Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes (the perfect side dish OR main course!)

These slow cooker sweet potatoes are a total game changer! I love sweet potatoes, but between work and the kids’ after-school activities, rare is the day that I have an hour to bake potatoes when we get home in the evening. But guess what, with this easy technique, you can have perfectly fluffy baked potatoes ready and waiting when you walk in the door. WOOT WOOT! [New VIDEO below]

The EASIEST slow cooker baked sweet potatoes

You’re not going to believe how insanely easy they are to make. I feature the technique in my book, Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker: Reinvent the Slow Cooked Meal (Storey Publishing, 2019). All you do is wash your potatoes then arrange them in a single layer in your slow cooker (you can cook as many potatoes as will fit in a single layer—I can cook 4 medium potatoes in my 6-quart oval model). Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, and then let the slow cooker do its thing. The potatoes will need about 6-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high, depending on your model. 

What goes with sweet potatoes?

These slow cooker sweet potatoes are the perfect side dish to just about anything. I serve them alongside grilled or roasted meats (think chicken or steak), sausages and fish. However, I also love to transform them into a healthy main course!

Healthy loaded sweet potatoes

Speaking of which… to serve the potatoes as a main dish, load them up with your favorite toppings. In my book I feature fajita-stuffed sweet potatoes, which taste like a giant nacho (YUM). In that recipe, a mixture of peppers, onions, garlic and spices are cooked in the slow cooker along with the sweet potatoes. However, you can also simply top the potatoes with any leftovers in the fridge. It’s my favorite way to use up a batch of this slow cooker beef chili, or you could go for sautéed greens, braised meats, beans, etc. OR you can get creative! Below are some of my favorite loaded sweet potato combos:

• Vegan: Sautéed greens and chickpeas with tahini (pictured above)
• BBQ: Shredded pork or chicken with cheddar cheese and barbecue sauce (pictured below)
• Fajita: Sautéed peppers and beans with cheese, guacamole and cilantro  
• Chili: Leftover chili and all the fixings
• Greek: Quinoa, parsley, pine nuts, grape tomatoes and tzatziki
• Breakfast: Sautéed peppers, onions and crumbled breakfast sausage with yogurt and maple syrup

Can you eat sweet potato skin?

Yes! Sweet potato skin is perfectly edible and is a fantastic source of fiber. It’s actually my favorite part, and I’m known to pilfer the skin from my kids’ plates.  ?

How else can I use the potatoes?

You can scoop out the potato flesh (discard the skins) and mash it with butter for a quick mash, or add the potato flesh to soups.

Tips for making slow cooker sweet potatoes:

• You can cook as many potatoes as will fit in your slow cooker (oval models will fit more potatoes than round ones). I can cook 4 medium potatoes in my 6-quart oval slow cooker.  
• Wash the potatoes but don’t dry them before arranging them in the slow cooker (the damp skin will help them steam). 
• The potatoes are awesome on their own with a pat of butter as a healthy side dish, but we love to transform them into a full meal by loading them up with various toppings. It’s a great way to use up leftovers (see above for some of my favorite combos).
• Get my Fajita-Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe and a TON of other slow cooker recipes in my book, Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker!

Get more slow cooker recipes!

• Slow Cooker Vegetable Massaman Curry
• Curried Red Lentil Kale Soup
• Slow Cooker Salmon (Power Bowls or Tacos!)
• Red Lentil Dal (Vegan)
• BEST Slow Cooker Beef Chili
• Mexican-Inspired White Bean & Chicken Soup
• Easy Crockpot Pulled Pork
• Slow Cooker Carnitas

Healthy recipes you might like:

• BEST Oven Fries
• Fudgy Black Bean Brownies
• Paleo Banana Bread
• Vegan Chickpea Waffles
• Healthy Coconut Almond Cake

Watch the video!

Get the recipe!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes (the perfect side dish OR main course!)

These fluffy slow cooker sweet potatoes are a perfect make-ahead side dish OR main course! You can serve them as they are for an easy side dish, or load them up with the toppings of your choice to transform them into a healthy meal (check out the notes below for some of my favorite combos). You can cook as many sweet potatoes as will fit in your slow cooker. Get more slow cooker recipes in my book, Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker, Reinvent the Slow Cooked Meal (Storey Publishing, 2019)!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time4 hours hrs

Total Time4 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: healthy sweet potato recipes, loaded sweet potatoes, slow cooker sweet potatoes

Servings: 4 people

Author: Nicki Sizemore

Equipment

• Slow cooker

Ingredients

• Cooking spray or oil for slow cooker
• 2-4 medium sweet potatoes, depending on the size of your slow cooker
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Butter or other toppings for serving, if desired

Instructions

• Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray or coat it lightly with oil. Wash the sweet potatoes, but don’t dry them (the slight moisture on the skin will help them to cook more evenly). Place the sweet potatoes right into the slow cooker, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 6 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.
• Serve the sweet potatoes on their own with butter as an easy side dish, or load them up with the toppings of your choice for your entree!

Notes

Tips:

• You can cook as many potatoes as will fit in your slow cooker (oval models will fit more potatoes than round ones). I can cook 4 medium potatoes in my 6-quart oval slow cooker.  
• Wash the potatoes but don’t dry them before arranging them in the slow cooker (the damp skin will help them steam). 
• Some of my favorite loaded sweet potato combos include: 

• • Vegan: Sautéed greens and chickpeas with tahini
  • BBQ: Shredded pork or chicken with cheddar cheese and barbecue sauce
  • Fajita: Sautéed peppers and beans with cheese, guacamole and cilantro
  • Chili: Leftover chili and all the fixings
  • Greek: Quinoa, parsley, pine nuts, grape tomatoes and tzatziki
  • Breakfast: Sautéed peppers, onions and crumbled breakfast sausage with yogurt and maple syrup

• Get my Fajita-Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe and a TON of other slow cooker recipes in my book, Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker!

*This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links to products I use and love (from which I earn income, at no cost to you). Thank you for supporting From Scratch Fast!

I'd love to answer any of your questions and see what you're cooking!! Don't forget to give this recipe a star rating and leave a comment below. Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube & Pinterest, and be sure to tag @nickisizemore so that I can share your creations!