Creamy and easy, these Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes are a great side dish recipe, perfect for feeding a crowd!
We love a good potato side dish recipe! Whether it is these Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes, Ranch Potatoes, or traditional Scalloped Potatoes, we’ll never say no!
Easy Potatoes That Are Perfect For a Crowd
Whether it is for a holiday meal or for a family dinner, having a side dish that is basically hands off and doesn’t take up space in the oven or on the stove is a life saver.
And that is exactly what these Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes are.
Take a few minutes earlier in the day to prep the ingredients, then let the potatoes cook on low for several hours. Super easy and low maintenance.
And let’s not forget delicious. This is pure comfort food, so don’t be surprised if people are piling up their plates with this tasty side dish!
Ingredients
- Butter: I use unsalted butter. If you use salted butter, you can cut back on the added salt a bit.
- Flour: This will thicken the sauce. I used all-purpose flour.
- Milk: Most milks will work here. I used 2%, but 1% or whole will be fine. Dairy free milk should work, as well, such as almond milk. You may need to add a little bit extra flour since it is a bit thinner than milk.
- Chicken Broth: This is for flavor. If you want to keep these potatoes vegetarian, feel free to swap in vegetable broth.
- Salt & Pepper: I have listed amounts in the recipe card, but you really can season to taste.
- Sour Cream: This makes the sauce nice and creamy. I like to use full fat here, but reduced fat will work.
- Roasted Red Peppers: You can certainly roast your own peppers, but I will usually use jarred roasted red peppers for this. Most of the time the peppers come whole or in strips – either will work because you want to dice the peppers.
- Hash Brown Potatoes: You’ll want to use frozen hash browns for these cheesy potatoes. I like to use the southern style for this recipe, which are the small cubes. You can use shredded if that is what you like, though. They do cook a little faster, so just be aware and check on the potatoes for doneness.
- Cheese: My favorite cheese for this recipe is gruyere. But really, any cheese that melts well will work. You’ll notice that I cube the cheese instead of shredding it. That is because I love the little cheesy pockets you find throughout this dish. You can definitely shred the cheese, if desired, but I would suggest trying it cubed at least once! You’ll probably become a convert like me.
How to Make Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
The hardest part of this recipe is making the sauce, and it is really quite simple!
1: Start by melting the butter in a medium pot, then whisk the flour in. You want to cook this for a minute or two to cook out the raw flour taste.
2: Slowly whisk in the milk, followed by the broth. Season with your salt and pepper, and let the mixture cook until is is slightly thickened.
3: Take the pot off of the heat and stir in your sour cream.
4: Then stir in the peppers. And that’s all there is to the sauce!
5: To cook the potatoes, layer half of the frozen potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker. No need to thaw!
6: Spread half of your sauce over the top of the potatoes.
7: Sprinkle on half of the cheese.
8: Repeat all three layers again, then place the lid on the slow cooker and cook away!
Storing and Reheating
Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator. I don’t recommend freezing the leftovers – I find that cooked potatoes come out with a strange texture.
If you are reheating a single serving, it is easiest to do this in the microwave.
If you are reheating a large portion, you can do it in the oven. Place the potatoes in an ovenproof baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350ºF until the sauce is hot and bubbling, about 20 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use raw potatoes?
If you don’t want to use frozen hash browns, you can use fresh potatoes, but do not add them in raw. You will want to peel and dice the potatoes, then par boil them. You don’t want them all of the way tender because then they will break down too much while cooking. Layer the par-boiled potatoes the same you would with the frozen hash browns in the instructions.
Can I cook these longer/shorter?
If you want these cheesy potatoes done faster, cook them on high. They should be done in about 3 hours. If you want to cook them longer, you may be able to get away with letting them go an extra hour. Be aware, though, that the longer they cook, the more you are going to run into the edges being crispy or overcooked.
What is the difference between these potatoes and Funeral Potatoes?
This Crockpot Cheesy Potato recipe is actually pretty similar to my Funeral Potatoes! In fact, funeral potatoes are often called cheesy potatoes. The biggest differences are that this recipe is made in the slow cooker, and it does not have the crispy topping. A few ingredients are different, as well, but they are both creamy, cheesey, potato side dishes.
What should I serve Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes with?
These potatoes are the perfect side dish for a holiday ham, whether that is Easter or Christmas. They would be great with a traditional Sunday supper recipe, like meatloaf, pork chops, or Poppy Seed Chicken.
More Potato Recipes
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
My Favorite Mashed Potato Recipe
Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
The Best Sweet Potato Casserole
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter
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Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (2 oz) butter
- 1/4 cup (30 g) flour
- 3/4 (6 oz) cup milk
- 1 cup (8 oz) chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
- 1/2 cup (160 g) diced roasted red peppers
- 32 oz frozen southern style hash brown potatoes
- 8 oz Gruyere cheese cut into small cubes
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook for a minute or two, then slowly whisk in the milk, followed by the broth. Season with the salt and pepper and let it cook until it is starting to thicken.
- Once thickened, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sour cream and the roasted red peppers.
- Spray the inside of a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Spread half of the potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker. Carefully spread half of the cream sauce over the potatoes, then sprinkle half of the cheese over the top. Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients.
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours, or high for 3 hours.
- Serve hot.
Nutmeg Nanny says
Oh my, those potatoes look incredible! I’m sure i’d fill most of my plare with them 🙂
Chels R. says
This sounds fantastic!
Christina @ The Beautiful Balance says
I have yet to finish my Thanksgiving meal planning so don’t feel bad. These potatoes may just be the first item added to my menu! 🙂
Joanne says
I don’t see why we pigeon-hole so much food into just “thanksgiving food”…I say we eat most of it year round! Or at least during the colder months!
Tracey says
I usually buy generic too – I didn’t know about the sugar! I’ll have to check next time I’m at the store. These cheesy potatoes are my favorite kind of comfort food, I could eat them 4x/week during the colder months.
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
I’d have trouble not tossing in some ham and making a meal out of these mouthwatering potatoes! Wow! What a killer slow cooker recipe, Deborah. I love it!
Emily says
Oh my! These looks absolutely delicious and cheesy-my favorite combo!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
These potatoes sound incredible! We always have some kind of cheesy potatoes at Thanksgiving, I may have to switch it up a bit this year!
Rachel Cooks says
I love Thanksgiving sides that can be made in the slow cooker — frees up valuable oven space. These look absolutely phenomenal — and I love those little 8oz packages of stock! Thanks for the link love, too!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Mmm the perfect Thanksgiving side! Yum!
Colleen @ What's Baking in the Barbershop?! says
Cheesy, delicious potatoes that are super easy to make? Yes, please! And I hear ya on checking the ingredients list more carefully these days…you never know what unwanted ingredients might be in there! :-\