Ingredients
Cooking spray
4 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and finely diced
4 tbsp. melted butter
2 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. water
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg (optional)
Pinch kosher salt
1 1/2 c. mini marshmallows
1/2 c. whole pecans
Preparation
Step 1Grease slow cooker bowl with cooking spray and add sweet potatoes.Step 2 In a medium bowl, combine butter, sugar, water, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg if using, and a pinch of salt. Whisk to combine. Pour over sweet potatoes and toss until they are fully coated. Cook on high for 4 hours, stirring every hour. Step 3Remove lid and top with marshmallows and pecans. Cover and cook on high about 10 minutes more or until marshmallows are melted.
Can I double the recipe? No prob! If you double, cook the casserole on low and check back after six hours. What kind of brown sugar should I use? We prefer dark brown sugar, but light brown sugar will work too. In a pinch, you can use granulated sugar, but you’ll miss out on the toasty, caramel-y flavor that brown sugar lends. I like my sweet potato casserole smooth—how can I make this recipe less chunky? A potato masher, of course! Before you add your toppings, use a potato masher or potato ricer to get your sweet potatoes as smooth as you like. If you like them super-smooth, transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and give them a blitz. Then transfer the potatoes back into your slow-cooker and assemble the topping. I don’t want to serve my sweet potatoes out of a slow cooker. What do I do? Transfer your potatoes to an oven safe dish before making the topping. Preheat your broiler to high, top the potatoes with marshmallows and pecans, then let the whole thing get toasty in the oven. This should only take a minute or two, so keep a close eye. Every broiler is different. I like my marshmallows toasted and golden! Is that possible with this recipe? If you don’t want to serve your casserole from the slow-cooker, see above answer. If you’re serving it directly from the slow cooker, you can do something similar. Most slow cooker inserts are oven safe, so you can simply remove the pot from the base of the machine and place it right under the broiler to get those marshmallows golden. Check your slow cooker manual before giving it a try. Made this? Let us know how it went in the comment section below! And check out our complete guide to Thanksgiving prep to ensure your holiday runs as smoothly (and stress-free) as possible. Editor’s Note: This intro was updated to add more information about the dish on August 25, 2022.
