Slow Cooker Cheesy Beef & Sweet Potato Casserole

This hearty slow cooker casserole combines seasoned ground beef, yellow sweet potatoes, kidney beans, and corn in a creamy cheddar sauce. It is filling, protein-packed, and makes a generous batch that reheats beautifully for easy dinners throughout the week.

A QUICK NOTE

This recipe was tested in a larger slow cooker—approximately 8 quarts—and fit comfortably with room to spare. Yellow sweet potatoes are firmer and less moist than orange sweet potatoes, so they hold their shape well while adding a mild sweetness. Stir the Greek yogurt and cheddar in only at the end to keep the sauce creamy.

YIELD, PREP & COOK TIME

Yield: Approximately 9 servings

Prep time: About 20 minutes

Cook time: 3–4 hours on HIGH or 5–6 hours on LOW

INGREDIENTS:

• 1½ teaspoons olive oil

• 2 pounds 93/7 lean ground beef

• 1 large yellow onion, diced

• 1⅞ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

• 4–5 garlic cloves, minced

• 1¼ cups low-sodium beef broth, divided

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

• 1½ teaspoons garlic powder

• 1½ teaspoons onion powder

• 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika

• ⅜ teaspoon black pepper

• 2¼ pounds yellow sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced evenly ¼-inch thick

• 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

• 1½ (15-ounce) cans corn, drained, or 2¼ cups thawed frozen corn

TO ADD AT THE END:

• 1⅛ cups plain 2% Greek yogurt (two 5.3-ounce containers)

• 2¼ cups shredded sharp cheddar, divided

• 3 tablespoons Cholula or another Mexican-style hot sauce, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, onion, and ⅜ teaspoon salt. Cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking up the beef, until fully browned and the onion has softened.

2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Drain any excess grease.

3. Whisk together 1 cup of the beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and the remaining 1½ teaspoons salt. Reserve the remaining ¼ cup broth.

4. Place the sliced yellow sweet potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the kidney beans, corn, cooked beef mixture, and prepared sauce. Gently stir everything together.

5. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2½ hours. At the 2½-hour check, add the reserved ¼ cup broth and gently stir. Continue cooking for another 30–90 minutes, checking every 30–45 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender but still holding their shape. For LOW, begin checking around 4½ hours and expect approximately 5–6 hours total.

6. Stir together the Greek yogurt, 1½ cups cheddar, and hot sauce. Gently fold the mixture into the casserole without breaking up the sweet potatoes.

7. Sprinkle the remaining ¾ cup cheddar over the top. Cover and cook on HIGH for another 5–10 minutes, until melted.

APPROXIMATE MACROS & FIBER (PER SERVING):

• Calories: 540

• Protein: 41 g

• Carbohydrates: 54 g

• Fat: 18 g

• Fiber: 10 g

Nutrition information is estimated and will vary with ingredient brands and portion sizes.