Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes are a versatile, healthy addition to almost any meal – and a delicious base to load with toppings! This foil-free method cooks the potatoes to the perfect texture and allows you to stay hands-free. With a warm and spicy seasoning rub, transform a slow cooker potato to a sweet and savory side dish.

overhead view of two white dinner plates with slow cooked sweet potatoes with melted butter, two forks, small plate of brown sugar, and black slow cooker in background

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What’s To Love About This Recipe

The slow cooker offers a fully hands-off method for cooking potatoes, and produces the best texture, too!
Unlike the oven which can be time-consuming, or the microwave with not-optimal results, this method is super consistent with a fluffy interior every time.
A standard 6-quart slow cooker makes it easy to scale up the amount, or just cook one potato with perfect results.
This no-foil method is great for meal prep or feeding a crowd. It’s easy to keep the potatoes warm for extended serving, and requires minimal cleanup in your routine.
Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients and antioxidants, and this method can easily help you add a healthy veggie into more meals.
The seasoning blend in this recipe adds a warm and spicy kick which balances the sweetness of the potatoes. With a little olive oil, it’s easy to customize the seasonings to add any flavors you like!

Ingredients Needed

Sweet potatoes – Medium, evenly-sized sweet potatoes will work best for predictable cooking time and a soft, even texture. Choose potatoes that will fit in a single layer in the slow cooker – usually at least a 5-quart oval slow cooker or a casserole slow cooker will yield the best results for multiple potatoes.
Olive oil – This helps the coarse salt and seasonings adhere to the potato skins while improving the texture. This also helps prevent the potatoes from drying out as they cook.
Kosher salt – Kosher salt enhances the flavor of the potatoes and adds texture to the skins.
Cumin and chili powder – Together, these spices bring warmth to the potatoes and a slightly spicy element. Adjust as needed to suit your preference.
Water – Adding liquid to the slow cooker is necessary to create steam and aid even cooking.

ingredients to contain four sweet potatoes on a wooden cutting board, surrounded by containers of water, olive oil, and flat dish with spices

How To Make Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes

Scrub the sweet potatoes clean and pierce them several times on each side with a fork.

wooden cutting board with two sweet potatoes and black fork

Give each potato a very light coating of olive oil, and use your hand to rub it evenly on each potato.

glass bowls with four pierced sweet potatoes and bowl of olive oil on side

Mix salt and spices together and coat each potato evenly with the mixture.

clear bowl of sweet potatoes, bowl of olive oil and glass bowl of all spices mixed together, with small whisk on side

overhead view of sweet potatoes in clear glass bowl that have been rubbed with oil and spices

Add water to the bottom of the slow cooker.
Place potatoes in a single layer in the slow cooker.

overhead view of four seasoned sweet potatoes in black slow cooker

Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours (adjust depending on the size of your potato, the bigger it is, the longer it will take to cook) until fork-tender.

overhead view of four slow cooked sweet potatoes in black slow cooker

Pro Tips

Cook anywhere from 1 to 6 sweet potatoes at a time in a standard 6-quart slow cooker.
Poking small holes in the potatoes is recommended for even cooking and as a safety precaution to allow steam to release.
Add enough water to just cover the bottom of the slow cooker to prevent any oil and spices from burning. If you add too much water, the texture of the potatoes will be more steamed than baked.
Foil is not necessary for cooking, and it doesn’t improve results.
Some methods also involve elevating the potatoes on foil balls or a rack in the slow cooker. This is optional, but not necessary since moisture doesn’t negatively impact sweet potatoes.
Larger sweet potatoes may require an additional hour of cooking, while smaller potatoes may cook faster.
Avoid opening the lid during cooking to preserve the heat and allow the potatoes to cook evenly.
Keep potatoes on the warm setting for up to 2 hours.
Potatoes are done when they can be pierced with a fork through the thickest part.

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Sliced or cubed sweet potatoes will cook faster, but they do not retain the structure of a baked potato. If you want an alternative texture, try Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes In The Slow Cooker.
Feel free to swap out seasonings, or just use a simple salt rub.Some tasty spice swaps – both savory and sweet! – are cinnamon, paprika, smoked paprika, brown sugar, and garlic salt.
Add a maple glaze drizzle to the potatoes after cooking for more sweetness.
For another option, make regular baked potatoes in the slow cooker, too!

closeup view of slow cooked sweet potato that has been sliced opened with melting butter on top

Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

Another easy, hands-off method for “baking” potatoes is with the Instant Pot! Try Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes for another simple side dish option, perfect for meal prep or serving a group.

What To Serve With Sweet Potatoes

Baked sweet potatoes are such an easy, yet delicious side or base to add to meats, veggies, or practically any food.

Keep it basic, serving a simple side with butter, salt, and pepper, or create a stuffed sweet potato with a range of toppings, like this buffalo chicken and blue cheese combination here: Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Using The Slow Cooker.

Scoop out the potato and use it as the base for burrito bowls or roasted veggie bowls, or go for a sweeter option serving the potatoes for breakfast with yogurt, nuts, and fruit.

Elevate your sweet potatoes with sweet or savory toppings and make it a complete, customizable meal!

Sweet Potato Topping Ideas

Cinnamon and butter
Maple syrup
Brown sugar
Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Chives
Bacon
Black beans, salsa, and shredded cheese
Shredded BBQ Chicken
Tailgate Chili

overhead view of white dinner plate on wooden cutting board containing two sweet potatoes that have been sliced open with butter on top and fork on the side

Storing and Reheating

How To Best Store Leftovers

Fridge

Store whole or sliced sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Freezer

Freezing whole sweet potatoes is not recommended since the texture becomes grainy. If you do want to freeze leftovers, remove the peel and mash the potatoes first. Then, store in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.

How To Best Reheat Leftovers

To reheat leftover potatoes, the best choice is to microwave for 1-2 minutes until warm. Another option is to heat in the oven at 350 ℉ for 10-15 minutes, or add potatoes to the air fryer at 350 ℉ for 5 minutes to refresh the skin.