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It’s a new year and I have a new method for one of my oldest and truest vegetable sidekicks: meet Crockpot Sweet Potatoes.

Vegetables with butter in a slow cooker

I’m right there with you making a resolution to eat a few more vegetables more nights of the week.

But finding the time to prep them can be challenging.

As much as I adore these Roasted Sweet Potatoes and these Sweet Potato Fries, for example, sometimes I’m just not in the mood to chop! It feels tempting to skip them altogether.

(Know the feeling? Check out this prep-free Roasted Frozen Broccoli and Roasted Frozen Brussels Sprouts.)

Be tempted to skip the veggies no more with these super easy, hands-free crockpot sweet potatoes!

A similar idea to my popular Crock Pot Baked Potatoes, this method is so simple and seamless, I may never go back to baking my sweets the old-fashioned way instead.

The prep here is essentially ZERO.

You can simply rinse, put the raw sweet potatoes in the slow cooker, and forget about them! That’s a resolution even I can’t mess up.

TIP!

This Air Fryer Sweet Potato is just as easy too!

A sweet potato cut open with butter

This healthy slow cooker sweet potato recipe results in perfectly tender and extra fluffy sweet potatoes, all while being 100% foolproof.

Plus, like Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes, Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes, and the classic Mashed Sweet Potatoes, you don’t need to leave your oven running for well over an hour to make them.

Sweet Potato Tips for Success

Here are a few tips to guarantee flawless crockpot baked sweet potatoes:

  • You can cook up to 2 stacked layers of sweet potatoes in the slow cooker, but definitely don’t do more than that because the potatoes won’t cook evenly from bottom to top.
  • Skip poking holes in sweet potatoes. There’s no need to release steam in this method.
  • Save your aluminum foil. Sweet potatoes will cook wonderfully without being wrapped in foil first.
  • Do expect a range of cooking times. The amount of time needed for potatoes to soften in the slow cooker will depend on the size of your potatoes and the strength of your slow cooker. Make a note of your potato size and ideal cooking time after you’ve initially made these so you can refer to it again.
A sweet potato cut open on a plate

How to Make Crockpot Sweet Potatoes

You can use this method for just one or up to 6 to 8 sweet potatoes (the number that fit will depend upon the size of your slow cooker).

Sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber, vitamins A and C, and antioxidants, and their natural sweetness makes them a kid favorite too.

Cooked sweet potatoes reheat well, so make a batch at beginning of the week (or early in the day), and you’ll have a healthy serving of vegetables on hand whenever you need them.

Or however you need them! I have lots of yummy ways to top and serve your slow cooker “baked” sweet potatoes below.


The Directions

  1. Rinse the potatoes.
Easy crockpot sweet potatoes
  1. Lay the potatoes in a slow cooker.
A fork piercing vegetables in a slow cooker
  1. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. They should pierce easily with a fork when done.
  2. Slice open the potatoes and top as desired. ENJOY!

TIP!

If crockpot mashed sweet potatoes strike your fancy, after cooking them, peel and mash with a little milk, butter, salt, pepper, and garlic… and voilà!

Ways to Top Sweet Potatoes

More Ways to Use Cooked Sweet Potatoes

You also can peel and mash your crockpot sweet potatoes, then use them in any recipe calling for cooked sweet potatoes. A few of my favorites:

Melted butter on a sweet potato

Storage Tips

  • To Store. Refrigerate cooked sweet potatoes in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
  • To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F.
  • To Freeze. Wrap each sweet potato individually, then freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw each potato overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Leftover Ideas

Cut a cooked sweet potato into cubes and crisp them in a skillet for your weekend brunch (see this Sweet Potato Hash for inspiration).

What to Serve with Sweet Potatoes

Butter melting on a sweet potato

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Crockpot Sweet Potatoes

4.86 from 27 votes
Tender and fluffy, crockpot sweet potatoes are so simple with no prep. Perfect for a healthy side or with toppings for a full meal!

Prep: 2 minutes
Cook: 8 hours
Total: 8 hours

Servings: 1 to 8 potatoes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 to 8 medium sweet potatoes about 8 ounces each
  • Salt black pepper, butter, brown sugar – optional, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Rinse your sweet potatoes and shake off any excess water (no need to dry them; the moisture will help them steam).
  • Place the sweet potatoes in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. If cooking only 1 or 2 potatoes, place them in the center. If you have more sweet potatoes than will fit in a single layer, create a second layer on top. No need to poke holes in the sweet potatoes or wrap the sweet potatoes in foil.
  • Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the potatoes are tender when pieced with a fork. The amount of time you need will vary based on your slow cooker and the size of your sweet potatoes (for reference, I’ve slow cooked sweet potatoes as large as 1 1/2 pounds each and had them finish in about 4 hours 15 minutes on high).
  • Carefully remove the sweet potatoes from the slow cooker. Once they are cool enough to handle, cut a slit down the middle, then push the two ends together to open the potato. Top and enjoy as desired. You also can scoop out the flesh and use it for any recipe that calls for cooked sweet potatoes.

Notes

  • TO STORE: Refrigerate cooked sweet potatoes in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
  • TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F.
  • TO FREEZE: Wrap each sweet potato individually, then freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw each potato overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1potatoCalories: 194kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPotassium: 762mgFiber: 7gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 32063IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 68mgIron: 1mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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16 Comments

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    1. Hi Lesley! I haven’t tried this myself, but you could experiment with it. Since cooking time can vary based on the size of your potatoes, I’d try to use ones that are similar in size and check them early to make sure neither variety overcooks. You can check out my Crock Pot Baked Potatoes recipe for more tips on timing with white potatoes.

    1. Hi Marian! Thank you for your concern. These are in fact sweet potatoes, but you can feel free to use whichever you prefer. Yams (according to ncsweetpotatoes.com) insides are white, yellow, purple, or pink. Hope this helps!

  1. This worked perfectly for dinner tonight! I love the simplicity of the recipe and that I don’t have to use my oven and heat up the house on a hot summer day. This is my new way of cooking sweet potatoes. Thank you!5 stars

  2. My sweet potato came out so delicious….I used a small crock pot and only cooked one. It takes about the same amount of time but just keep an eye on it until you have the time amount perfect so you will have it for the next time u want to enjoy another sweet potato.5 stars

    1. Hi Ceekae! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review and feedback on using the small crock pot!

  3. I did 4 good sized sweet potatoes in the 4 quart Rival Crockpot, 4 hours on high setting. Had to stack two on top of the other two. They turned out really good! Cut in half lengthwise, wait a few minutes to cool for easy scoop/peel. Thank you!5 stars

  4. Will be trying this. Thank you for sharing. :)
    So no need to put water when slow cooking on low? How about if I cooked on high?