This breakfast bake with sweet potatoes and apples is perfect for busy mornings. A nice alternative to eggs for Whole30, it’s naturally sweet, fluffy, and delicious!
For the first week or so of our Whole30, we had fried potatoes for breakfast every day.
Can you blame me? If you’re used to bowls of Instant Pot Oatmeal or Homemade Granola for breakfast AND half of your kids don’t like eggs, there’s definitely a Whole30 learning curve.
However, a few days in, my son asked if we could have something else besides potatoes for breakfast. The poor kid. We still had several weeks to go!
I started researching Whole30 breakfasts and found a recipe for a sweet potato apple casserole that sounded good. The kids cheered the first time I made it, and they’ve been requesting it ever since!
This sweet potato breakfast bake has the taste of Thanksgiving. But who says it’s only for October and November?
We’re having this breakfast bake recipe year-round!
WHY MAKE SWEET POTATO APPLE BAKE
My recipe for sweet potato apple bake is inspired by the original, although I’ve tweaked it just a bit to ensure it comes out right every time. First things first, though – let’s talk about why you should make this delicious sweet potato breakfast casserole.
- The recipe can be easily doubled
- Bakes in under 15 minutes – great for Christmas morning brunch!
- Reheats well
- Whole30 compliant
- Freezer-friendly
- Simple ingredients
- Frugal
- Perfect option for a gluten free breakfast bake
- This recipe can even be made for dessert!
SWEET POTATO AND APPLE BREAKFAST BAKE INGREDIENTS
- Sweet Potatoes. Orange sweet potatoes are the most common, but white ones would work too.
- Apples. Fuji, Gala, and Granny Smith apples are all really good. They add a natural sweetness to the dish. I couldn’t tell the difference between them, regardless of which apple we used, so choose whatever type you have on hand.
- Coconut Oil. I prefer the taste of coconut oil in this sweet potato bake, but ghee or butter will work (if you don’t need it to be Whole30).
- Spices. Salt + Cinnamon + Nutmeg. These warm, cozy flavors bring out the natural sweetness in the sweet potatoes and apples without using sugar.
- Eggs. Because this is a breakfast bake recipe, we’re using eggs as a binder, but it doesn’t taste overly eggy. If you have egg lovers, feel free to add a third egg. To make this a vegan breakfast bake, try using a flax egg substitute.
- Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk. This gives the breakfast bake its creaminess, and it’s Whole30 compliant. You can use a different dairy-free milk here, but just make sure it’s full-fat. Reduced-fat milk will create excess liquid in the casserole.
- Raisins. These are both mixed into the sweet potato bake and sprinkled on top for a burst of sweetness. For Whole30, make sure these have no added sugar.
- Chopped Pecans (optional). Added on top of the breakfast bake, chopped pecans add a bit of crunch and get all toasty and delicious in the oven.
Psst! If you’re going to add salt, I highly recommend Ava Jane’s Kitchen. You may think all salt is created equal, but unfortunately, 90% of the salt produced around the world contains microplastics (gross, right?). Ava Jane’s Kitchen is an exception. Their salt is 100% microplastic-free, and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!)
BREAKFAST BAKE EASY STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
To make this breakfast bake easy recipe, follow these simple instructions.
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
Step 2. If you haven’t already, shred the sweet potato until you have about 1 ½ cups, packed.
Step 3. Shred the apple until you have about ¾ cup, packed. As you pack the shredded apple, you’ll naturally squeeze the juice out. Be sure to press the apples into the measuring spoon very well, to get as much of the juice out as possible.
Step 4. In a large bowl, whisk the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, eggs, and milk together well.
Step 5. Heat the coconut oil in a cast-iron skillet to grease. Add the sweet potato and cook, stirring often, until most of the sweet potato is golden in color.
Step 6. Pour the sweet potato into the egg mixture and add the apples and half of the raisins. Stir well so the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
Step 7. Pour this mixture back into the large skillet, smooth the top, and sprinkle the remaining raisins and pecans on top.
Step 8. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are set and begin to brown.
Slice and serve!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. If you use plastic wrap or foil to cover your pan, the sweet potatoes and apples may naturally discolor as they oxidize. It’s still ok to eat, but it is less appetizing.
SWEET POTATO BAKE TIPS
- To double this sweet potato bake, cook the sweet potato as directed, but in a bigger pan. Instead of transferring the egg, milk, sweet potato, and apple mixture back into the pan, transfer it to a 9×13 glass casserole dish. Bake as directed.
- If you aren’t on the Whole30 meal plan, you can add some mini marshmallows or crumble up some streusel topping and sprinkle throughout for added sweetness.
- If you have egg-hating kids, putting raisins inside helps to make the fact that there are eggs less noticeable. And if the kids are used to sweets, I’d recommend putting the raisins on top.
- I liked having both – the raisins inside plump up and get warm inside the oven, while the raisins on top gave a burst of concentrated sweetness that worked so well with the casserole.
TO SERVE SWEET POTATO BREAKFAST BAKE
As written, this breakfast bake recipe doesn’t make a lot of food. This is a great component of breakfast, but shouldn’t necessarily be served as breakfast alone.
Serve it with one or more of these to round out your plate
- Bacon
- Homemade Breakfast Sausage
- Scrambled Eggs
- Fresh fruit
- A green smoothie
- Greek yogurt
If you prefer a savory breakfast, try this easy breakfast casserole recipe with hashbrowns and cheddar cheese!
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MACRO-FRIENDLY SWEET POTATO APPLE BAKE
Don’t be scared of carbs! Sweet potatoes and apples are both great choices for complex carbohydrates, which your body digests more slowly than simple carbohydrates, creating more lasting energy.
Protein keeps your blood sugar stable, so pairing this sweet potato bake with breakfast sausage or lean ground turkey is a great option.
And don’t forget the produce! A side of fruit like strawberries or blueberries, or a savory side like sautéed veggies (yellow onion, bell peppers, spinach, green beans and mushrooms), can help round out your plate and keep you satisfied.
SWEET POTATO APPLE CASSEROLE FAQS
Do you have to peel sweet potatoes before baking?
I kept the skin on the sweet potatoes and apples, but you can peel the sweet potatoes if you’d like.
What temperature is baked sweet potato done?
This recipe for sweet potato bake is cooked in the oven at a temperature of 400F.
Do you mix up the coconut milk first or just scoop out the cream on top?
I mix up the coconut milk first for this recipe for sweet potato bake.
This breakfast bake easy recipe is featured in my FREE Budget-Friendly Whole30 Meal Plan!
MORE WHOLE30 BREAKFAST RECIPES
- How to Make the Best Scrambled Eggs
- Instant Pot Breakfast Pot Casserole (omit the cheese)
- Air Fryer Hash Browns
- Sweet Potatoes with Runny Eggs
- Oven Roasted Hash Browns
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Sign up for my FREE Fight Inflation Workshop and learn simple strategies to save money, even with rising food costs!Sweet Potato Apple Breakfast Bake
This breakfast bake with sweet potatoes and apples is perfect for busy mornings. A nice alternative to eggs for Whole30, it’s naturally sweet, fluffy, and delicious!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato, shredded (about 1 ½ cups packed) (180g)
- 2 apples, shredded (about ¾ cups packed, juices reserved for another recipe) (364g)
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil (14g)
- ¼ tsp salt (1g)
- 2 tsp cinnamon (5g)
- ¼ tsp nutmeg (1g)
- 2 eggs (100g)
- ½ cup full fat canned coconut milk (125g)
- ¼ cup raisins (40g)
- ¼ cup chopped pecans (28g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- If you haven’t already shred the sweet potato until you have about 1 ½ cups, packed.
- Shred the apple until you have about ¾ cup, packed. As you pack the shredded apple, you’ll naturally squeeze the juice out. You can save the juice for a recipe later, or drain in the sink. Be sure to press the apples into the measuring spoon very well, in order to get as much of the juice out as possible.
- In a large bowl, whisk the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, eggs and milk together well.
- Heat coconut oil in a cast-iron skillet. Add the sweet potato and cook, stirring often, until the majority of the sweet potato is golden in color.
- Pour the sweet potato into the egg/milk mixture and add the apples and half of the raisins. Stir well so the ingredients are thoroughly mixed together.
- Pour this back into the skillet, smooth the top and sprinkle the remaining raisins and pecans on top.
- Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are set and begin to brown.
Notes
If you want to double this recipe, cook the sweet potato as directed but in a bigger pan. Instead of transferring the egg/milk/sweet potato/apple mixture back into the pan, transfer to a 9×13 glass baking dish. Bake as directed.
Adapted from Paleo Running Mama.
Do I need to peel the sweet potatoes and apples before shredding them?
Hello Paula-Beth,
Tiffany kept the skin on the potatoes, but you can peel the sweet potatoes if you’d like.
Can this be made without eggs?
We are about to start Whole30, but I have 2 kids with egg allergies. 😬 This sounds delicious!
Hi Abigail,
I think you can make it without eggs for sure, but it won’t have the same texture. I’m sure it will still be delicious though. 🙂
Super good recipe! Made for Sunday breakfast, to “break” the egg monotony on Whole30. I added more egg the second time so it was more “eggy.” Mmmmm!
I’ve been making this recipe for a few weeks – first found it on the paleo running mama website (to whom you give credit), and I decided to follow your lead. The only addition I made was throwing some banana in the mix! We doubled the batch, we did precook it (didn’t bother me), and I threw in like 1.5 bananas all mashed up. DELICIOUS. My 2 year old twins are obsessed with it – they literally eat theirs and then try to steal mine! I’m on day 15 of whole 30 (with some very slight modifications) and I absolutely needed a change of pace for breakfast. Thanks!!
That does sound delicious Jennie! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
How I needed this deliciousness this morning. I thought it tasted like French toast. So good. Thank you!!
So, happy you enjoyed this recipe, Hollie!
We aren’t doing Whole 30, but I’m always looking for healthy breakfasts for our family, so when I saw veggies and protein in this? Yes, please! My 4 kids really love this, like- really, really love it! We triple it, so we have to cook it in a casserole pan. I think I’ll try the recommendation to skip the precooking to save on dishes. With everyone pitching in, the shedding and mixing come together pretty quick- a food processor would make this recipe a dream! It’s a great fall breakfast: warm, spicy and the produce is in season, making it affordable for a big family!
I am happy to hear that this recipe works so well for your family, Jessica!
This was so good! We are on day 7 and already getting tired of eggs (which never were my favorite anyway). It really feels like a treat!
It does!! I’m so glad you’re enjoying these Mary! One day I’ll have to put up my “recipe” for hash – because it’s based on whatever you have, it’s never the same!
Needed a change to the basic breakfast and this was so good!
Glad you liked it Stephanie!
I have just spent a long time making this, will eat it tomorrow, warmed up Too much work to do before breakfast, unless one gets up a dawn. A lot of washing up too!
What are flax “eggs”? What about fuba, the liquid in a tin of beans? I will stick with my free-range eggs though.
I think the first time you make this takes the longest. If you shred the sweet potato ahead of time, you can shred the apple and mix up the other ingredients while it cooks. Then it’s a quick stir, dump and bake!
I actually prefer it cold so I usually make it the day before.
A food processor comes in handy, I also don’t precooo the shredded sweet potatoes and apples. I just mix it all together and back until set 30/40 minutes usually depending on how wet the apple is
I want to try this out but am not doing Whole30. Would whole milk or heavy cream work in place of the coconut milk? Just wondering. Thanks!
Hi Kris!
Sure, you can use dairy rather than coconut milk if you prefer. 🙂
That’s a good idea. I also covered mine with aluminium foil, as at 400 F pecans started to turn black after just a few minutes
Mm this sounds amazing! I wonder if the eggs could be replaced with flax “eggs”? Also love the idea of not pre-cooking…
You might like this Japanese porridge recipe: For each person, half a cup of Barley flakes added tp 1 1/2 cups water. This is better soaked overnight. Bring to a boil and simmer about 10 minutes. Then add 1 teaspoon of Miso, some Gomasio (toasted sesame seeds) a chopped spring onion, and a few slices of avocado.
Thanks Amanda! We might have to try this after we reintroduce wheat. 🙂
Is there a way to make this sweet potato bake in the instapot? Unfortunately, we tend to live off fast food/ a local restaurant. I need to save money and start eating healthier. I have an instapot.
Hi Sarah!
Congrats on your decision to save money and eat healthier! Regarding your question about this particular recipe, we haven’t tried or tested this recipe for the Instant Pot. Let us know if you try it. PS…We have many Instant Pot recipes (and meal plans that include easy Instant Pot recipes) on our blog for you to try and enjoy. Check out the meal planning tab or search Instant Pot recipes in the search bar. Hope this helps!
I make this all the time. I shred the sweet pototoe and apple in my food processor. I have found that my eggs do not set up in 15 minutes so now I just skip the step of precooking and mix well pour in a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes!
FYI for anyone wondering it almost had a cake like texture and taste quite a bit like a spice cake to me. I have also added a date slurry to entice my grandson to eat this since it isn’t very sweet ( I to have used all types of apples )
I love the idea of skipping the pre-cooking! I’ll give that a shot next time and see if we like it better!
Are you mixing up the coconut milk first? Or just scooping the cream on top?
And separate from this recipe, have you tried diluting canned coconut milk to just keep in the fridge to drink? I tried one woman’s way of one can of plain water with the coconut milk. Whisked it together and just keep in the fridge. I was somewhat hoping the cream would homogenize. Obviously I was wrong. Is there a way to do that? I would really like to avoid the coconut milk that comes in cartons.
One of my favorite things to make for breakfast is using leftover veggies (must have a sweet potato then our favorites are bell peppers, broccoli and zucchini) and fry them all up in a skillet in some fat, add some sausage and/or bacon, add some onion powder and garlic powder, then fry an egg for on top and serve it. My husband says it tastes just like skillets from Denny’s. One of our favorites! Sometimes I add some avocado for extra creaminess. Whole30 can be difficult. Keep up the good work!
Mixing up the milk first Sara.
I haven’t tried diluting canned coconut milk to drink, but I can see why the adding water method failed – the coconut meat is just so fatty it will always rise to the top. You CAN however, drink the leftover “water” after you skim the coconut cream from the top. Maybe try that to drink or in coffee? I’ve sipped it plain (so good!) but haven’t tried in coffee just yet.
Yes to your skillet! My husband and I pretty much do this every morning, using up whatever leftovers and veggies there are in the fridge. I’ve never added the avocado IN the skillet, just on the side, but it sounds good!!