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Stupid Easy Perfectly Cooked Sweet Potatoes
PIN THIS RECIPE!I’m ashamed. This isn’t really a recipe. Like, at all. But it’s the easiest way to cook sweet potatoes, in my opinion. And my opinion is always right. I talked about it once before, but if anyone missed that, I had to do it again. In a step by step manner. Since there are 3 steps. Not even 3 steps, but you gotta spell it out for some people. You know the kind of people I’m talking about. I hate those kinds of people.
I’m totally one of those people. Ugh.
I’ve been pretty much on a non stop cooking spree recently. After cooking in California for a week straight for the second cookbook, then going straight to Boston to teach cooking classes and film cooking videos, then going straight to Colorado to cook for the blog before I left 4 days later for California, then going back to California to finish cooking for the cookbook (breathe), I have been trying to find simple ways to eat food. Did that run on sentence hurt your brain as much as it hurt mine? Anywho the less work I have to do, with meal prep and clean up, the better. So cooking in mass quantities, where I don’t have to use my brain, is fantastic. So I stuffed these sweet potatoes into a crockpot and cooked up sausage, and called it a meal. I see a lot of stupid easy recipes in my future, meaning on the blog. Hopefully you’re cool with that. Awesomegreatwonderful.
Speaking of sprees, I’ve been digging this whole online shopping thing. Mostly because getting a package at your door feels more like a present. I must like presents. In the form of clothes. Ever since my body changed from not lifting quite as heavy, I fit into more clothes. Which is great. I love having more options other than my Lululemon wunder unders. I mean, I obviously still wear wunder unders pretty much every single day, especially while cooking…and working out…and walking through the park…and going to get a pedicure…and going on a date…and hanging out on girls night…and to the coffee shop…and while traveling, but I need real people clothes in between those events. So 18% of the time. More like 10%, but whatever. So I’ve found a couple online boutiques that I’ve fell in LOVE with. Check out Hope’s and Monica’s Closet. AND I’ve found a tailor I fell in love with, as well. I’ve come to the point in life that I’m not going to wait to find an outfit that fits me, I’ll alter it to fit how I want it to. Take that you b*tch of a fashion industry. So now, I just buy almost everything on sale, and alter it to how I want it to fit. Genius.
I need get my shopping sprees under control. I just shipped an order to George’s house in California while we are working on our cookbook. Which FYI, I only wear Lulu’s and sweatshirts while I’m out here cooking and writing. I even wore my pajamas to a coffee shop the other morning. Which is not appropriate. I hate those people. Ok ok, maybe I do need to be buying more clothes. Glad I found an excuse. YAY.
PrintStupid Easy Perfectly Cooked Yams
- Yield: 3-5 1x
Ingredients
- 3–5 medium sweet potatoes or yams
- foil
Instructions
- Wrap all the sweet potatoes or yams in foil
- Place in crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
- Eat with something. Like sausage, or almond butter and cinnamon, or coconut butter, or shredded pork, or ground beef. Really whatever you have in your kitchen at that time.
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You May Also Like:
Pesto & Shallot Hasselback Grilled Sweet Potatoes
Instant Pot Taco Stuffed Potatoes
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Oh, Hi! I’m Juli.
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95 thoughts on “Stupid Easy Perfectly Cooked Sweet Potatoes”
Best recipe I’ve seen yet – seriously this is the kind of thing people have time for 🙂
Thanks a lot for this wonderful recipe. Will try to surprise my family,
Caitlyn
★★★★★
Thanks for the easy tip! With work, I’m always looking for ways to save time when prepping lunches. So even if it’s not a “recipe”, the quick tips are great. Quick question…do you poke holes in the potatoes before wrapping them in foil and cooking them? Thanks:)
Nope!! You could if they are real big but my small ones were fine without holes!!
Hi, If I want to cut the sweet potatoes into rounds, how long do I cook them in the crockpot? There are eight of us in the office, and I want to ensure everyone can have some. I can’t fit eight sweet potatoes in the crock pot.
Any ideas for me?
Thanks!
Danny
no clue, i haven’t cooked it that way
I made these over the weekend and they are seriously perfect. I think it’s the type of recipe you can’t mess up. If you cut the sweet potatoes in rounds and put them all in a big packet of aluminum foil, that should work. Maybe 6 hours on low instead of 8. What’s the worst that could happen?
Hi Juli.. Never posted on here before but have been reading your site for a few months.. As obsessed as I am with crossfit, it’s hard to cut back but honestly, I hate the tighter clothes on my upper body especially… Anyway, love your body type, strong AND feminine.. Can you tell me what your workouts consist of lately?
It’s super tough to cut back for sure, and it’s even more frustrating when you get weaker. But I always remind myself that it’s what I have to give up to be more comfortable in my skin. Which I am ok with at this point. All I’ve changed in my workouts is lighter weights. I still go to Crossfit regularly but only once a day.
No liquid in the crockpot?
nope!
I love consignment shops! The high class shop on Pearl in Denver “Common Threads”. I love it! I try not to buy full price clothing so they are perfect. They only sell nice clothes from rich people who don’t want them anymore. And the ladies that work there are great, that never hurts. Also, I get to feel like a fancy rich person when I wear their old clothes…even though that sounds weird now that I said that.
I totally shop there!! I love it!! My favorite purse is from there! I like going to Pink’s (in bonnie brae) because they have some cheap jeans, but the girls in there are rude. and i love twirl right next to pub on pearl! both aren’t consignments but have some cute stuff for that area!
I haven’t been to the one in Bonnie Brae. I’ll have to give that one a try. This Colorado girl misses her consignment stores. Austin doesn’t know what it’s missing.
MAN I feel crazy for not knowing you could cook those bad boys in a crockpot! I’ve been obsessed with a baked sweet potato topped with salsa, avocado and a fried egg. Totally trying it in the crock pot ASAP.
Juli,
First of all, as a bit of a callback from an older post, I thought I’d let you know that I’M A GUY, and I READ YOUR BLOG. And I love it, and I love your food. And our dancing. And I’m married, so I’ll have to leave it at that for now.
I didn’t comment on that article because there was nothing else much for me to comment about, but here you have provided me with something I NEED. –A simple way to bake sweet potatoes. I’ve made plenty of them in my life, before paleo, with the intentions of making a super sweet casserole or smothering them in butter and brown sugar, etc. –But now that I need them as paleo-friendly carbs without much done to them, I’ve been having trouble. I guess I underestimated how much moisture I was adding to them with my candied approaches back in the day. Anyway, lately I’ve tried the microwave–FAIL. Even the oven last time was unsatisfactory. I’m tapering/carbing up for my first half marathon this Saturday, and I plan to eat some sweet potatoes this week. I wasn’t looking forward to that because of my string of bad luck lately. Here’s hoping your crock pot method will work better for me. Worth a shot!
Thanks,
Ricky
I the photo above, what kind of sausage did you use? And, is there a sauce on this?
Just hot sauce!
Ah simple genius!
If it wasn’t for online shopping I’d be screwed.
YUM!!
We will have to try this!
Meanwhile check out Deja’ Vu And You!
http://www.dejavuandyou.com
★★★★★
YUM! I am going to do this. Microwaving them makes the skin all weird.
You should try the Red Dress Boutique!!!
http://reddressboutique.com
damn you, lisa!! love it!
Hey! “Cook on low..cook on high” What’s high what’s low? The temperatures are kind of crucial for perfecting the oven baked sweet potato don’t you think. I mean we all know you stick them in the oven, what it comes down to is the right time in in the right temp. You wrote the times down, now the temps pretty please? 🙂
i didn’t say cook in the oven, i said crockpot. it’s in a crockpot so it doesn’t have temperatures. just low or high.
duh..my bad
Do you peel the potatoes first? Or just wash the skin and cut it open once cooked?
I don’t because I’m lazy and it keeps it from sticking to the foil but u could if u wanted to!!
what kind of sauce is that with the sausage? looks delish!
Just hot sauce!!
Hello there. I have been lurking on your site for a while, and I was wondering, what kind of sauce do i see on the sausage?? I am so making this for lunch!!! Nothing goes better with sausage then sweet pot 🙂
just hot sauce 🙂
Thanks for the easy recipe. That’s what I need! Dumb question amnesty (this means you can’t laugh) – how long will these last in the refrigerator?
no clue, but i’ve kept mind wrapped in the foil in the fridge for up to a week
That video is great. Thanks for making meatballs without egg or flour. I need to try these!
Is sweet potato good with almond butter? Never tried it…
so bomb
Now here’s a question for you… and I swear I’m not trying to join the ranks of Let’s ask Juli the dumbest questions everrrr…
In my weekly rotation is pulled pork (pork roast in the crock pot) served over sweet potatoes. The worst part is coming home to the delicious smell of the pork and then still having to wait for the taters to bake in the oven.
Do you think it would work to prep up my pork roast/onions/spices in the crock pot like I normally would, and also add 2-3 foil wrapped sweet potatoes, and cook it all at the same time?
I will probably try it regardless, but thought I would ask for a second, more experienced, opinion.
not a dumb question at all!! I’m not sure how well that would work!! you should totally try and let me know how it works!! you could always make the sweet potatoes overnight, then do the pork in the morning and when you come home, reheat the potatoes in oven or microwave!
Worked like a charm! Pork and potatoes cooked perfectly!
Love this tip. Can’t wait to try it. I have been following a pretty strict Paleo diet for just over 3 months and doing crossfit for 2 months. I absotely love it! I feel great, have become so much stronger, and big bonus…I’ve lost 34 lbs so far! Love reading your recipes and your blog, thanks for sharing. Maybe, I will actually start making them.
Winner! I love these non-recipes that give you dead easy ways to cook foods. MORE. PLEASE
Hmm, does look good – but would have to be amazing to beat my fave: spiralize the sweet potato then dump in a pan with coconut oil, salt & pepper. Crunchy deliciousness!!
(While I’m here, I freaking LOVE your blog/recipes)
I love your blog and your recipes, but I have never posted before. Actually, this is my first time ever commenting on a blog. I’m moved to do so because my first thought seeing this post was: HOLY BOTULISM! Please be careful when storing baked potatoes. It is always a good idea to remove them from their foil wrappings before cooling and refrigerating.
I never would’ve thought of this but definitely going to give it a try.
I tried to comment earlier, but didn’t see it post. I apologize if this is a duplicate. I’m not sure if they go through some sort of approval process prior to being published. I have never commented on a blog before. I love this blog and all the food on it. What is prompting me to comment was my first impression after reading the recipe: HOLY BOTULISM!!! Please be careful when storing baked potatoes. It would be safer to remove them from the foil before cooling and storing.
I haven’t bought “normal clothes” in a while. It’s kind of embarrassing. Totally checking out Hope’s site right now for some dresses. 🙂 On-line shopping is the BEST!
Normal clothes don’t happen in my house, I love consignment stores and reputable thrift stores! And I tailor my own clothes, because I’m too cheap to have someone else do it for me (and I want to wear my new clothes now!).
This is by far the easiest way to make sweet potatoes, and I feel like an idiot for not thinking of doing this, like, years ago! There’s nothing better than making my crock pot do the dirty work for me and I get the reward!
Freaking genius!
First of all, sweet potatoes = LOVE. Thank you for the encouragement to get them back into my fall eating habits! Secondly, I now have a new favorite, Monica’s Closet!! Thank you for sharing both she and Hope’s Online stores. I will be making a lot of fun purchases from them this fall, as well as get cute, easy to dress ideas. I so enjoy all that you write, and double over often by your great sense of humor. Keep it up! 🙂
Also, wrapping a sweet potato in foil (no holes poked in the potato) and cooking it at 425 for like 1 1/2-2 hours makes awesome sweet potatoes. I could never figure out why mine never tasted good until I realized that ALL RECIPES call for way too short of a cooking time on sweet potatoes. The longer in the oven, the better.
This was delish topped with leftover honey ginger apple pulled pork!!!
As another person whose humor is frequently misunderstood by those who don’t know me, let me state that I appreciate the style, the verve and guts you openly display in your writing. Tell me like it is- I’m a big boy and can take it! Write on -please!
Brian!
Juli,
Love your humor and down to earthness. Thanks for making eating right fun again. This little trick has helped me huge…I work 12 hour shifts and make my lunches three days at a time. Bam! Three super sweet potatoes done with hardly any effort.
Matt, (a guy who reads your blog)
★★★★★
What would happen without the foil? Just a sloppy mess?
i’m honestly not sure haha but yes, they’d probably leak out a bit
Be careful when cooking with alumimum foil in the presence of steam and moisture. Aluminum Toxicity is accumulative in the brain. Do your research!
http://home.earthlink.net/~joannefstruve/_wsn/page3.html
I’ve done this before, with golden potatoes. However, I didn’t use foil, I put a small glass cup (Jimmy Neutron jam jar) with water and lined them up on the sides. The potatoes were moist and delish! Thanks for reminding me. I haven’t done this in a while and was wondering about dinner tonight. Cheers!
★★★★
Love your blog…and love your posts. I can re-read your recipe/blog and crack up daily. Thank you. And the step-by-step, yeah that helped me. My sweet potatoes and intestines thank you in advance.
★★★★★
I have been stressing about how to make turkey, rolls, sweet potatoes and everything else all in one oven for Thanksgiving! Then I remembered this post! Thanks for solving this issue for me. I am now stress free again!
Totally off this subject, but I have bren looking and looking for your recipe for Paleo oatmeal, made with acorn squash. Can”t find it anywhere. Help!
no oatmeal recipe here but i know a ton of other blogs out there have oatmeal recipes
Mashed sweet potato with 1/2 lb grass fed beef and spicy mustard. Absolutely amazing!
I have been making sweet potatoes this way for years. A suggestios. Don’t warp them in foil. The steam needs to be released for better cooking and a better skin texture. Instead, rub them all over with a high-quality EEVO. Then sprinkle with Kosher salt and freshly-ground balk pepper.
You’ll end up with a tastier dish. Enjoy!
Great recipe! It worked very well.
I have another hint for using slow cookers: when it isn’t too cold, I put my cooker on a bench in the garage. We are retired and home all day, and sometimes the cooking smells of a slow cooker meal make me ravenous long before dinner is ready. This really helps.
★★★★★
I’m having a crowd for Easter. . Could I cook more than three? Maybe 10 or a crock full?
Thanks for your help.
Yep!
Hi Juli,
What kind of sausages do you buy? Where do you buy them??
What a great tip! Can I freeze these in the foil afterward? I’m a single mom without a lot of time who is trying to be gluten-free on a budget. Nuff said. Cooking larger quantities in advance and freezing is becoming a staple of my lifestyle. I’m off to try this wonderful tip now. (Oh, and crockpot cooking keeps my South Georgia home from getting steamed up during the summer months.)
★★★★★
i wouldn’t freeze them in the foil, i’ve heard that’s not good for you, but in a tupperware is fine!
Omg this is the first time Ive come to this site and I love it! Youre Hilarious!! Thank you so much for sharing <3
I’ve recently moved to Shanghai, China. They don’t bake here, so homes don’t come with ovens. I snagged a crock pot at a garage sale last week, and I’m stoked to come across this recipe. I’ve used you’re blog as a resource for sometime, but something so simple has given me a bit of life as I adjust. It’s an understatement to say baked sweet potatoes are a staple in my diet.
Juli,
LOOOOVE your blog and the fabulous recipes. Your positive energy and sense of humor never fail to left my spirits and bring a smile to my face 🙂 Thanks!!!
Well, obviously I am “one of those” and now a caution for this recipe needs to be included == do NOT poke holes in the sweet potatoes before wrapping in foil and cooking as the aluminum leeches into the potato!!!!! And yes, I am blonde!!! And very smart but not this time! LOL
I made these the other day and they had a funny taste? Was it the foil? A bad batch of sweet taters? I still ate them… Cause I heart sweet potatoes, and eating….soooooo 🙂
Just thought I’d get an experts thoughts.
could be either! next time you could just wrap them up in parchment paper
What a great idea! Im definitely going to try this. Another yummy way to cook sweet potats or yams is to slice them in half inch rounds, put them in foil and drizzle olive oil over them, sprinkle with dried basil or put a couple basil leaves on top. Close up the foil and cook them on the bbq along with chicken breasts or whatever. Theyll be done at the same time as the chicken and are oh so good!
I’m stoked with this!! Have 10 25 yr Coast Guard officers bedding down at Mama Val’s next week. Obviously volume (but outstanding!) food is mandatory. I’m going for 10 medium foil wrapped sweets in crockpot, turning on w morning coffee and ready to serve for 1230 turkey feast. Obviously I need my oven for other meal items. Keep ur fingers crossed for me. Will I be the first ‘volume’ record holder (ha!). BTW, Lexington Mass (1st shot fired thing) Revolve consignment rocks. Thank you!!
Hey TBGTG ~ Did the 10 potatoes work for you? How long did you cook them? On low or high? I need to make a large volume as well and would love to hear how it worked for you!
I just had a genius idea. What if you lined the crockpot with foil and then put the unwrapped potatoes in? Then you wouldn’t have to wrap each potato! Even stupid-easier!
By the way, I tried this recipe last night and just lined the crockpot with foil rather than wrapping each one–and it worked like a dream. The sweet potatoes come out super luscious and sweeter than candy. I love this recipe!
★★★★★
Hi Juli! I LOVE your blog! quick question for you. I need to make 20 potatoes for a dinner party next week. Do you think I could put them all in one crockpot? Would they still cook the same with so many in one pot??? Any feedback would be appreciated! Thanks!
i don’t know if 20 would fit but i’m sure it would still work, probably would have to cook longer
LOVE!! Only way to cook sweet potatoes, so good and doesn’t need a thing unless you want to add a little extra!! My go to for cooking them every time!!
★★★★★
Also delish with fresh squeezed lime. Try it!
★★★★★
This may not be a recipe in the traditional sense, but this is so awesome! I’m doing the 14Four right now and when I get home from work, I don’t want to wait an hour to bake sweet potatoes for dinner. This will be an amazing way to come home to hot food that is ready to go! #slowcookersforlife
★★★★★
Hey, this may be a really stupid question, but I’m a college student and don’t have tin foil… is the tin foil necessary or can i just throw the yams in there?
you could just throw them in without it
Just sent this to my client who is stuck in a dorm room at school, and needing more carb options for her 1/2 marathon training. This couldn’t be more perfect! Thanks!
OMG… A recipe so simple my husband might even follow it! Thanks for this! I HATE waiting on my sweet potatoes in the oven when I get home from work and all the other deliciousness of my meal is ready… never. again.
★★★★★
right?! making them in the oven is the most frustrating feeling ever, it’s never ending waiting
Ok…so, I bought a 2qt. crockpot for my desk at work. I pop this in at 8 am, and at noon I add my rehydrated beans, corn, salsa & avocado (from freeze dried, cause it only takes 3 mins, and I don’t need to fuss packing things for lunch in the morning – I only bring the potato cause all my fruits and veggies are in jars in my desk!) Lunch is simple and great – loved this tip, thx!
I have been reading this today. A couple hints, polk a potato, yam whatever and spray with cooking spray and rub. No need for foil. Also, those who ask about making more than the crockpot will hold, a roaster will do the same. Mine is 22 qt and holds about 30 med. potatoes.
★★★★
This recipe is MAGICAL. Hands down the easiest way to cook sweet potatoes!
★★★★★
Do these come out with a nice texture to the skin? I’m a big fan of eating the skin, but it’s best if they retain some kind of firmness…crispness, even. That’s one of the benefits of the oven, although the sweet, toasty flavor of long cooking times matters more. I was wondering if I need to add something to get a crispy skin here (maybe rub in hazelnut or walnut oil, for example). I just can’t get home from school and start a potato.
no, these do not come out the same as the oven when it comes to the skin. the skin is soft and sleeps off. if you want the crispy skin, i recommend the oven!
Love this easy and delicious Stupid Easy perfectly Cooked Sweet Potatoes, these seems super amazing . Will love to try this unique one , thanks for sharing with us .
★★★★★