This Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole is a twist on a classic Thanksgiving side dish! Fresh sweet potatoes are cooked and mashed with the yummiest Fall spices and topped with a crunchy pecan streusel.
Whether you’re like me and have already started researching holiday side dish recipes – creamy corn casserole, anyone? – or if you like a little excitement in your life and wait until the day before to do your planning, this crockpot sweet potato casserole is the perfect recipe!
Honestly, I’m not normally a sweet potato casserole fan, but this slow cooker version is different, because of the amazing ingredients we’re using.
Ingredients
Typically, I find sweet potato casserole to be a little bit too mushy. So for this recipe, I decided to add TWO cups of pecans which gives this recipe tons of texture and crunch.
The Casserole
- Sweet Potato – some recipes use canned sweet potatoes or yams, but fresh achieves the best flavor and texture!
- Brown Sugar – really enhances the flavor of the sweet potato and adds that rich, caramel flavor.
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Cloves – the key to those cozy, Fall, pumpkin spice flavors we all know and love.
- Salt – enhances the flavors and balances out the sweetness from the potatoes and sugar.
- Evaporated Milk – adds additional creamy sweetness. If you don’t have evaporated milk, feel free to use whatever milk you have on hand!
- Vanilla Extract – brings a depth of flavor to the dish.
- Butter – adds richness and creaminess.
- Eggs – helps bind the ingredients together so it’s not too runny.
The Topping
- Brown Sugar, Flour, and Pecans – the base for the topping. Add so much flavor and texture.
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, and Salt – more Fall spices!
- Butter – helps bind the topping together making it that crumbly streusel-like texture.
How to make
PST – If you’re a die-hard marshmallow fan, add mini marshmallows to the top in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
The Topping
- Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
The Casserole
- Grease your crockpot then add in cubed potatoes, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, evaporated milk, vanilla, and cubed butter.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours. Uncover and add in eggs.
- Use a hand-mixer to beat the sweet potatoes with the eggs until creamy.
- Sprinkle your pecan streusel over the top.
- Cover the crockpot with a towel then the lid and cook for an additional 2 hours then serve and enjoy!
How to prep the sweet potatoes
Prepping sweet potatoes is SO easy.
- Wash and dry your potatoes.
- Use a vegetable peeler or sharp knife to remove the skins.
- Cube the potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces.
And that’s it! Easy peasy!
Tips for mashed sweet potatoes
- Use fresh potatoes. Some people use canned sweet potatoes but I think the taste and texture of fresh sweet potatoes is much better.
- Peel your potatoes. The peel becomes chewy when cooked in the crockpot so I recommend removing it so your casserole is smooth.
- Use a vegetable peeler. The quickest and easiest way to remove the skins of the potatoes is with a vegetable peeler. It also allows you to salvage more of the actual potato.
- Prep your potatoes ahead of time. Save time later by peeling and cubing your potatoes the night before. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge, then make your casserole the next day! If you’re storing longer than a day, put them in water THEN in the fridge. Drain and dry thoroughly before proceeding with the recipe.
- Use a hand-mixer to mash the potatoes. The hand-mixer really helps achieve that smooth and fluffy texture.
- Don’t skip the topping. The contrast of smooth sweet potatoes with the crunchy pecan topping makes for a really delicious dish.
What to serve with crockpot sweet potato casserole
I think sweet potato casserole is best served with a simple protein, like turkey, another carb like stuffing or white potatoes, a vegetable, and a salad! Since this dish is so sweet, I love pairing it with some more savory dishes!
- Honey Dijon Crockpot Ham
- Sausage Stuffing
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Corn Casserole
- Green Bean Casserole
- Pear, Blue Cheese, and Candied Pecan Salad
Looking for more? Check out our other Thanksgiving side dishes!
How to store
Store any leftover sweet potato casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 1 month.
To reheat, microwave or heat on the stove until warm!
Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- 4 pounds sweet potato peeled and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter cubed
- 2 large eggs room temperature and beaten
Pecan Streusel Topping
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups pecans roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
Recipe Video
Instructions
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Grease a 6 quart crockpot with cooking spray.
- Place peeled and cubed potatoes into greased crockpot, then top with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, evaporated milk, vanilla, and cubed butter.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or until sweet potatoes are tender (can be easily pierced with a fork).
- Uncover, add in eggs, then use a hand mixer to beat/mash the sweet potatoes until the desired texture is reached.
- Smooth out the top with a spatula, then sprinkle pecan streusel (directions below) evenly over the top.
- Cover the crockpot with a towel (it should not touch the sweet potatoes) to catch condensation, place on lid, then cook on HIGH for an additional 2 hours.
- Serve and enjoy!
Pecan Streusel Topping
- In a large bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and melted butter until well combined.
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Notes
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Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
This post was originally published October 29, 2019 and has been updated to provide more detailed content.
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