Slow Cooker Pork and Sweet Potatoes

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 03/1/22
crock pot pork and sweet potatoes plated
Diana Rattray
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Pork and sweet potatoes go together nicely, and this dish is a great example. Diced tomatoes are blended with a bit of cinnamon and brown sugar, making a tasty sauce that complements both of the main ingredients.

Because of condensation, the slow cooker produces a good deal of moisture over the long cooking time on the low setting. If cooking on the high setting, or if your slow cooker tends to cook quite hot, add about 1/2 cup of liquid, such as chicken stock or tomato juice.

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds pork loin

  • 1 small onion

  • 1/2 green bell pepper

  • 4 medium sweet potatoes

  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

  • 1/2 cup chicken stock, optional

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme, or parsley, optional

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients for crock pot pork and sweet potatoes
    Diana Rattray

  2. Prepare the vegetables. Peel the onion and chop. Slice the bell pepper lengthwise; remove the seeds and ribs and chop. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces.

    sweet potatoes, onions, and bell pepper
    Diana Rattray

  3. Lightly oil the slow cooker or spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Pat the pork roast dry with paper towels; trim and discard excess fat. Place the pork in the slow cooker. Arrange the sweet potatoes, bell pepper, and onions around the pork.

    pork with sweet potatoes in the slow cooker
    Diana Rattray

  4. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, brown sugar, cinnamon, and black pepper. Stir until well mixed.

    tomatoes and seasonings
    Diana Rattray

  5. Spoon the tomato mixture over the pork roast and vegetables. If the tomatoes aren't very juicy, add about 1/2 cup of chicken stock.

    crock pot pork and sweet potatoes with tomatoes
    Diana Rattray

  6. Cover the pot and set the slow cooker to 3 hours on high or 5 hours on low. If you want the pork to be falling apart, add an hour to the low setting or about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to the high setting.

    crock pot setting
    Diana Rattray

  7. When the dish is ready, arrange the pork and sweet potatoes on a platter and keep warm. Drizzle juices over the pork and vegetables just before serving.

    For a thicker sauce, strain the juices into a saucepan and place it over medium heat. Combine 1 tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of cold water; stir into the juices and cook the sauce for about 2 minutes, or until thickened. Drizzle the sauce over the pork and vegetables or serve it on the side.

    thicken the juices if desired
    Diana Rattray

  8. Enjoy your meal!

Tip

  • You can use thick pork tenderloin in this dish. When doing so, check for doneness after about 3 hours to avoid overcooking. Very lean meat will become tough if overcooked.

Recipe Variations

  • Creole-Style Pork and Sweet Potatoes: Replace the cinnamon and brown sugar with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of Cajun or Creole seasoning, or to taste.
  • Italian Pork and Sweet Potatoes: Replace the cinnamon and brown sugar with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of dried basil, and 1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano.
  • Chili-Seasoned Pork and Sweet Potatoes: Replace the cinnamon and brown sugar with 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, and salt, to taste. Garnish with some chopped cilantro, if desired.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
316 Calories
10g Fat
23g Carbs
32g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 316
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 91mg 30%
Sodium 118mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 32g
Vitamin C 34mg 168%
Calcium 57mg 4%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 874mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)