This vegan crustless sweet potato pie is made with unexpected, but common ingredients. Sweetened with dates and sweet potatoes, this pie is gluten-free, soy-free and absolutely delicious! That's right, there's no added sugar.
Key Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes
- Dates
- Rolled oats (use gluten-free if gluten-sensitive)
- Chickpeas
- Almond butter
- Ground flaxseed
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Pecans or walnuts
- Cacao nibs (optional)
- Sweet Cashew Cream (optional)
This recipe was sort of an accident. We wanted to create a healthy vegan sweet potato pie but didn’t want to add flour, oil, or butter (even the vegan kind). The crust stumped us. So, we moved on to figure out a sweet potato pie blondie. We used the blondie recipe developed during our Iron Chef Smackdown on Chef AJ Live, but modified it with a fall holiday twist: sweet potato pie.
We went LIVE on Facebook, YouTube, and even LinkedIn for the world to see us try and figure out this sweet potato pie blondie. While the blondie in the oven, we chatted about navigating the Thanksgiving Holiday while following a whole food, plant-based diet.
After 20 to 25 minutes, we got it out of the oven and let it cool before we dug in. The flavor was delicious, but the texture was off. So, we put it back into the oven to bake another 15 minutes. We tasted again, and the texture was better, but still not quite there. We decided to go the other direction. Let it cool to room temperature, and then pop it in the refrigerator overnight.
The next day we took it out of the refrigerator for another taste, and voila! It was the perfect sweet potato pie but without the crust.
The combination of chickpeas, rolled oats, and starchy sweet potatoes keep the filling together—especially after allowing it to set in the refrigerator overnight. Finally, adding the chopped nuts on top gives it that texture you need in place of the crust.
How to Prepare
If you're preparing this pie for Thanksgiving or Christmas, consider making it a day or two before you intend to serve it. The flavor of this pie develops after it sits in the refrigerator overnight.
Bake the sweet potatoes
Start by preparing the sweet potatoes. Preheat oven to 400° F (205° C). Place the sweet potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for one hour. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature or cool enough to handle with your hands. Using your hands, carefully remove the skin so you’re just left with the flesh from the sweet potato. Set aside.
Prepare the dates and oats
Remove pits from dates. Place pitted dates into a small pot with enough water to cover the dates. I used medjool dates, but any dates will do. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the dates cool to warm or room temperature.
Take rolled oats and put them into a mini blender and grind to a flour-like consistency.
Make the pie mixture
Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C).
Put cooked sweet potatoes (with skin removed), softened dates, ground rolled oats, almond butter, drained and rinsed chickpeas, pumpkin pie spice, and ground flaxseed into a food processor. Process until you get a thick, sticky batter. You will likely need to periodically scrape down the sides and continue processing to get the desired consistency. If necessary, add a splash of water to get a smooth textured mixture.
Spread the pie mixture evenly across an 8-inch round (or 8x8-inch square) parchment-lined baking pan.
Add chopped pecans or walnuts and cacao nibs, if using, to the top. Gently press the toppings into the batter.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Even though this pie is crustless, a thin, light brown crust will start to develop on the edges.
Remove the pie from the oven. Cool to room temperature and put in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight to set.
Serve with a dollop of Sweet Cashew Cream (optional).
After the pie is done baking, allow it to cool to room temperature. Place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours (ideally, overnight) to continue setting.
For the Holidays or any special occasion, enjoy this delicious crustless sweet potato pie with a dollop of Sweet Cashew Cream. Oh my, is it yummy!
Frequently Asked Questions
We've gotten this question a few times, and our response is, "it depends on what’s in it." Sweet potatoes are very nutritious—high in beta carotene (an antioxidant and precursor of Vitamin A), potassium, fiber, and resistant starch, which is good for gut health. A plain baked potato makes a great snack or as part of a main meal.
However, the healthfulness deteriorates when sweet potato pie is loaded with saturated fat like butter, shortening, milk, cream, eggs, and refined sugar. These foods are pro-inflammatory and can contribute to plaque build-up in arteries.
This vegan crustless sweet potato pie recipe has none of those pro-inflammatory ingredients. Instead, this recipe is made using whole plant foods, including healthful and anti-inflammatory plant fats like flaxseeds, almonds, walnuts, and pecans rich in mono and polyunsaturated fats.
It is unlikely that sweet potato pies are made from yams because true yams aren't available in the United States. Instead, those things we call yams are sweet potatoes. True yams are widely available in Africa and parts of the Caribbean. So the answer to this question is no. Sweet potato pies are not made from yams. They are made from sweet potatoes.
Store leftover pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Sweet potato pie can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 4 months. Be sure to thaw in the fridge before serving. The texture may change, but the flavor will still be yummy.
Y'all, the world is ever changing! 😂 We can enjoy our pizza without the cheese, our ice cream without the cone, our tacos without the tortilla, our falafels without the pita, our sushi without the roll, and now our sweet potato pie without the crust.
We hope you love this crustless sweet potato pie recipe. Please rate and leave a comment below. Be sure to share a picture on Instagram and tag us @danielsplaterecipes so we can see your creation!
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Crustless Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
- Total Time: 10 hours
- Yield: 8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Crustless Sweet Potato Pie is a healthy, plant-based version of the traditional soul food favorite. The key ingredients include sweet potatoes, chickpeas, almond butter, dates, rolled oats, pumpkin pie spice, ground flaxseeds, and nuts. This pie is vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and absolutely delicious. Make it extra special by topping it with a dollop of Sweet Cashew Cream. Oh my! #sweetpotatopie #veganrecipes #danielfastrecipes #healthydessert #wholefoodplantbased #healthysoulfood #healthyveganrecipes
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 large (or 3 small), sweet potatoes (2.25 pounds)
- 1 cup dates (about 9 or 10), pitted
- ½ cup rolled oats, ground
- ½ cup of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup almond butter
- 2 Tbsp flaxseed, ground (or flaxseed meal)
- 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 Tbsp of water to moisten as you process and if the batter gets too dry.
Toppings
- 2 Tbsp chopped pecans (or walnuts)
- 2 Tbsp cacao nibs (optional)
- Sweet Cashew Cream (optional)
Instructions
If you're preparing this pie for Thanksgiving or Christmas, consider making it a day or two before you intend to serve it. The flavor of this pie develops after it sits in the refrigerator overnight.
Bake the sweet potatoes
Start by preparing the sweet potatoes. Preheat oven to 400° F (205° C). Place the sweet potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for one hour. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature or cool enough to handle with your hands. Using your hands, carefully remove the skin so you’re just left with the flesh from the sweet potato. Set aside.
Prepare the dates and oats
Remove pits from dates. Place pitted dates into a small pot with enough water to cover the dates. I used medjool dates, but any dates will do. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the dates cool to warm or room temperature.
Take rolled oats and put them into a mini blender and grind to a flour-like consistency.
Make the pie mixture
Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C).
Put cooked sweet potatoes (with skin removed), softened dates, ground rolled oats, almond butter, drained and rinsed chickpeas, pumpkin pie spice, and ground flaxseed into a food processor. Process until you get a thick, sticky batter. You will likely need to periodically scrape down the sides and continue processing to get the desired consistency. If necessary, add a splash of water to get a smooth textured mixture.
Spread the pie mixture evenly across an 8-inch round (or 8x8-inch square) parchment-lined baking pan.
Add chopped pecans or walnuts and cacao nibs, if using, to the top. Gently press the toppings into the batter.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Even though this pie is crustless, a thin, light brown crust will start to develop on the edges.
Remove the pie from the oven. Cool to room temperature and put in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight to set.
Serve with a dollop of Sweet Cashew Cream (optional).
Notes
EQUIPMENT / SUPPLIES
- Oven
- Small pot
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Mini blender
- 8-inch round (or 8x8-inch squared) baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Food processor
- Knife
- Cutting board (to chop nuts)
- Prep Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Soul Food
Keywords: crustless sweet potato pie, no crust, sweet potato pie, soul food, healthy soul food, almond butter, chickpeas, rolled oats, walnuts, pecans, cacao nibs, daniel fast recipes, daniel fast compliant, dates, no oil, no added sugar, gluten free, soy free, crustless, no crust pie, thanksgiving dessert, holiday dessert, healthy dessert, healthy vegan recipes
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Kevin
This #sweetpotatoepie was a delicious low calorie, low fat (for a dessert) and high fiber treat. And good towards the environment and animals. It hits all my priorities: taste, health, and sustainability!
★★★★★
Gigi & Sersie
Thanks for your feedback and rating, Kevin. So glad you enjoyed this pie, and it lines up with your priorities.