Light-as-Air Sweet Potato Soufflé
This sweet potato souffle is light and airy thanks to whipped egg whites folded in with the potatoes. Flavored with a touch of maple syrup, lots of fresh orange, and crunchy pecans, it’s a healthier version of your favorite classic Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole.
I promise they’ll never miss the mini marshmallows!
Why This Recipe Works
This sweet potato souffle recipe is a winner because:
- It’s lighter and lower in carbs than the classic sweet potato casserole with mini marshmallows — which can rack up more than 300 calories and 45g of carbs in a small portion!
- The fresh orange flavor is such a nice surprise that really complements the sweet potatoes.
- It's made with whole ingredients to help you keep your holiday meal on the healthier side.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what I use to make this sweet potato souffle. I’ve listed a few substitutions and variations in the section below.
See my recipe card below for the complete recipe with all ingredients and measurements.
Sweet potatoes. Any variety of fresh, orange sweet potatoes will work.
Olive oil. This replaces the butter but still adds richness.
Maple syrup. I use ⅓ of a cup in this recipe, and I find it adds just enough sweetness. You can add a bit more or less to taste.
Eggs. You’ll need to separate the yolks from the whites. Two yolks get mixed in with the sweet potatoes to provide richness. The whipped egg whites folded in at the end turn this casserole into a light and airy souffle.
Substitutions and Variations
Use frozen or canned sweet potatoes if you don’t want to peel and cut sweet potatoes. Be aware that canned sweet potatoes usually have sugar added, so don’t add the maple syrup to the recipe if using those in a can.
Instead of maple syrup, try brown sugar or a zero-calorie sweetener. You can also cut the sweetener back or leave it out if you prefer.
For a festive touch, instead of orange juice, use the orange zest plus two tablespoons of orange liqueur like Cointreau.
These other warming spices would be delicious with the orange flavor in this sweet potato souffle. Try a pinch of:
- Ginger
- Allspice
- Mace
- Clove
- Cardamom
Step By Step Instructions
First, peel, cut, and boil the sweet potatoes. Cut them into small cubes (about 1-inch) so they’ll cook faster. Boil the sweet potatoes for about 15 minutes or until they are fork-tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander when they’re tender and let them cool for about 10 minutes.
While your potatoes cool, separate your eggs. Reserve 2 yolks for this recipe and refrigerate the other two for another use. Whip the egg whites for about eight minutes or until they form stiff peaks. Set the whipped egg whites aside.
Second, whip the sweet potatoes with a mixer. They’ll only need about 30 seconds or until they’re nice and smooth.
Third, add the olive oil, maple syrup, remaining salt, spices, 2 egg yolks, orange zest, orange juice, and half the chopped pecans to the bowl with the potatoes and mix everything for another 30 seconds to combine.
Fourth, gently add the whipped egg whites to the bowl. Fold them into the sweet potatoes with a spatula by scraping down the sides of the bowl and underneath the sweet potato mixture. Lift it up and fold it over. See this helpful article about how to fold egg whites.
Fifth, continue folding the egg whites. You should see the egg white incorporated evenly throughout but don’t overmix, or you’ll deflate the egg whites.
Sixth, spoon the sweet potato mixture into a prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining chopped pecans over. Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes or until light and puffy. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- When separating your eggs, be careful that you don’t get any yolk into the egg whites. Doing so will prevent the whites from whipping up.
- Room-temperature egg whites will whip up much lighter than cold eggs.
- Not sure if your egg whites are done? This article has some great tips for whipping egg whites. It’s best to leave whipped egg whites slightly softer than overbeat because they’ll break apart.
- Once cooked, your cubed sweet potatoes don’t have to cool to room temperature, but they do need to cool for at least 10 minutes so their heat doesn’t scramble the eggs.
- This recipe doubles easily. Use a 4-quart casserole dish if you double it.
- Your souffle will gradually deflate as it cools, so it’s best to take it out of the oven just before you’re ready to serve dinner. It should stay airy for at least 20 minutes.
What to Eat With Sweet Potato Souffle
This recipe is a Thanksgiving or holiday classic, so it’s perfect with roasted turkey, prime rib, or beef tenderloin. I like to serve it along with:
- Roasted Fall Vegetables
- Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish
- Wild Rice Stuffing
- Kale Apple Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
- Sweet Potato Cornbread
Recipe FAQs
To make this recipe ahead of time, prepare your sweet potato mixture without the eggs up to one day ahead of time. The next day, remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Add the egg yolks, and whip and fold in the egg whites when you’re ready to bake it.
You can keep leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Keep in mind the egg whites will start to deflate once the souffle cools, so leftovers won’t have the same light texture. But they’ll still taste good!
Unfortunately, you can't prevent it. A souffle will collapse when it cool or you cut into it, so don't take it out of the oven or cut into it until just before you're ready to serve. Fortunately, this sweet potato souffle doesn't rise very much, so any collapse won't be that noticeable.
Other Related Thanksgiving Recipes
Looking for other tasty sides to go with this recipe? Try these other Thanksgiving and holiday sides.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Recipe
Sweet Potato Soufflé
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lbs sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- ⅓ cup maple syrup more or less to taste
- 1 tsp salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 large eggs Separate the whites from the yolks. Reserve 2 yolks for another use.
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 3 tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice
- ½ cup toasted pecans chopped, divided (plus extra pecan halves for garnish if desired)
Instructions
- Boil sweet potatoes with ½ teaspoon salt, for about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well in a colander. Set the sweet potatoes aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 2-quart casserole dish.
- While the sweet potatoes cool, whip the egg whites for about 8 minutes or until they form stiff peaks. Set them in the refrigerator. They'll hold for at least 30 minutes if needed.
- Transfer the sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl and whip them with a mixer for about 30 seconds or until they are completely smooth.
- Add the olive oil, maple syrup, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, egg yolks, orange zest and juice, and half the pecans to the potatoes and mix for another 30 seconds with the mixer.
- Gently fold in beaten egg whites until no white streaks are visible but don't over-mix.
- Place mixture in the casserole dish and sprinkle with the remaining chopped pecans.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
I needed to expand my “soft food” repertoire when my kid got braces, and this recipe is a hit! ((I had to leave off the nuts). Really delicious and fluffy. And the ingredients are much lighter than a typical recipe. Thanks!
I'm so glad you like them Alison!