Handheld Sweet Potato Casserole without Nuts

This sweet potato casserole without nuts is perfect for those nut-free homes — plus it’s a fun handheld version. It’s a fun and tasty twist on a classic.

Disclosure: I’m excited to partner with Old El Paso this year to bring you fresh and flavorful recipes. Thank you for supporting Rachel Cooks by reading about brands we love and use in our own home.

Sweet potato casserole is a Thanksgiving classic. Who can resist the combination of sweet potatoes topped with fluffy marshmallows? This twist gives you all that flavor in a little handheld package – perfect for big Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving celebrations.

There are a million takes on sweet potato casserole but these mini boats are unlike anything I’ve ever tried. Mashed sweet potatoes flavored with cinnamon, butter (it is Thanksgiving after all!), brown sugar, and maple syrup. That would be great on its own, right?

But put it in an Old El Paso Mini Soft Tortilla Taco Boat and magic happens. The edges of the tortilla boats crisp up perfectly and the marshmallows are like icing on the cake. It’s the perfect handheld sweet potato casserole.

I envision these being perfect for a big Friendsgiving celebrating or a Thanksgiving where you want to be traditional, but not same ol’ same ol’ traditional. Traditional with a twist. These are your answer to that dilemma. If you want more fun sweet potato ideas, try twice baked sweet potatoes or sweet potato bread pudding. Or if you prefer things more on the savory side, these scalloped sweet potatoes with gruyere and bacon are to die for.

Best news about this handheld sweet potato casserole? It’s easy to make, of course. I baked my sweet potatoes the day before so that they were ready to be combined with all the sugar and butter and cinnamon. Or instead of baking the sweet potatoes, you could use your Instant Pot to cook them. You could even do the mixing step a day ahead.

Tip: You could make this the day AFTER Thanksgiving and use leftover sweet potatoes! What a yummy and creative way to use leftovers!

After combining the sweet potatoes with brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, and cinnamon, you spread them into mini boats and pop these delectable treats into the oven. Let them get hot and crispy, pull the boats out, and top with marshmallows. Back into the oven for a couple minutes and you’re good to go! So yummy!

I made this handheld sweet potato casserole without nuts so that my kids could eat them and because I know many sweet potato casserole recipes contain nuts. I wanted to give you an alternative. However, if you aren’t celebrating with folks who have nut allergies, pecans or walnuts would be a fantastic topping in place of the marshmallows.

My kids thought these were the coolest things ever. What kid wouldn’t love something that they can eat with their hands — and something that is COVERED IN MARSHMALLOWS. E and N were thrilled when these showed up on their plate for dinner.

 

Need more sweet potato recipes? I’ve got you covered!

• 25 Sweet Potato Recipes : a Rachel Cooks collection of recipes by various bloggers
• Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Southwest style
• Vanilla Bean Mashed Sweet Potatoes (you could use this mixture as an alternative to fill the boats!)
• Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
• Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole (nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free!)

Verdict: I could have eaten a hundred of these.
Husband’s take: No complaints (such a nice husband) although sweet potatoes in general aren’t his favorite thing. He did a fair amount of sharing with the kids because they couldn’t get enough.
Changes I would make: None are necessary but I do think a touch of ginger would be delish.
Difficulty: Easy!

Disclosure: I’m excited to partner with Old El Paso this year to bring you fresh and flavorful recipes like this sweet potato casserole without nuts. Thank you for supporting Rachel Cooks by reading about brands we love and use in our own home.