Sweet potato gives the filling a naturally richer, slightly denser texture than pumpkin pie, while silken tofu helps it bake up especially smooth without using coconut cream. The marshmallow-like vegan Italian meringue adds a light contrast to the spiced filling and buttery crust.
If you're planning your holiday table, you can find even more pies, cheesecakes, cakes, and make-ahead options in my vegan Thanksgiving desserts.
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Why this recipe works
The filling is blended until completely smooth before baking, giving the pie a creamy custard-like texture rather than a fibrous sweet potato filling.
Blind-baking the vegan pie crust before adding the filling helps keep the base crisp, while a foil shield protects the exposed pastry during the longer second bake.
The filling is also naturally coconut-free. I use silken tofu for extra creaminess, although I've tested the pie without it and it still works.
Key ingredients
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Orange sweet potatoes: Garnet or Jewel varieties work especially well because of their deep orange color and sweet flavor. Cook them until completely tender so they blend smoothly into the filling.
Silken tofu: This makes the filling especially creamy without adding coconut. Both soft and firm silken tofu work. I've also tested the recipe without tofu; the finished filling is a little less creamy but still works.
Vegan butter: Adds richness to both the filling and crust. Use block-style vegan butter rather than a soft spread from a tub.
Cornstarch: Helps the filling set cleanly once baked and cooled.
Brown sugar and granulated sugar: Brown sugar adds a deeper caramel-like flavor, while granulated sugar helps balance the filling without making it too heavy.
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How to make it
Here's a visual overview of this recipe. Please refer to the detailed card at the end of this page for full written instructions.
The most important step for the crust is the blind bake. You want the pastry to be lightly golden before the sweet potato filling goes in, rather than pale or raw-looking. That head start is what keeps the bottom from becoming soggy once the custard filling is added.
For the filling, make sure the cooked sweet potatoes are completely tender before blending. The finished mixture should look very smooth, thick, and creamy, with no visible fibers or pieces of sweet potato. A high-speed blender gives the smoothest result; I've found a food processor doesn't get quite the same silky texture.
Once the filling is in the crust, protect the exposed pastry with a foil shield. The pie needs enough time in the oven for the filling to set, and without the shield the crust can become too dark before the center is ready.
The pie is done when the outer part of the filling looks set and the center still has a slight wobble when the dish is gently moved. It shouldn't look liquid, but you also don't want to bake it until the entire center is completely rigid. The filling continues to firm as the pie cools.
Let the pie cool completely before adding the meringue. If the filling is still warm, the topping can soften and become less stable. Spoon the Italian meringue generously over the cooled pie, then torch just the surface until the peaks are golden brown.
Christina's recipe tips
Blend the filling thoroughly. A high-speed blender gives the silkiest texture. Keep blending until the sweet potato mixture is completely smooth before it goes into the crust.
Don't underbake the crust. The pastry should already be lightly golden after blind-baking. A pale crust is much more likely to become soggy underneath the filling.
Use a foil shield This gives the filling enough time to bake through without over-browning the exposed pastry.
Look for a gentle wobble. The center should move slightly when the pie is nudged, but it shouldn't ripple or look wet. It will continue setting as it cools.
Cool before topping. Add the meringue only once the pie has completely cooled so it stays fluffy and stable.
Make ahead and storage
The sweet potato pie can be baked and cooled ahead of time, then refrigerated without the meringue. Add and torch the meringue closer to serving for the best texture.
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
You can also freeze the pie without the meringue topping. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, blot away any moisture from the surface if needed, then add fresh meringue before serving.
More vegan thanksgiving pies
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Sweet Potato Pie With Meringue Topping (No Coconut)
Ingredients
- 1 batch vegan pie crust
- 600 g (21 oz) sweet potatoes
- 125 ml (½ cup) soy milk or other non-dairy milk
- 125 g (½ cup) silken tofu soft or firm *see note 1
- 125 g (4.4 oz) vegan butter *see note 2
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar *see note 3
- 100 g (½ cup) soft brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 batch vegan italian meringue optional, for topping
Instructions
- Make the pie crust: Prepare the pie crust recipe through to step 6.
- Preheat your oven to 210°C (410°F). Remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling it out. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a circumference wider than your pie dish. Carefully lift the pastry into the tart tin using your rolling pin.
- Very lightly grease the base and sides of a 10.5" (26cm) pie dish with a little oil or vegan butter. Gently press the dough into the base and sides of the tin, being careful not to stretch it. Use scissors to trim off the excess pastry around the edges of the pan. To crimp the edges of the dough by pinching it with your fingers. You can also crimp the edges using a fork. Pierce several holes into the base of the pastry using a fork.
- Blind bake the crust: Take a sheet of parchment paper and cut it into a circle slightly larger than the pie. Rest it on top of the pastry and fill the base with baking beads (or dried beans, rice, or lentils). Blind bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the baking beads/dried beans, turn down the oven temperature to 175°C (347°F) and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the pastry is lightly golden. Place the pie dish on a cooling rack and cool to room temperature.
- Make the filling: Cook the sweet potatoes in boiling salted water for 25-30 minutes, until tender. Transfer the potatoes to a colander and run the cold tap over them. Once cool enough to touch, carefully remove the skins.
- To a high-speed blender, add the cooked sweet potatoes, soy milk, and silken tofu and blend until smooth. Add in the butter, granulated and brown sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and blend again until completely smooth and creamy. Pour the filling into the par-baked pie crust.
- Create a pie crust shield (foil tent): To prevent the pastry from baking too fast. Take a sheet of foil that's as long as the circumference of the dish and fold it in half. Carefully place it around the pie dish so that you can turn it in to cover the visible pastry. (image in blog post)
- Bake at 175°C (347°F) for another 45-55 minutes, until the pastry has browned and the top of the pie has set with a little jiggle.
- Allow the pie to cool to room temperature for at least an hour. Meanwhile, prepare the topping.
- Make the topping: Make a batch of Italian meringue, and use a spatula to scoop it on top of the pie once it has cooled completely.
Notes
- Silken tofu: If you can't find this, you can leave it out or replace with vegan Greek-style yogurt/sour cream.
- Vegan butter: Take this out of the fridge to sit at room temperature for 30 mins to 1 hour. Make sure you use vegan block butter NOT spreadable butter from a tub. I use flora plant butter which is nut-free, coconut-free, and gluten-free.
- Some sugar in the US is not vegan, if in doubt use organic sugar.
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