With hardly any effort at all, you can make Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes to turn into nutritious baby food or a simple side dish for family dinner. This is a great set-it-and-forget-it recipe to make for the kids.
Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes
I love having mashed sweet potatoes on hand to use as baby food (when needed!) and as a simple side dish for family meals. This sweet and creamy version is made with such a simple method in the slow cooker and makes the best mashed sweet potatoes every single time. I honestly don’t bake sweet potatoes much anymore now that I know how foolproof the crock pot method is!
TIP: I love this recipe because the sweet potatoes are so creamy and smooth that they really don’t need any added ingredients. And they are super moist and are unlikely to dry out while cooking as they sometimes can when baked in the oven.
Ingredients in Crockpot Sweet Potatoes
To make this recipe, you literally just need orange flesh sweet potatoes. They are sometimes called garnet yams depending on your store. That’s it! You can add butter or salt once they are done. but the base recipe just requires the potatoes.
How to Make Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes Step-by-Step
Here’s a look at the easy process involved in making this recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information.
- Wash your sweet potatoes and add them to the bottom of your crock pot.
- Cook on low. They will be super soft! Remove from the slow cooker and let cool. Slicing them open can speed up the cooling process a little.
- Peel and discard the skins. Add the flesh to a bowl.
- Mash until smooth with a potato masher. Serve!
TIP: You can of course simply serve these like you would baked potatoes and skip the mashing part.
What can I serve these crock pot mashed sweet potatoes with?
So many things! It’s a great side with chicken or fish of course, or as a stand alone baby meal, but I also love them in tacos with black beans—there’s something about the Mexican flavors that pairs well with the sweet potato flavor. And I love them alongside scrambled eggs!
You can also spread them on toast for a baby or a toddler, add to a smoothie, or mix with plain whole milk yogurt or applesauce for a combination baby or toddler food option. (A reusable pouch would be a great way to serve it that way.)
How do I store slow cooker sweet potatoes?
Once cooled or mostly cooled, store them in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Tips for Making the Best Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes
- Smaller sweet potatoes tend to fit better in the crockpot.
- You want them to be in one layer, not stacked on top of each other, to ensure even cooking.
- Let them cool at least slightly before you attempt to peel them to spare your fingers!
- Mash with a potato masher or even put them into a food processor for a more consistently smooth texture.
I’d love to know what you think if you make this recipe so please share feedback and a rating in the comments below!
PrintSo Easy Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 7-8 hours on LOW
Total Time: 7 hours 5 minutes
Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
Category: side
Method: Slow Cooker
Cuisine: American
Description
With an almost fool proof method, these Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes mash up into silky smooth baby food or a side. You can also skip the mashing and serve them as you would baked potatoes.
Ingredients
- 3–4 small sweet potatoes (“garnet yams” are great here)
Instructions
- Wash your sweet potatoes and add them to the bottom of your crock pot. You don’t need to dry them and you don’t need to add any additional water.
- Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or until super soft when poked with a knife.
- Remove from the slow cooker and let cool. Slicing them open can speed up the cooling process a little.
- Peel and discard the skins. Add the flesh to a bowl.
- Mash until smooth with a potato masher. Serve!
Notes
Add a dash of cinnamon and salt for more flavor. Or ginger and turmeric for more savory flavor.
Smaller sweet potatoes tend to fit better in the crockpot.
You want them to be in one layer, not stacked on top of each other, to ensure even cooking.
Let them cool at least slightly before you attempt to peel them to spare your fingers!
Mash with a potato masher or even put them into a food processor for a more consistently smooth texture.
Would this work in the instant pot?
Thanks!
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure but I would think you might need some water? I bet you could find a recipe for an instant pot version!
Do you have instructions for these in the instant pot?
Thanks!
Thanks! Would this work with purple sweet potatoes do you think?
I think so! They are sometimes a lot less moist so I would perhaps add a tablespoon of water just to make sure there’s some extra moisture in the crockpot.
Thanks!!