnamon? Try a different type of apple? Bring it to Thanksgiving and get rave reviews? Tell me all about it in the comments!
Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Pecan Topping
- ½ cup pecans – roughly chopped
- ¼ cup flour AP or gluten-free
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ tsp butter dairy free for vegan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
- Drizzle the sweet potatoes with a small amount of oil, or use oil spray, and bake in the oven in a casserole dish for 30 minutes or until fork tender.
- While the sweet potatoes are cooking, Mix together ¼ cup of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt in a small bowl.
- Once the sweet potatoes are baked, add the apples to the casserole dish and sprinkle with the brown sugar spice mix until evenly distributed.
- In a separate larger bowl, mix the topping ingredients together by combining the pecans, flour, butter, and the other ¼ cup of brown sugar. It helps to use your hand to rub the ingredients together between your fingers, as the butter may stay clumped up and not mix well with just a spoon.
- Sprinkle the pecan topping over the top of the casserole.
- Return it to the oven for 30 minutes until the topping is golden-brown and has a nice crunch.
Notes
- You can prep the sweet potatoes and apples a day ahead and store them separately in the fridge.
- If the topping starts to brown too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
- For a sweeter version, add 1/4 cup more brown sugar to the filling.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Don’t forget to pin it for later and follow me on Pinterest for more delicious recipes like this one!
Originally published: October 31, 2022. Updated: September 25, 2025 – Enhanced with more detailed instructions, tips, and serving suggestions. No changes were made to the recipe.
The sweet potatoes and apples along with spices and nuts sounds super delicious! I love the flavor combinations.
I’ve never been more excited to make sweet potato casserole for the holidays!! That pecan topping….!! Yum!
Thank you, Marcelle!
I love anything that has to do with sweet potatoes so these are perfect for us! I love how easy these are to make. Adding these to my dinner menu!
Me too! Thank you, Kathryn!
Every year I get a huge quantity of sweet potatoes from my CSA. WHy have I never done something like this yummy casserole before!
I love them and eat them all year long! They always feel indulgent but have so many health benefits too. Thanks, Inger!
Oh yum! I like the idea of the pecan topping on these sweet potatoes!
Thank you, Hezzi!
Much better than the one with gooey marshmallows! It sounds delicious.
Thank you so much!
I love that the sweet potatoes and apples are left in chunks instead of pureed. YUM.
I’m with you, Wendy! Thank you.
Really the only sweet potato casserole I eat is the one my mother-in-law makes but yours makes me wanna make it right now! That topping!!!
Thank you, Lisa! I hope you’ll try it.