New favorite side dish – right here. Maybe just until Thanksgiving when I try all the new potato dishes (why are potatoes so good?!), but still. Black beans, sweet potatoes, and spicy BBQ sauce brewed to perfection in the slow cooker. A match made in side dish heaven. It’s the BBQ Black Bean Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes
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Once again, inspiration for these sweet and spicy beans/potatoes came from the cookbook Fix-it and Forget-it 5-Ingredient Favorites: Comforting Slow Cooker Recipes by Phyllis Good. While some of the recipes in the book are incredibly simplified (Chicken + carrots + lima beans + water = Chicken Pot Roast??), I have found the book to have a ton of inspiration. With three recipes per side of each page, there’s no running out of ideas anytime soon. I just love experimenting with a few extra ingredients and spices 🙂
To tell you the truth, I wouldn’t mind trying any of Phyllis Good’s other slow cooker cookbooks as well – particularly the Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly. Some of the 5-Ingredient Favorites recipes have things like “processed cheese sauce”, sugars, and various cream of whatevers, which I try to avoid, so it might be a better option. There’s no possible way to have too many slow-cooker recipes, and I hope everyone else feels the same way.
While I like these beans and potatoes spicy, I know there are a ton of barbecue sauce varieties out there, so feel free to try it with your own. I don’t think the Trader Joe’s sauce will make or break the recipe. The original recipe from the slow cooker book calls for Sweet Baby Ray’s. That’s probably another good idea, though I haven’t tried it.
I have also prepared this with a couple stalks of celery. If you’re trying to add some bulk or extra veggies to the side dish, that’s a good option. I have found that I prefer the dish without the celery because it doesn’t had much value or taste for me.
For slightly softer potatoes that mash just a tad, cook for an additional 15 minutes. For a chunky version, remove from heat immediately after 2 hours and 30 minutes. You can also meal prep the BBQ Black Bean Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes. Portion out with the remainder of the meal and store in an airtight container.
More side dish ideas from Project Meal Plan:
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Black beans, sweet potatoes, and spicy BBQ sauce. A match made in side dish heaven!
Ingredients
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into small bite sized cubes
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 14.5 ounce can black beans with liquid
- 1/2 cup spicy barbecue sauce (we like Trader Joe’s Sriracha Garlic BBQ Sauce)
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to crockpot and stir to evenly disperse ingredients.
- Cook in crock pot on HIGH for 2 hours and 30 minutes. For softer potatoes, cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Equipment
Crock-Pot Oval Manual 8 quart Slow Cooker
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Rubbermaid High Heat Spoon Scraper
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If you’re meal prepping this as a side dish for lunches, store in an airtight container and use within 4 days.
Recipe inspired by Barbecued Black Beans with Sweet Potatoes by Barbara Jean Fabel from Fix-It and Forget-It 5-Ingredient Favorites: Comforting Slow Cooker Recipes by Phyllis Good.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: about 3/4 cup
- Calories: 187
- Sugar: 13.7g
- Fat: .1g
- Carbohydrates: 40.9g
- Fiber: 6.3g
- Protein: 6.4g
Thank you so much for checking out the BBQ Black Bean Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes! Tag @projectmealplan on social media if you make this yummy side dish! What do you like to eat it with? Follow me on Pinterest for meal inspiration every single day!
Hey, I'm Danielle. I made Project Meal Plan because being prepared and saving time are my favorite things. It doesn't hurt that I LOVE cooking and photography too. 
Do you think I could substitute bacon for the black beans. Can’t have beans for dietary issues.
I think it’s worth a try if the bacon and sweet potato combo sounds good to you! You may need to add some extra liquid to the slow cooker to replace the liquid from the black beans, maybe 1 cup? I’ve never really done anything like this before but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work if the bacon is precooked. Please let me know how it turns out!
I really want to try this recipe. Can I do on stove top???
Thanks so much.
Hi Kali! I would try something like this Black Bean Sweet Potato Skillet from Taste of Home (https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/black-bean-sweet-potato-skillet/). Skip the cous-cous, stir in some BBQ sauce at the end, and it’s a very similar dish but cooked on the stovetop! Enjoy!
Would this recipe work in an instapot?
Hi Portia, I think it may work on the slow cooker function of the Instant Pot, yes. Stir more often than you would with a traditional slow cooker, since the Instant Pot only heats from the bottom. Pressure cooking this recipe could work but I’ve never tried it, I’m sorry! Please let me know if you give it a shot. Thanks for your question. – Danielle