This slow cooker 3-ingredient ginger glazed sweet potato dish is one of those simple holiday surprises that tastes far fancier than it really is. My aunt started bringing it to our spring family get-togethers years ago, and there are never any leftovers—someone is always scraping up the last sticky, gingery bits from the bottom of the crock. With just sweet potatoes, fresh ginger, and a touch of maple syrup, you get vibrant orange chunks that turn soft and tender, coated in a glossy, lightly caramelized ginger glaze that feels right at home on an Easter table or any special Sunday dinner.
Serve these ginger glazed sweet potatoes straight from the slow cooker to keep them warm and steamy on the table. They’re lovely alongside baked ham, roast chicken, or a simple pork loin, and they balance out salty mains really nicely. I like to add a crisp green salad or steamed green beans for color, plus some warm dinner rolls to soak up the extra gingery syrup. For a lighter spring meal, pair them with grilled salmon and a fruit salad for a bright, cheerful plate.
Slow Cooker Ginger-Glazed Sweet PotatoesServings: 6
Ingredients
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger (from about a 3-inch piece of ginger root)
Directions
Prepare the slow cooker by lightly greasing the insert with a bit of oil or a quick spritz of cooking spray so the glaze doesn’t stick too much.
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch chunks, trying to keep the pieces roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Place the sweet potato chunks into the slow cooker in an even layer.
Peel the fresh ginger with the edge of a spoon or a small knife, then finely grate it using a microplane or the small holes on a box grater. You want a generous 3 tablespoons so the ginger flavor really shines through.
In a small bowl, stir together the pure maple syrup and the freshly grated ginger until the ginger is evenly distributed and there are no big clumps.
Pour the ginger-maple mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes in the slow cooker. Use a spatula or large spoon to gently toss the sweet potatoes so they’re all lightly coated in the mixture.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the sweet potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork.
Once the sweet potatoes are tender, gently stir them in the slow cooker to coat every piece with the thickened ginger syrup that has collected at the bottom. The edges of some pieces should look a little caramelized and glossy.
If you’d like the glaze a bit thicker, remove the lid and let the sweet potatoes sit on WARM or LOW for another 10 to 15 minutes, gently stirring once or twice so the syrup reduces and clings to the potatoes.
Taste and adjust if needed—if your family likes a stronger ginger kick, you can grate a tiny bit more fresh ginger over the top and lightly fold it in right before serving.
Serve the ginger glazed sweet potatoes hot, straight from the slow cooker, making sure to spoon some of the extra gingery syrup over each serving.
Variations & Tips
For younger or more ginger-shy eaters, you can cut the fresh ginger back to 2 tablespoons so the flavor is milder, then pass extra finely grated ginger at the table for anyone who wants a bigger kick. If your family prefers things a little sweeter for holidays, drizzle an extra tablespoon or two of maple syrup over the top just before serving. For a slightly firmer texture, cut the sweet potatoes into larger 1 1/2-inch chunks and check for doneness a bit earlier so they hold their shape. If you need to stretch the dish to feed more people, add an extra pound of sweet potatoes and bump the maple syrup up to 3/4 cup and ginger to 4 tablespoons. You can prep everything the night before—store the cut sweet potatoes in water in the fridge, and keep the ginger-maple mixture in a jar; in the morning, drain the potatoes, toss with the mixture, and start the slow cooker. Leftovers (if you’re lucky enough to have any) reheat well in the microwave and are delicious mashed slightly and served alongside scrambled eggs for a cozy brunch.
