This Crock Pot Sweet Potato Casserole is all made in the slow cooker for an easy, fuss-free side dish, perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
Perfect for a big holiday meal, like Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas, this delicious side dish pairs perfectly with Thanksgiving Stuffing and Roasted Turkey Breast!
This classic Sweet Potato Casserole is anything but ordinary! Whether you’re making it for the first time or want to change up your usual recipe, this Sweet Potato Casserole recipe is for you!
Crock Pot Sweet Potato Casserole
With simple ingredients like sweet potatoes, butter, vanilla, and brown sugar, this traditional Sweet Potato Casserole has a ton of sweet and nutty flavor!
Ingredients Needed
Here’s the basic list of ingredients you’ll need in order to whip up Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the printable recipe card below.
- Sweet potatoes
- Chicken broth
- Butter
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Brown sugar
For The Topping
- Brown sugar
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Chopped pecans
How To Make Crock Pot Sweet Potato Casserole
PREP SWEET POTATOES
To make the sweet potato casserole, simply find 5 medium-large sweet potatoes or about 5 pounds.
Peel them and then cut them into even-sized cubes (about 1-2 inches). This doesn’t have to be precise; it just helps them cook evenly.
ADD SWEET POTATOES TO THE CROCK POT
Toss them all into the crock pot, along with some chicken broth and a little butter.
Close the lid and walk away.
After 3 hours, you’ll be able to easily mash the sweet potatoes using a potato masher.
EGGS, BROWN SUGAR, AND VANILLA
Once it’s all mashed up, lightly beat 2 eggs along with some vanilla and pour it right into the crock pot.
Add a little more sweetness with a cup of brown sugar and a touch of vanilla extract.
Give the sweet potato mixture a good stir, and mix thoroughly.
MAKE THE PECAN TOPPING
Quickly whip up the pecan topping by combining the brown sugar, melted butter, all purpose flour and chopped pecans in a small dish.
Sprinkle the brown sugar pecan mixture evenly over the mashed sweet potatoes, cover, and let it cook for another 2 hours.
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole Tips and Substitutions
- The more liquid with the sweet potatoes will give you a softer, more loose casserole texture.
- If you want a firmer sweet potato base, drain some of the liquid before mashing.
- Just make sure to let the casserole sit for a few minutes after you turn off the crock pot before digging in.
- Want to add even more flair? Add some mini marshmallows on top!
Make Ahead and Storage
Mix the Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole up until adding the pecan topping. Make the topping separately and sprinkle it on top of the sweet potatoes when you’re ready to reheat it. Store the casserole and topping in the fridge for 1-2 days before serving. Then, to reheat, turn the slow cooker to LOW heat until heated.
If you have leftover sweet potato casserole, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can also freeze sweet potato casserole in individual portions for up to 3 months, BUT it’s better to store it uncooked. In that case, make the sweet potato casserole in a mixing bowl instead of the crock pot and freeze up until the point of baking, excluding the topping until you’re ready to bake. Then, let it come to room temperature before baking and bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.
Common Questions
Can I substitute canned sweet potatoes for fresh sweet potatoes?
Absolutely! You can buy either canned diced sweet potatoes or canned sweet potato puree instead of whole sweet potatoes! I suggest buying the same number of cans as pounds of sweet potatoes. If using canned, simply skip the first part of cooking the sweet potatoes, and mash them up then add in the eggs and brown sugar.
What can I use instead of a potato masher?
Feel free to use a hand mixer to puree the sweet potatoes inside the crock pot insert! If you don’t have a hand mixer, you can remove the sweet potatoes from the crock pot and use a food processor or blender to mash the sweet potatoes.
What kind of brown sugar should I use?
It depends on how much molasses flavor you want in your casserole. Light brown sugar has a more mild molasses flavor than dark brown sugar, so it really depends on your personal preference!
More Easy Side Dish Recipes
You’re going to love this deliciously sweet and tasty Thanksgiving side dish! Here are a few more cozy side dishes I think you’ll love…
- Cheesy Zucchini Rice with Bacon
- Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
- Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
- Baked Zucchini Squash Casserole
If you want to take your Thanksgiving menu to the next level, this Sweet Potato Casserole is the perfect side dish for you!
Crock Pot Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 5 medium sweet potatoes, about 5 pounds
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup butter, cubed
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup brown sugar
For The Topping
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Peel sweet potatoes and cut into even 1-2 inch cubes. Place the potatoes into your crock pot and add the chicken broth and sprinkle the cubed butter on top.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours, or until the sweet potatoes are soft enough to mash. (*see notes)
- Use a potato masher and mash the potatoes to your desired consistency.
- Add the lightly beaten eggs, brown sugar and vanilla to the crock pot and stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl combine the topping ingredients and stir to coat. Sprinkle over the mashed sweet potatoes, replace the lid and continue to cook on high for 2 more hours.
- Serve warm right out of the crock pot. Enjoy!
We love sweet potato casserole and always run out of room in my oven during big holiday meals! This recipe gave me what I needed to convert the baking to one of my *many* slow cookers– thanks so much!
I did not cook my raw sweet potatoes in the slow cooker, but followed my traditional method of scrubbing them and sticking them in the oven when I start my turkey– there’s plenty of room around my roaster at that point– and bake until there’s nice and soft usually around 1 hour depending on size of the potatoes. I’m then take them out to cool until I can handle them bare handed, cut them in half and squeeze the flesh out of the skin into a bowl and then continue with the recipe– saves time from peeling, extra pots, and is basically effortless!
What a great idea to cook the potatoes alongside the turkey. Love that!
If using canned chunk sweet potatoes do I still add the chicken broth, cook/warm it then drain off liquid before mashing?
You can skip the cooking process of the potatoes and go straight to the mashing! I would just drain off any liquid from the canned potatoes first.
Great recipe but I found the potato cut size too big at 1-2”. It says at 3 hours to mash…I was at 2:45 (on high as stated) and ended up putting them on a pan, covering with water and biking for a bit, then back in pan to finish. Makes a ton. Would half it and make it again with smaller cut potatoes. Everyone really liked them.
Made this for dinner today and it was a hit! It’s going to become a regular for our thanksgiving dinner.
If substituting canned sweet potatoes do you strain any of the liquid out of the can before cooking? Also I plan on making/prepping a head of time-like the night before – would I add the eggs in the night before or the next morning when getting ready to put In crockpot? Also how long do you recommend I cook them? (making for work Thanksgiving potluck ) Thank You!
Can substituting canned yams be done?
Can you ask the sweet potatoes rather than cook them in the crockpot?
If you want to save (loads of) time, just boil the potatoes in chicken stock and butter on the stovetop and then finish it off in the slow cooker. I have made this a few times and after learning my lesson the first time (the potatoes took about 7 hours on high to cook through), I used this technique. It’s ready in half the time and you really only use one more pot, and can control the amount of liquid and texture a bit better as well! The finished dish is delish!
That’s a great way to save time! Thanks Stefanie!
How many hours did you let it finish off in the crock pot after cooking on the stove top?
Thanks for this tip!
Just wondering if the topping gets “mushy” in the crock pot or is it crunchy?
Thank you posting. I’m going to try it this year for Thanksgiving.
The top of the topping actually has a nice crisp-ness to it.
Adding the eggs while the crock pot and potatoes are hot? Won’t that cause them to cook and set quickly?
It is hot, but you’ll still want to let it cook longer to let it set.
Hi, I am eager to use this recipe for Thanksgiving, however some family members don’t like nuts. If I omit the pecan topping do I still need to cook for an additional two hours?
You’ll still want to let it cook for the extra time since you’ll be adding eggs to the sweet potato mixture. This will help it to set up nice.