Vegan Sweet Potato Pie

Wether you’re hosting or visiting family for the holidays, this vegan sweet potato pie is the perfect dessert to celebrate the occasion.

Making a sweet potato pie from scratch is one heck of a commitment, but all the love you invest into this dessert is what makes it special. Rest assured, your loved ones will be asking you to bring this pie year after year!

Made with simple pastry crust and roasted sweet potato mash, this sweet potato pie is a level above any store-bought dessert. Even better, it’s dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan.

History of Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet potato pie is a traditional Southern dish in the United States. It is believed to have originated from African and Native American culinary traditions. Since sweet potatoes are native to the Americas, the sweet potato pie became a popular dish in the Southern US, particularly among African American communities, where the main ingredient was a staple crop. Many traditional recipes were passed down through generations orally and may not have been documented in written form. 

Of course, sweet potato pie is best known as a classic holiday dessert, in particular on Thanksgiving, alongside other traditional dishes like green bean casserole, pumpkin soup, and mashed potatoes. It has become a symbol of Southern comfort food, cherished for its rich, spiced filling.

Benefits of Sweet Potato

There’s a common misconception that sweet potatoes are a cousin crop of regular potatoes, except, well, sweeter. In reality, sweet potatoes belong to a different plant family (Convolvulaceae).

The confusion is understandable, due to the common name of these vegetables and the culinary similarities between them. The most notable difference, however, is that sweet potatoes are much more versatile and often used in desserts thanks to their natural sugar content.

In addition to their unique flavor, sweet potatoes offer a range of nutritional components and health benefits.

• Sweet potatoes are rich in various vitamins and minerals. Namely, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and potassium. As such, eating sweet potatoes can contribute to healthy vision, heart function, immune system, and nervous system. It also promotes collagen production, which is a key to having clear, healthy skin.
• Sweet potatoes are full of dietary fiber, which is a key macronutrient in our diet. Fiber helps the function of the digestive system, including regular bowel movements and a healthy gut microbiome.
• Sweet potatoes are a source of complex carbs, which provide a steady release of energy. Incorporating sweet potatoes to your diet can help stabilize blood sugar levels and prevent energy spikes and crashes.
• Sweet potatoes contain antioxidants that help protect the body from oxidative stress. These antioxidants play an important role in reducing inflammation and lowering the risk of chronic diseases.
• Despite being sweet, sweet potatoes have a lower glycemic index compared to regular potatoes. This means they are less likely to cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, making them a good choice for individuals managing diabetes or insulin resistance. They are also a great source of natural sugars, perfect for adding sweetness to dishes without the need for refined sugar products.

It’s important to note that the nutritional content can vary depending on the sweet potato variety and cooking method. The best ways to retain their nutritional value are baking or steaming. 

That being said, sweet potatoes make a great addition to soups and stews. This way, their flavor is enhancing the overall ensemble of ingredients, while the broth or gravy soaks up their nutrients.

Key Ingredients

To truly make the flavors come together, it takes a careful balance of the right elements. For this vegan sweet potato pie recipe, we’ll be using natural, whole-food ingredients.

• Sweet potatoes are the star of the show. After baking, they have a soft, creamy texture and a natural subtle sweetness.
• Spices and seasonings, including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla, are an integral part of any self-respecting sweet potato pie. 
• Non-dairy milk helps blend the filling ingredients together, while also contributing to the smooth, creamy consistency.
• Cornstarch acts as a thickening agent. While the pie is in the oven, the cornstarch is what helps it set.
• Maple syrup is a healthier alternative to granulated sugar used in traditional recipes. It works in tandem with sweet potatoes to create a balanced sweet flavor profile.

How to Make Vegan Pie Crust

If you’re making the pie crust from scratch, these step-by-step instructions will make it feel like a breeze. You only need five ingredients: flour, vegan butter, sugar, salt, and water.

1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add cubed vegan butter and use your fingers to rub the butter and flour until you have a consistent texture of large crumbs.

2. One tablespoon at a time, add the ice cold water and thoroughly mix it in. The goal is to reach a point where the dough sticks together in a ball, but barely.

3. Wrap up your ball of dough in plastic or a wax wrap and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4. Once the dough has had enough time to chill, remove it from the fridge and knead it for about a minute. Dust a clean kitchen surface with flour and roll out the pastry to approx. ⅛ inch thickness.

5. Carefully transfer the rolled out dough into the pie tin and cut off the excess around the edges. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and place the tin in the oven for 10 minutes to blind bake.

After this, you can fill the crust with your filling and proceed as instructed. Alternatively, if you’re making the pastry crust in advance, you can freeze the crust until you’re ready to use it.

How to Make Vegan Sweet Potato Pie

1. Preheat the oven or an air fryer to 390F. Poke a few holes in the skin of your sweet potatoes with a fork and lay them on a lined baking sheet or air fryer tray. Bake for 45-60 minutes until they are fully soft inside.

Note: some people prefer to cut the sweet potatoes in half to speed up the process. Personally, I recommend baking them whole to avoid a caramelized edge. This way, you can use the entire amount of sweet potato flesh and you won’t have brown streaks in your pie.

2. Once the sweet potatoes are ready, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool. Once the sweet potatoes have cooled down, peel off the skin.

3. Add sweet potatoes into a blender, along with non-dairy milk, maple syrup, cornstarch, spices, vanilla, and salt. Blend until smooth, adding more milk if necessary. You’re aiming for a thick custard texture. You should be able to pour it into the crust, but you’ll need a spatula to scrape down the sides of the blender and spread it in the crust.

4. Preheat the oven to 375F. Pour the filling into the pie crust and smooth out the top as evenly as you can. 

5. Bake at the center of the oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat once more to 325F and let it bake for another 35-40 minutes. The center should be slightly jiggly when you take it out of the oven.

6. Let your pie fully cool down on the counter before moving it into the fridge for at least 3 hours to set. There might be some cracks that appear in the filling. Don’t worry – that’s perfectly okay!

7. Serve with whipped coconut cream or vegan ice cream. 

Shortcuts

Cooking on the holidays can be quite hectic, due to the sheer volume of work you have to do. On the other hand, if you have to travel to visit family for the holidays, you may not have a ton of time to spend on your pie.

To save you a little bit of time, you can employ the following “hacks”:

• Use the food processor to make the pastry crust. You can pulse the vegan butter and flour together in short bursts to combine them in a timely manner. 
• You can press the pastry directly into your pie tin instead of rolling it. This way, you can mold the shape to avoid any excess. 
• If you’re in a rush, there’s nothing wrong with using canned sweet potato. You’re aiming for about two and a half cups of mashed sweet potato for this recipe.
• Store-bought pie crust can save you both the time and the need to wash up. Plus, store-bought crust often comes with a foil tin. Very convenient!

Tips and Variations

• Gluten-free. Try this recipe with oat flour and a pinch of xanthan gum instead.
• Non-dairy milk. Depending on preference and dietary requirements, you can use any type. 
• Soy-free. To avoid soy, you can use vegetable shortening instead of butter and coconut whipped cream for the topping.
• Cornstarch alternatives like arrowroot or tapioca starch are perfectly acceptable. 
• Adjust the spices and sweetness to your liking before baking the pie. Soul food is all about cooking from the heart!

Serving Suggestions

• Coconut whipped cream is a great dairy-free alternative to the traditional topping. 
• Vegan ice cream would complement sweet potato pie, whether you serve it hot or cold.
• Crushed pecans or walnuts would add some crunch and an earthy element to the flavors of this vegan sweet potato pie.