Everyone’s favorite holiday side dish, Sweet Potato Casserole, is a breeze to make in the Crockpot. Sweet and crunchy, topped with pecans and marshmallows, it’s perfect to serve alongside your roasted turkey.
What’s in Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole?
This classic sweet and savory vegetable side dish is a breeze to make in the Crockpot, and it will free up your oven for the rest of the meal. It’s a great alternative to oven baked and so simple to prep.
- Brown Sugar: Adds the perfect amount of rich sweetness to this casserole.
- Unsalted Butter: Enriches the potatoes and infuses them with a delicious flavor.
- Water: Helps the potatoes steam and cook through in the slow cooker.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds a warm and spicy flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the natural sweetness of the potatoes.
- Sweet Potatoes: Cut the sweet potatoes into evenly sized cubes so that they cook evenly.
- Mini Marshmallows: Add a pop of sweetness and an ooey-gooey texture!
- Pecans: Add a nutty flavor and a crunchy texture.
Pro Tip: Pecans are the traditional topping, but walnuts work great too!
Variations on Slow Cooked Sweet Potato Casserole
There are so many ways to jazz up this classic casserole. Try swapping the marshmallows for a pecan streusel topping by combining chopped pecans, brown sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon. Sprinkle this over the casserole during the last hour of cooking.
You could also drizzle the casserole with a maple syrup glaze or add a pinch of nutmeg to the potatoes as they cook for even more holiday flavor.
For a more savory casserole, add herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage to the sweet potatoes and sprinkle them with grated cheddar or Parmesan cheese during the last hour of cooking.
This side dish takes 3 ½-4 hours on a high setting, or on low for 6-8 hours. Just set it to go while you are prepping the rest of the meal and your Thanksgiving dinner will be a breeze to make!
Yes, it’s best to peel the sweet potatoes as the skins can be quite tough and chewy even when cooked. Cut them into similar-sized pieces so that they cook evenly.
Canned or thawed frozen sweet potatoes can be used in this recipe.
Sweet potato casserole should be set and firm, not loose and runny.
Sweet potatoes tend to absorb water, so if you boil them before making the casserole, they will release that water as they bake/cook, making the casserole watery. We avoid this by cooking them from raw in a crockpot.
If you prefer a thicker casserole, add 2-3 tablespoons of flour to the sweet potatoes to help them thicken up as they cook. You can also stir in some cornstarch towards the end of the cook time.
Yes! You can prep the whole dish the night before and keep covered and refrigerated until ready to cook. Once cooked, the casserole will keep well for up to 5 days in the fridge.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover crockpot sweet potato casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze sweet potato casserole in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This crockpot sweet potato casserole is great to serve as part of your Thanksgiving or holiday dinner. Try it with a festive main, like Roast Turkey, Smoked Turkey Breast, Prime Rib Roast, or Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin
This vegetable casserole will be a surefire hit with whatever you serve it with!
Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (¾ stick)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 cups mini marshmallows divided
- 1 cup chopped pecans divided
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Stir the brown sugar, butter, water, cinnamon and vanilla together in a crock pot then add the sweet potatoes and stir to combine once again.1½ cups brown sugar, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 4 pounds sweet potatoes, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Cover with the lid and cook on high for 3 ½-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours or until the sweet potatoes are tender, stir every hour to prevent burning.
- Stir in 2 cups of the marshmallows and ½ cup of the pecans then sprinkle the top with the remaining pecans and marshmallows.3 cups mini marshmallows, 1 cup chopped pecans
- Cover once again and let the marshmallows melt on high for another 10-15 minutes.
- Uncover and let the sweet potatoes cool for about 20 minutes before serving.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Cut the sweet potatoes into evenly sized cubes so that they cook through evenly.
- Pecans are traditionally used, but walnuts work great too.
Nutrition Information
Could you double this recipe in the crock pot? Would it all fit?
That depends on the size of your crockpot!
Can you use frozen sweet potatoes?
I would thaw them first!
How much does it feed ?
Serves six, but you could go a little more with smaller portions!
Hi I was wondering the size chunks the sweet potatoes get cut into? Thank you.
Around half-inch or a little bigger chunks!