This 3-ingredient slow cooker Amish sweet potato mash is the kind of simple, cozy dish that makes the whole house smell like home. You literally just dump raw cubed sweet potatoes into the crock pot with two basic pantry staples, walk away, and come back to the creamiest, lightly sweetened mash. It’s inspired by the humble, no-fuss style of Amish home cooking—nothing fancy, just real, comforting food that keeps everyone coming back for seconds.
Serve this sweet potato mash hot, straight from the slow cooker. It’s perfect alongside roast chicken, pork chops, meatloaf, or a simple pan-fried sausage. Add a green veggie like steamed green beans or a crisp salad to round out the plate. For a cozy weekend breakfast-for-dinner, spoon it next to scrambled eggs and bacon. A sprinkle of chopped pecans or a pat of butter on top right before serving makes it feel extra special without any extra work.
3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Amish Sweet Potato MashServings: 6
Ingredients
3 pounds raw sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons salted butter, cut into pieces
Directions
Place the raw, bright orange cubed sweet potatoes in an even layer on the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. The cubes should cover the bottom, as in a close-up top-down view of the crock pot.
Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the sweet potato cubes, then dot the top with the pieces of salted butter.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on HIGH for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, until the sweet potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork.
Once the sweet potatoes are soft, use a potato masher or a sturdy spoon to mash them right in the slow cooker until mostly smooth and creamy. Stir well so the melted butter and brown sugar are fully combined.
Taste and adjust if needed; if your family likes things a bit sweeter, you can stir in an extra tablespoon or two of brown sugar, or a small pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.
Turn the slow cooker to WARM for serving, and give the mash a quick stir before spooning into bowls or onto plates. If you’d like, add a small extra pat of butter on top just before bringing it to the table.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, you can reduce the brown sugar to 1/3 cup for a less-sweet mash, or mash only partway so there are a few small chunks left for texture. If you prefer a more traditional Amish-style flavor, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and a pinch of cinnamon during the mashing step—still technically pantry staples in most homes. For a richer holiday version, stir in 1/4 cup of heavy cream or evaporated milk after mashing to make it extra silky. If you need to keep it dairy-free, swap the butter for coconut oil or a plant-based butter and use dark brown sugar for a deeper caramel flavor. You can also prep the sweet potatoes the night before: peel and cube them, store in water in the fridge, then drain and dump them into the slow cooker in the morning with the brown sugar and butter. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave with a splash of water or milk, and you can even use them as a quick filling for quesadillas with cheese or as a base for a breakfast bowl topped with yogurt and nuts.
