Slow cooker sweet potato casserole has a smooth, creamy filling and a crunchy, sweet, nutty streusel topping. This side dish is hands-off and perfect for the holidays to free up oven space.
Slow cooker to the rescue!
Cooking a holiday side dish in the slow cooker is a total sanity saver when you are coordinating so many different recipes as well as juggling oven times and temperatures and space.
I also cook my Thanksgiving turkey in the slow cooker every year. It comes out perfect every time, so there's zero stress. So yes, I have two slow cookers and I love it so much. (Mostly for recipe testing, but it comes in handy at the holidays too!)
Today's slow cooker sweet potato casserole brings you ALL the classic flavors of sweet potato casserole with the creamy mashed sweet potatoes and a nutty streusel topping.
(No marshmallows here; I love the contrast of the crunchy streusel!)
The consistency, which had been my concern using a crock pot, works wonderfully! It sets up just right without being too loose or watery.
It's every bit as comforting and cozy as a traditional oven baked sweet potato casserole, just adapted for the crock pot. (Which means no milk needed cause we don't need extra liquids.)
You'll be happily setting your crock pot out to serve up this delicious side dish.
So let's get cooking.
Ingredient Notes:
Sweet potatoes: Hooray, these do NOT need to be already cooked. You'll be able to cook them right in the slow cooker for the first stage of this recipe. (If you prefer to bake yours in advance, you could skip this part, add them mashed to the slow cooker and proceed with step 3 of the recipe card.)
Brown sugar: Light brown sugar is what I use, but dark brown sugar would be fine here as well.
Nuts: Pecans and walnuts (or a mix of the two) work great to use as the nuts in the topping for the casserole. You can buy the chopped kind, which are cheaper than buying the whole nuts or nut halves, since we need them chopped for this recipe anyway.
Flour: Feel free to use a gluten-free flour mix for the streusel topping if needed to make this recipe gluten-free.
Important Note: This recipe works in 2 stages. It's not a set it and forget it.
First, you cook the sweet potatoes. This is my favorite part. You just add them to the slow cooker with some water and let them go.
Then you mash them, add the other ingredients and add the streusel topping before continuing to cook the entire casserole in the slow cooker.
Just wanted to point that out.
Does this mean you can technically add one MORE side dish to your menu and table? Why yes, yes it does. (See below for ideas!)
I'm sorry and you're welcome. 😉
Happy holidays and happy cooking!
XO,
Kathryn
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the streusel topping:
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup butter, melted
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped nuts (such as pecans or walnuts)
Instructions
- Place the cubed sweet potatoes in the slow cooker insert. Add water.
- Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, until the potatoes are very tender. Drain any excess water then mash the sweet potatoes until they are broken down into a smooth consistency. (You'll need to scrape the slow cooker to continue to bring the potatoes together to mash.)
- Add the sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to the slow cooker and mix with the mashed sweet potatoes until well combined. Smooth into an even layer.
- In a small bowl, combine the streusel toppings: flour, melted butter, sugar and nuts. Sprinkle the streusel mixture over the sweet potatoes in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for an additional 2 hours. Serve immediately or let sit on warm until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Whatever will you do with that extra oven space? Oh, I've got you.
Check out our favorite Thanksgiving dressing and must-have green bean casserole.
There's also creamed spinach casserole and pineapple casserole.
Plus baked mac and cheese if my mom has anything to say about it.
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