How to Cook Sweet Potatoes for Dogs

Sweet potatoes can be a healthy, real-food addition to your dog’s diet — when they’re cooked and served correctly. This guide shows you exactly how to cook sweet potatoes for dogs safely, which methods work best, and what to avoid so you can share them with confidence!

If you are looking for more homemade dog food or treat recipes, be sure to check out some other reader favorites like Blueberry Pancakes for Dogs, Beef Liver Dinner Recipe for Dogs, Chicken Dinner Recipe for Dogs, How to Cook Rice For Dogs, or Bakery Famous Soft Peanut Butter Dog Cookies.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

• Recipe Name: How to Cook Sweet Potatoes for Dogs
• Ready In: 20 minutes
• Makes: 2 cups
• Main Ingredients: Organic sweet potato
• Dietary Info: Gluten free, dairy free, no seed oils
• Difficulty: Easy!
• Why You'll Love It: Great healthy carb for homemade dog food or food topper

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Healthy Carb: Sweet potatoes are a wonderful healthy carb if you are feeding your dog homemade dog food. This is John John’s favorite carb and he eats it daily.  
• Food Topper: You can use sweet potato for a food topper too, just a little bit on top of any dog food in moderation is a great way to boost standard dog food.
• Treat Worthy: If you want to use sweet potato for treats, you can do that too. Instead of mashing them up, you can chop them into sticks, like little fries. 
• Dogs Love: Your dog will love these, no matter how you serve them.
• Easy to Make: These sweet potatoes are quick and easy to make, just as simple as making a potato for you!

If you are serious about homemade dog food, our course How to Cook Homemade Dog Food (Vet-Approved, Balanced and Simple) will teach you how! In this course that’s vet approved, I break down how to make homemade food with ease. You’ll find it’s just as easy as making food for any family member! 

These sweet potatoes can be used as part of your dog’s main meal or as a food topper, even if you’re feeding dog food. If you want to try some of John John’s favorite homemade dog food recipes, check out Turkey Dog Food Recipe, Slow Cooker Beef Dog Food, Dog Burger Bowl (Homemade Beef Dog Food), Homemade Turkey Meatloaf for Dogs, How to Cook Ground Turkey For Dogs, or Salmon Dinner Recipe for Dogs.

Ingredients

• Sweet Potato: Organic sweet potatoes are best for dogs because they’re grown without synthetic pesticides or chemical residues, which helps reduce unnecessary exposure to toxins in your dog’s diet. Since dogs eat the same foods repeatedly, choosing organic sweet potatoes provides a cleaner, gentler source of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals for everyday homemade meals.

Tips

• Make sure to peel skin completely. While the skin can be healthy for humans, dogs cannot digest it well and it can cause GI upset.
• Always serve sweet potatoes plain, avoid oils, spices, seasoning, and sugar. 
• Cut into small cubes or mash with a potato masher so they are easy for dogs to digest. 
• Store extra sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. 
• If you have more sweet potatoes than your dog will eat in a week, freeze in a freezer safe bag or container. 

How to Make Sweet Potatoes for Dogs

1. Fill a 3-quart pot with water three-quarters full. Peel the sweet potato completely.

2. Using a sharp knife slice into 1/4-inch thick slices.

3. Add into the pot and put over medium/high heat. Allow the sweet potatoes to boil, then reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook until they are soft when poked with a fork, about 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Strain off the sweet potatoes from the water. Using a potato masher, mash up the potatoes in the pot (this is the easiest way!). Or, alternatively, you can chop into small cubes (the smaller the better).

5. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.

6. Serve to your dog as part of their meals.

Best Ways to Cook Sweet Potatoes for Dogs

The step by step method above is our go to for making sweet potatoes. But, you can make them a few different ways that are also dog safe. Depending on your preference, you can use any of these methods.

Sweet potatoes should always be cooked until soft and served plain for dogs. These methods are the safest and easiest, depending on how you plan to use them.

Boiled (Best for Easy Digestion)

The method I use most and what I explain in the video. Boiling is one of the best options for dogs, especially those with sensitive stomachs. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes, then boil in plain water until very soft. Drain well, mash, and let cool before serving. This is the method I’m sharing today (above and in video).

Steamed (Great Nutrient Retention)

Steaming softens sweet potatoes while also helping retain nutrients. Cut into chunks or slices and steam until fork-tender. This method works well if you want a soft texture without excess water. 

Baked (Good for Batch Cooking)

Baking sweet potatoes whole or cubed is a convenient way to cook larger amounts at once if you have a larger dog or multiple dogs you’re cooking for. You can bake until completely soft inside, then peel and mash or dice before serving. You can also peel the potato first, dice into 1-2 inch cubes and bake from there. Do not add oil, salt, or seasonings. Bake at 400°F for about 30 to 40 minutes, until very soft. 

Slow Cooker (Best for Hands-Off Cooking)

Using a slow cooker is a simple, low-effort way to cook sweet potatoes for dogs. Add whole or chopped sweet potatoes with a small amount of water and cook on low until very soft. This method is especially helpful for meal prep or homemade dog food batches. Make sure to peel sweet potatoes completely before adding to the slow cooker. 

Methods to Avoid

• Raw sweet potatoes (hard to digest)
• Fried or roasted with excess oil
• Seasoned or sweetened preparations
• Microwaved unevenly (can leave hard spots)

How to Serve After Cooking

Once cooked, let sweet potatoes cool completely. Mash or dice into small pieces appropriate for your dog’s size, and introduce gradually. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up a week. If you have more than your dog will eat in a week, transfer to freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe FAQ's

More Homemade Dog Food Recipes

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Slow Cooker Beef Dog Food

Dog Burger Bowl (Homemade Beef Dog Food)

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