Vegan Sweet Potato Pie (Gluten-Free, No Coconut)

A slice of pie on a plate topped with candied pecans.

Vegan Sweet Potato Pie (Gluten-Free, No Coconut)

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 55

Chill time 4

Total Time 1 15

Servings:10 servings

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

This Vegan Sweet Potato Pie is healthier than most, yet so delicious no one will mind! With a light and silky filling and the best gluten-free pie crust. This pie is free from gluten, oil, soy, and coconut and holds up beautifully if you need to prep it a day or two in advance.

Yield: one 9-inch deep dish pie

Ingredients
US Customary | Metric

Pie crust:

1 unbaked Gluten-Free Vegan Pie Crust (tap for the recipe) - See Notes for nut-free option

For the filling:

1 ½ lbs. sweet potatoes, about 3 med/large - You'll need 2½ cups mashed sweet potato
1 cup unsweetened plain non-dairy milk such as oat or almond
½ cup raw cashews - See Notes; sub raw sunflower seeds or ¼ cup almond butter or tahini if desired
½ cup maple syrup
3 Tablespoons arrowroot starch - Or corn starch
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

Bake the sweet potatoes:

This step can be done 1 to 3 days in advance. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C), and line a baking sheet with foil. Wash and dry the sweet potatoes, then prick each one several times with a fork. Place sweet potatoes on the pan, and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until soft, flipping at the 30 minute mark. Cook time will depend on the thickness of the sweet potatoes.
Let the sweet potatoes cool. Discard the skins, and measure out 2 ½ cups of sweet potato.

Pre-bake the crust and make the pie:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176°C). Prebake the pie crust for 7 minutes, or follow package directions if using a store-bought crust. Set crust aside to cool.
Combine the cashews and milk in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the remaining filling ingredients: mashed sweet potato, maple syrup, arrowroot, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. The mixture will be fairly thick. Pour into the prebaked pie crust, and use a spoon or silicone spatula to smooth the top of the pie.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the center looks just set. *Depending on the crust you're using, you may need to cover the edges with foil or a pie crust shield after 25 - 30 minutes to prevent it from getting too brown. If using my gluten-free crust recipe, the crust should be okay uncovered the whole time.
Let the pie cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered. Once the pie is cool, cover until ready to serve. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 to 4 hours before slicing. See Notes if making in advance.

Notes

Try this new allergy-friendly pie crust recipe if you avoid almonds. It's just as delicious and easy as the other recipe and is V/GF/oil-free, too.

Cashews or Nut/Seed Butter

Feel free to substitute ¼ cup nut or seed butter such as almond or tahini. Raw sunflower seeds are also a great substitute for the cashews. Use the same amount.

Blender

If using raw cashews you'll need a high-speed blender. If using nut butter or tahini, a standard blender is fine, though it might struggle with the volume and density of the sweet potato filling.

Don't have a blender? See the Equipment section above for notes on using a handheld mixer.

Making in Advance

The gluten-free pie crust holds up particularly well for a day or two after baking, compared to regular pastry which tends to get soggy. So feel free to bake the pie the day before your big holiday meal.

Storage

Refrigerate sweet potato pie up to 3 days. It can also be frozen. Be sure to wrap well and protect from air/freezer burn. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

Nutrition