Sweet Potato Soul by Jenné Claiborne

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How to make a vegan Sweet Potato Pie… {VIDEO}

01.14.2014 / By /

I’m excited to announce the pre-order of my cookbook, SWEET POTATO SOUL. Purchase your copy today at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Indie Bound, or iBooks.  Vegan Sweet Potato Pie

Nana, oh, Nana!

My Nana is the sweetest lady I know. She’s stylish and hip, and she loves me more than anybody could. I love her back just the same : )

When I think of my Nana I think of weekly shopping sprees at Limited Too after school, her amazing pound cake, wisdom, laughter, smiles and sweet potato pie. She’s a pro at spoiling you with crazy good food–both savory and sweet. She puts her love and soul into everything she makes––no one (not even me) can match her cooking, even with a recipe. Nana is the bomb!

A few years ago, when I started becoming interested in plant-based eating and vegan living, Nana started changing her eating habits too. She has high blood pressure and high cholesterol, so going plant-based was perfect.

My mom & Sidney

Now, here’s the thing. Though she’s given up all animal products, aside from seafood and dairy that’s in stuff like at restaurants, she’s still got high cholesterol and blood pressure. It’s that temptation, and those cravings, and it’s the fact that knowing what’s vegan or not can be confusing sometimes. To help clear things up a bit, Nana and I made this Sweet Potato Pie vegan substitutions video

My joy. Bertucci.

A lot of people are shocked to hear that vegan butter can make a flaky golden crust, and that almond milk works just as well as dairy milk. These things are absolutely true, and I want more people to know that, starting with my fabulous Nana. Watch the video, she was so pleased!

Recipe below…

Vegan pie substitutions…
Butter—> Earth Balance. You can find this non-hydrogenated blend of vegetable oils at most grocery stores these days. Creates the perfect pie crust!
Egg—> Silken Tofu. MoriNu and Nasoya are the most popular brands. I think soy is great, but make sure it’s organic/non-GMO.
Milk—> Almond, coconut or soy milk work and taste best. If you need a heavy cream try full fat coconut from the can, and keep in mind you might have a slight coconut taste to whatever you’ve made.

UPDATED VIDEO (UPDATED RECIPE BELOW)

Nana's Sweet Potato Pie...Veganized!
 
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This is an updated (December 2016) recipe of the veganized sweet potato pie that Nana and I created in the video. The butternut squash helps to keep the pie firm without having to use tofu. I think this vegan sweet potato pie recipe is the very best and most authentic that I've tried. It took me many many tries to get it right, and now I'm obsessed. Nana, and the rest of my family, approve!!
Author:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 3 cups pureed sweet potato
  • 1 cup pureed butternut squash
  • 1 cup sugar - half light brown, half cane
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ⅜ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg, freshly ground if possible
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup plain unsweetened soy milk (I use Westsoy brand)
  • 4 tbsp arrowroot powder
  • 2 vegan pie crusts (store bought or use one of my recipes below)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Place all of the filling ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth.
  3. Fill the crusts with batter, and bake for 50 minutes.
  4. Remove from the oven to let cool for at least 30 minutes, then set in the fridge to chill for a few more hours or overnight.

 
Vegan Flaky Pie Crust
 
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This pie crust requires at least one hour to set before rolling out for use.
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons vegan butter and/or vegan shortening
  • ½ cup + 2-4 tablespoons ice cold water
Instructions
  1. Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine the ingredients.
  2. Add the cubes of shortening and/or vegan butter, and use a pastry cutter to incorporate into the flour. Continue to mix with the pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal, almost pea sized.
  3. Slowly add the ice water, 2 tablespoons at a time, and stir with a wooden spoon or your hands.
  4. Once the dough begins to hold together form it into two tight balls.
  5. Flatten them a bit (this will make it easier to roll out later), and wrap it in plastic wrap or parchment paper.
  6. Place in the fridge for at least one hour.
  7. Remove the chilled pie dough from the fridge. Let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes to soften.
  8. Flour a clean, smooth stone surface and place one of the dough balls down onto it. If you don’t have a stone surface use parchment paper.
  9. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough flat. It should be about ⅛th inch thick, and wide enough to comfortably fit over your pie dish with at least 2 inches of extra space.
  10. Remove the pie crust from the counter and place over a pie dish.
  11. Fit the dough into the pie dish, and up the edges. Place in the refrigerator.
  12. Repeat the rolling out steps with the remaining crust.
  13. Now you have a flaky double crust ready to use in a pie recipe that has a crust topping, or for two separate pies.

 
Nutty Pecan Pie Crusts
 
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This crust recipe was adapted from a cashew crust recipe in the cookbook, "At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen".
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 cups almonds
  • ½ cup pecans
  • 1¼ cup rolled oats
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups spelt flour
  • ½ cup + 2 tbsp grapeseed, canola, coconut, or olive oil
  • ½ cup + 2 tbsp maple syrup or agave
  • 2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. In a food processor combine the nuts, oats, and salt. Pulse until it becomes a coarse meal.
  3. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and stir in spelt flour.
  4. Stir in the oil, syrup and vanilla. Stir well until it is all combined. It will be sticky.
  5. Divide the dough between 2 pie dishes, and press it firmly to form the pie crust.
  6. Poke fork holes into the bottoms of the pie.
  7. Bake for 10 minutes before filling and baking pie.

Comments

  1. Lauren @ Dash of Soul / January 14, 2014 at 5:45 am /

    Your Nana is too cute! Love the video.

  2. LisaJ / January 14, 2014 at 4:39 pm /

    The pie looks absolutely delicious. Your grandmother is a cutey pie and your mom looks more like your sister!

  3. Jana / January 14, 2014 at 4:58 pm /

    your girls rock!!! I love my nana as you and its great to cook together with her, even if sometimes she wonders also about my substitutes:-))) big hug from the Netherlands!

  4. Phyllis Alesia / January 14, 2014 at 5:22 pm /

    Oh, Jenne, your family is lovely … and I’m in love with the pups, too! I’m in Atlanta, so give me her address, LOL!

  5. Yulia / January 15, 2014 at 2:49 am /

    I want a pie and I want it to be made by your Nana! She is so lovely! Great video, Jenne!

  6. Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / August 24, 2014 at 3:25 am /

    I’m not sure! I haven’t tried that before. Can’t hurt to try though 😉

  7. Maree / September 10, 2014 at 1:16 am /

    Great video girls! Those doggies are gorgeous. Is it necessary to put pie in the fridge overnight? And, is this meant to be a sweet or savoury dish?
    Maree
    Sydney, Australia

    • Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / September 12, 2014 at 3:10 pm /

      Thank you! Yes, I put it in the fridge overnight to stay nice and firm. It’s sweet 🙂

  8. Tara / November 23, 2014 at 9:11 pm /

    Any ideas for a sugar alternative?

    • Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / November 24, 2014 at 2:41 am /

      Yes, try coconut sugar. It’s unrefined and delicious!

      • Karen Dailey / November 24, 2015 at 9:11 pm /

        Love date sugar. It is the healthiest of all because it is made with dates only. No sugar at all. I use it for all my sweetness in recipes. You will love it, I’m sure.

        • Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / November 26, 2015 at 2:53 pm /

          Absolutely! I like that too. I haven’t tried it in this pie though. It may be better than coconut sugar though. I feel like the flavor is more appropriate for this.

  9. Lasse Larsen / December 24, 2014 at 7:44 pm /

    What a great story and lovely to hear your nana going vegan. Thank you for sharing was looking for a recipe and found more than that 🙂 They really knew how to cook in those days my nana was the same. No recipe or measures.

  10. Lou / September 12, 2015 at 3:02 pm /

    This is excellent! Thank you. I’m pretty good at growing sweet potatoes, even the the cold UK, as you can see here http://obscurama.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Grow-Sweet-Potatoes-From-Slips-to-Tuber but other than baking them or adding them to stews, I never really have much inspiration in the recipe department for them. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE LOVE sweet potatoes. Just I don’t do much with them.

    I’m also a vegan, so, I search for vegan sweet potatoes recipes, and I found your awesome site. This is why I love the internet – a whole site dedicated to vegan sweet potato awesomeness.

    I am drooling at your pics, and am now off to the shops to but what I need to make this tonight.

    • Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / September 15, 2015 at 12:48 pm /

      Fabulous!! I want to grow my own sweet potatoes too 🙂
      Keep me posted on how you’re enjoying my sweet potato recipes!! xo

  11. Brenda / September 18, 2015 at 8:03 pm /

    Why do we need two pie crusts? Will there be enough filling for two pie crusts?

  12. Brenda / November 20, 2015 at 7:12 pm /

    Any Suggestions on the how to bake the pie crust? Please let me know!

  13. Karen Dailey / November 24, 2015 at 9:12 pm /

    I always use the powdered egg substitute. Great for all your baking needs.

  14. Tanya Cotton / November 25, 2015 at 2:41 am /

    Would this work okay using lite coconut milk. I realized that is the only kind I have in my pantry.

  15. Ashley / November 26, 2015 at 8:03 am /

    Hi, I’m baking your pie recipe tonight. Should I bake the sweet potatoes and squash before I blend it?

    • Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / November 26, 2015 at 2:54 pm /

      Hey!! Sounds great 🙂
      Yes, cook the sweet potato and squash before blending it into the filling. Either steam or bake it.
      Happy Thanksgiving!

  16. Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / December 13, 2015 at 2:50 pm /

    Thank you Mark!! How was the pie?!

    • Mark Osborne / December 13, 2015 at 5:00 pm /

      Crazy good… I ate half a pie in one go !… and was up half the night. Make it stop ! hahaha

  17. Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / February 21, 2016 at 10:48 pm /

    I like how you’re thinking 🙂 Give it a try. Let me know if you have any questions 🙂

  18. Aimee Brimmer / June 22, 2016 at 9:06 pm /

    I know I’m a little late to the party, but I wanted to let you know how lovely your Nana’s sweet potato pie is. I made it yesterday and it is soooooooooo good! There’s currently only 1 slice left and that will be gone tonight, lol! It was super easy to make, with very few ingredients, which I truly appreciate. I used all sweet potatoes because that’s all I had on hand, but it’s really a fabulous pie and a definite keeper. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe. 🙂 <3

  19. Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / October 16, 2016 at 1:35 pm /

    Cook them before using 🙂

  20. Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / October 16, 2016 at 1:36 pm /

    I prefer to bake my sweet potatoes and squash. Sweet potatoes are best baked whole, and squash is best baked when cut in half.
    Enjoy!!

  21. Brenda / October 23, 2016 at 4:30 am /

    Do we use the whole block of firm tofu without draining water? I don’t have butternut squash so I’m sort of on edge about tofu!

    • Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / October 23, 2016 at 1:35 pm /

      Hi Brenda, if you use tofu you drain the water (in this recipe or any recipe). It’s definitely better with the squash, but use what you’ve got 🙂

  22. KirbyTheArtistMusic / November 18, 2016 at 8:50 pm /

    Hi! Did you list what brand of pie crust you used?

  23. Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / November 20, 2016 at 3:55 pm /

    Yes, that works too

  24. steve581 / November 26, 2016 at 12:52 am /

    Amazing recipe, thanks. Best pie I’ve ever tasted! The “healthy” frozen pie crusts at sprouts are vegan, pictured topped with CoCoWhip from whole paycheck and vanilla soy cream from trader joes. Glad the recipe makes two pies, the first one is already eaten. Yum!

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8d5a2169eca6a891ea20497233978aa45a42f6c8621341e4943bd2d8ef91bd26.jpg

    • Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / November 26, 2016 at 2:41 pm /

      Beautiful!!! Thanks so much for letting me know, and sharing this photo 🙂 You made my morning. Happy Holidays <3

  25. Claude / December 6, 2016 at 6:41 pm /

    Jenne, I wonder where could i find the recipe for the crust that you’ve used….I know I saw a ve-ideo where you used pecans, oats and some arrowroot powder if I am not confabulating…Many thanks!!!

  26. nooneputsbabyinthecorner / October 30, 2017 at 8:14 pm /

    Fantastic recipe, way better than pumpkin pie. I made this and totally impressed my boyfriend’s mom who I met for the first time last night. Thank you!

    • Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / October 30, 2017 at 11:09 pm /

      Wow! That is soooo awesome to hear. I’m really happy that you all enjoyed it 🙂

  27. Kim / November 19, 2017 at 3:38 pm /

    Is it possible to use a powdered egg replacer instead of Tofu? I am not a big fan of Tofu?

  28. Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / November 22, 2017 at 2:03 am /

    Hi Aliyahh! Yes, the squash is the number one most important thing to get the right texture. I’ve never tried it with tapioca, unfortunately. When it was too firm last year did you use this recipe and the squash?

    Also, it firms as it sets in the fridge at least 6 hous 🙂

  29. Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / December 18, 2017 at 12:04 am /

    Thank you so much!! I am so happy that you enjoy it so much. It’s my favorite too 🙂

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