Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole

My Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole will save you so much time and effort! Also, you will love how creamy and delicious it is, in my opinion, the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving.

With my recipe, you can make this holiday favorite in the slow cooker and save some much-needed oven space. I flavored it with the traditional fall spices and lots of mini marshmallows, and the toasted pecans add a bit of crunch to every bite. 

I love Thanksgiving because cooking is my thing. But sometimes there is not enough room in the oven so I like to use my other small appliances when I can. My crockpot sweet potato casserole recipe is perfect because it is easy and leaves extra space in the oven for other things. There is also a short ingredient list so no long shopping trip. That means saving money.

I also like that there are only four steps to prepare this side dish that will impress everyone. How easy is that? Four steps with five main ingredients, some spices, 15 minutes of prep and then the crockpot does the rest of the work. Nobody wants to spend a lot of time in the kitchen during the holidays, including me.

For many of us, the best part of the holiday season is eating. Thanksgiving dinner has many traditional dishes like green bean casserole, stuffing (or dressing), roasted turkey, and pumpkin pie. Trust me, my easy recipe will fit right in with your Thanksgiving meal this year, and the gooey marshmallow topping will make everyone want seconds.

You may also like this Sweet Potato Souffle recipe, which will be a big hit at the dinner table. Or for a more filling dish, I suggest my original and popular Loaded Sweet Potato Casserole. Another scrumptious dish to make in the crock pot is these buttery Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

Why you will love this recipe

• There is so little prep time: With just about 15 minutes of preparation time, it practically cooks itself. All you have to do is mix it all up, put it into the crockpot, and let it cook. That leaves plenty of room in the oven for making the main entrée and all the delicious side dishes and pies for later.
• Just a few ingredients: Besides the spices, this recipe requires only five ingredients. There is no long list of things to shop for, which means less money to spend.
• Four steps: Yes, there are only five ingredients and four steps. That is what I love about my crockpot sweet potato casserole recipe. It is so easy to make but tastes like it was a lot of work. It is a simple and delicious side dish ready to eat when everything else is ready.
• It can be dessert or a side dish: This is it if you need another side dish. But it can also be a dessert too. Whichever one is lacking at the dinner table, this is it. It is both sweet and savory and can be served with or without the marshmallows.

What you’ll need to make crockpot sweet potato casserole

Special items

• Crockpot – I use a four-quart crockpot.
• Potato masher
• Bowls
• Cooking utensils

Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes – I usually get Beauregard sweet potatoes because they are the most commonly found and the sweetest orange type of potato. They are soft, moist, and mash well. They should be peeled and chopped into evenly sized-pieces.
• Melted unsalted butter – Unsalted butter is sweeter and creamier, perfect for this luscious dish. It needs to be melted but cooled to act as a liquid to mix the spices together.
• Packed brown sugar – Light or brown sugar will both work as long as it is packed. The darker the sugar, the richer the flavor.
• Pure vanilla extract – Make sure it is 100% pure vanilla and not just vanilla flavoring to get the full effect and no bitter aftertaste.
• Cinnamon – This sweet, warm spice adds a slightly woodsy and citrusy note.
• Ginger – A bit spicy and invigorating, it provides a warming, fiery flavor with a kick.
• Cloves – Adding depth and richness, cloves have a hint of mintiness with a woody background.
• Nutmeg – It is delicate, aromatic, subtly nutty, and sweet, blending perfectly with the other warm spices.
• Miniature marshmallows – To make the gooey sweet topping. Large marshmallows will also work. I just like how the mini marshmallows melt better.
• Toasted pecan halves – I buy pecan halves and then toast them in the oven at 350 degrees F for five to seven minutes.

How to make crockpot sweet potato casserole?

1. Prepare the pot: First, I wash and peel the potatoes. Then, I chop them into one-inch pieces. Try to make them all the same size so they cook evenly.
2. Mix up the sauce: Then, I whisk the butter, sugar, vanilla, and spices in a medium bowl. Then, the chopped potatoes go into the crockpot, and I stir in the butter mixture until the potatoes are well-coated.
3. Cook: Now, I cover and cook for six hours on high or three hours on low or until they are tender.
4. Mash: Then, I use my potato masher to smash the potatoes. I like to leave some lumps, but some people use an immersion mixer for smoother spuds.
5. Garnish, melt, and serve: Finally, I add the marshmallows and pecan halves. Then, I cover it and let it cook for another 10 minutes until the marshmallows are melted before serving.

Expert tip

Finding the perfect sweet potato

Some people have no idea that there is more than one kind of sweet potato. I usually get the Beauregard sweet potato because it is almost always found at the market or grocery store. In fact, it is the most common sweet potato sold in the United States.

The jewel is my second favorite. It is very similar to the Beauregard, except it is not as sweet. It has a more robust and richer flavor.

The red garnet comes next. Its skin is deep red-orange, and its bright orange flesh has a savory taste. However, compared to the others, it is not sweet at all and is a lot softer.

The Covington sweet potato has orange skin with brown spots and a different kind of sweetness that has been described as malty. The texture is creamy and moist; many enjoy it just sliced and roasted.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Other nuts: Swap out the pecans for walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, or even hazelnuts for a different flavor.
• No nuts: If someone has a nut allergy, use something different like sunflower seeds, chia seeds, or pepitas (pumpkin seeds) instead. 
• Make it tropical: For a tropical twist, add some sweetened or toasted coconut to the marshmallow topping.
• Caramelize it: Another kind of topping that would be exquisite on this casserole would be my caramel sauce. It is so easy to make in 10 minutes with just three ingredients and no thermometer.
• Add zest: Make it zesty with some orange or lemon zest on this delicious dish. Lime would taste incredible as well.
• No sugar: Alternatively, you can use maple syrup instead of brown sugar.
• Topping: Add some cinnamon or crunchy pecan streusel on top of the potatoes instead of marshmallows. 

How to serve:

• It makes a delightful side dish for my perfectly juicy and tender cranberry orange turkey breast. 
• Other side dishes I like to pair with this include cranberry sauce, cranberry stuffing, and green bean casserole.
• Looking for a great wine for this sweet potato casserole? Gewurztraminer from Alsace, France, is a fruity and floral choice that complements the sweetness.
• This pumpkin pie smoothie would also taste splendid with this yummy side dish and the kids would enjoy it as well.
• For dessert I suggest this pumpkin pecan cheesecake or crustless pumpkin pie.

Frequently asked questions

 

How to store leftovers:

1. Store: After the potatoes are completely cooled off, refrigerate them in a shallow airtight container where they will stay fresh for up to five days.
2. Freeze: If you know ahead of time that you are going to freeze the casserole, do not add the marshmallows and you can freeze it for up to three months. You can even leave it in the casserole dish and lay a sheet of aluminum foil or plastic wrap right on top. Then, add a few more layers of foil or wrap to keep it fresh.
3. Thaw: Thaw the dish overnight in the refrigerator before reheating for best results. 
4. Reheat: You can microwave it or add it to a baking dish and reheat it in the oven. Also, add the marshmallow topping right before baking.

More Thanksgiving recipes:

Recipe tips:

• Yams are entirely different than sweet potatoes. However, if shopping in a typical American grocery store, they will be sweet potatoes even if they say yams because they do not typically sell yams in the United States. To be sure, yams are dark brown, rough-skinned, and large, while sweet potatoes are orange/red with smooth skin.
• Do not use canned yams or sweet potatoes. They are already cooked and will turn mush after being in the crockpot for several hours.
• Soaking the potatoes before using them is not necessary. In fact, it could cause them to overcook or turn watery.
• Cut the sweet potatoes into even-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate.
• Be sure not to overcook the casserole or it may end up watery or too mushy.
• Add some flour or a cornstarch slurry to thicken it if it is watery.
• Use a crockpot or slow cooker liner to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pot and to make cleanup easier.