This easy vegan sweet potato pie recipe is creamy, dairy-free, and just as delicious as the traditional sweet potato pie.
I grew up eating sweet potato pies during the holidays. My mom was no baker. It’s just not her thing. But, she’d get a store-bought pie from the local bakery. My siblings and I enjoyed every bit of it.
My favorite memory of eating a homemade sweet potato pie is one I will never forget. A family friend, Dolly, made the best sweet potato pie I’ve ever had. She lived in the same building as my grandmother. I remember going to visit her, and Dolly offered me a piece of the pie. Hesitantly, I said “yes”. Only, because I was so used to eating the store-bought pies and made the assumption Dolly’s pie would taste the same. After eating one piece, I was amazed. That piece of pie tastes remarkable. It tastes better than any sweet potato pie I’ve has to date.
What’s the difference between sweet potatoes & yams
Sweet potatoes and yams are not related. Sweet potato growers in the South started calling their sweet potatoes “yams” (for marketing purposes) to distinguish orange-fleshed from the firm white-fleshed varieties, and to this day, we’re still using “yams” to refer to certain types of sweet potatoes – jewel yams and Garnet yams, most notably. It is said that the word yam was chosen because blacks in the South used this term for sweet potatoes. Due to their similarity to the yams from Africa.
Yams: Members of the genus Dioscorea, in their own family, and native to Africa and Asia. Yams range in color from white to yellow flesh, purple or pink, and gray-brown skin. The taste may vary from sweet to tasteless, and they aren’t as nutritious as sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes: Commonly grown in the southern part of the United States and part of the morning glory family. Usually orange in color, sweet in taste, and starchy flesh. They are not nightshades but are related to potatoes.
What’s in this vegan sweet potato pie recipe
- pureed sweet potatoes
- pureed butternut squash
- brown sugar
- cornstarch
- cinnamon
- salt
- ground cloves
- nutmeg
- vanilla extract
- non-dairy milk
- vegan pie crust
How to make a vegan sweet potato pie
This pie has all-natural ingredients and is prepared without tofu. The recipe comes from Jenne Claiborne’s cookbook Sweet Potato Soul: 100 Easy Recipes for the Southern Flavors of Smoke, Sugar, Spice, and Soul.
- Start by preheating the oven to 350° and roasting the sweet potatoes and butternut squash.
- Add the filling ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Fill the crust with pie batter, and bake for 50 minutes. Tip: If crust edges brown too quickly, carefully fold aluminum foil around the rim of the pie dish.
- Remove your pie from the oven to let it cool for at least 30 minutes, then set it in the fridge to chill for a few more hours or overnight.
Common questions about sweet potato pie
Both pumpkin and sweet potatoes have nutrients and benefits. In addition, making either at home would be way healthier than a store-bought pie with additives and emulsifiers. Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet and pumpkin is not. Pumpkin needs spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and sugar for more depth of flavor.
Traditional sweet potato pie does have an egg to help bind the filling. However, this sweet potato requires no egg due to butternut squash (firms when chilled) and cornstarch.
Cornstarch or arrowroot powder can help thicken up the pie. Both are commonly used in baked goods, sauces, and more.
The top of the pie should be dry to the touch.
Do I need to refrigerate a sweet potato pie?
Yes, after removing it from the oven, let the pie cool for at least 30 minutes. Then, add it to the fridge to let it sit for a few hours or overnight.
Shana’s Kitchen Essentials
Check out some of the kitchen tools I used to make this vegan pie.
More delicious vegan desserts
Leave a comment below and tag me on Instagram and let me know if you make this sweet potato pie recipe. I’d love to hear from you;-)
Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
Ingredients
- 2 cups pureed sweet potato 2 baked med sweet potatoes
- 1/2 cup pureed butternut squash baked butternut squash
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup plain unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/8 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 350° and roasting the sweet potatoes and butternut squash.
- Add the filling ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Fill the crust with pie batter, and bake for 50 minutes. Or, until top of pie is dry to the touch. Tip: If crust edges brown too quickly, carefully fold aluminum foil around the rim of the pie dish.
- Remove your pie from the oven to let it cool for at least 30 minutes, then set it in the fridge to chill for a few more hours or overnight.
Snap a photo, post it, and tag #ImWorthyRecipes and @IMWORTHYKITCHEN on Instagram
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you. Please read my affiliate notice for details.
Going to make this for Xmas
Awesome! Let me know how you like it;-)
Yes, girl!! I love this recipe. It’s so easy to whip together when you don’t have much time in the kitchen. Also, no one could tell my crust was store bought! Thank you!
Hi Gina, This recipe definitely saves time while giving so much flavor. Thanks for sharing!!