Low-Calorie Sweet Potato Casserole

By
Kimberley Eggleston
Kimberley Eggleston
Kimberley Eggleston is a registered dietitian, nutrition class instructor, and food writer who specializes in healthy cooking.
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Updated on 11/15/22
Low calorie sweet potato casserole recipe

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga 

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 80 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 8 servings

This low-calorie sweet potato casserole recipe is a lightened version of the Thanksgiving classic. Traditional sweet potato casserole has those delicious sweet potatoes we all love but also has lots of added sugar and butter. This recipe is missing the fat and calories of the original, but it certainly is not missing the marshmallows, nuts, and flavor.

A bit of brown sugar plus seasonings of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract help to make this dish sweet without being too sweet. And just so you don't miss out on the marshmallows that are a favorite of most, a few marshmallows are included in the topping. 

You might be surprised to find that cornflakes are one of the star ingredients that help to make a light and crunchy sweet topping for this sweet potato casserole. The top is simply alternated between marshmallows and cornflakes, both of which toast lightly while baking and make for a crunchy sweet topping. 

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
  • 1/4 cup non-fat milk
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar (divided)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cornflake (crushed)
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
  • 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

    Ingredients for low calorie sweet potato casserole
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga 

  2. To prepare the sweet potatoes, scrub them well. Then, pierce the potatoes with a fork, and place them on a large cookie sheet without touching one another.

    Potatoes on baking tray
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga 

  3. Bake them for about an hour, or until they become tender and a knife is easily inserted into the potatoes.

    Bake potatoes
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga 

  4. Remove from the oven, and set them aside to cool until you are able to handle them. Once the potatoes are cool, peel the skins off of the potatoes and discard them.

    Scrape potato
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga 

  5. Place the sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add the milk, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Use a fork or a knife to break the sweet potatoes up just a bit.

    Mash
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga 

  6. Using a hand mixer, whip the potato mixture until it is smooth. If the mixture becomes too thick to whip, add a little more milk to the mixture. 

    Blend with hand mixer
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga 

  7. Melt the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl for about 15 seconds. Add a little more time to the microwave if the butter is not completely melted.

    Melt butter
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga 

  8. Add the cornflakes and almonds to the butter mixture, and toss them together.

    Add cornflakes and almonds
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga 

  9. Spoon the potato mixture into a casserole dish that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Use a large spoon to spread the mixture evenly in the dish.

    Spoon mixture into pan
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga 

  10. Top with alternate rows of the cornflake mixture and marshmallows.

    Top with cornflake and marshmallows
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga 

  11. Bake an additional 20 minutes, until marshmallows are lightly toasted.

    Bake
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga 

  12. Serve and enjoy!

    Low-Calorie Sweet Potato Casserole
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
208 Calories
8g Fat
31g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 208
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 11%
Saturated Fat 3g 13%
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 122mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Protein 4g
Calcium 81mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)