Simple and delicious comfort food: Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes! The potatoes are cooked in the slow cooker until tender and flavorful– and then covered in plenty of cheese.
These Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes make a great side dish to share with a crowd or it’s filling enough for a complete meal when paired with some french bread or dinner rolls and the perfect Italian salad!
Pure comfort food
Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes are pure, delicious comfort food! The long cooking time in the slow cooker allows the potatoes to become ultra soft and absorb tons of flavor. These cheesy potatoes are incredible and my boys are obsessed with this meal.
Tips for the BEST Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes:
- For the best Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes, using high-quality potatoes is an absolute must! I use and highly recommend Petite Gold (Gourmet) Potatoes
- Be sure to slice the potatoes evenly thin. This ensures that they cook through completely and get really tender.
- Adjust the spice to your and your family’s preferences. This recipe is not overly spicy, but the sausage and paprika give it a little kick. If you like your food really mild, you can leave out the paprika or replace the sausage with ground beef. (Just be aware that this will really reduce the flavor of the dish.) Alternatively, if you like your food spicy, you can increase the paprika or replace the mild Italian sausage with hot Italian sausage.
Quick Tip
What kind of sausage should you use for this recipe? We list mild Italian sausage in the recipe card, but for the most part, the various types of Italian sausage are defined by the seasonings used in each type. Sweet Italian sausage is the mildest form and is seasoned with fennel, anise, and sweet basil. Mild Italian sausage has fennel and sometimes oregano. Hot sausage has fennel plus red pepper flakes added in. And surprisingly, country-style (breakfast) sausage is very similar but swaps out the fennel for sage. So if you have a flavor preference, let that guide your sausage choice. The most important thing to remember that Italian sausage for this recipe should be fresh, not smoked (like Kielbasa-type sausages).
How to Make Cheesy Potatoes in a Crockpot:
These slow cooker cheesy potatoes couldn’t be easier! All you have to do is brown the sausage and onions and then add them, the thinly sliced potatoes, seasonings, and beef broth to the crockpot.
Once these ingredients are assembled, cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours.
Once cooked, you can add as much cheese as you desire! Feel free to mix cheese varieties, but stick with freshly grated cheese to avoid the waxy/cornstarch coating that comes on most bags of pre-shredded cheese.
What side dishes go well with these Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes?
- I love having a fruit salad with all the meat and potatoes. Or, depending on the season, try a winter fruit salad.
- This Quinoa Salad would make an amazing side to this dish and complete a well-balanced meal.
- A Cucumber Salad or Caprese Salad would lighten everything up!
More Comfort Food made in the Slow Cooker
Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- 1 yellow onion, diced, optional
- 2 pounds petite gold potatoes, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
- 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese
- Optional: fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sausage and optional chopped yellow onion. Drain off any fat. Add to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Meanwhile, thinly slice the baby gold potatoes. (See the second photo in the post for size; just under 1/8th an inch thick.) Add to the slow cooker, along with the paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. (Season to taste with salt and pepper; I use 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. You can always add more at the end if needed.)
- Add in the beef broth. Stir everything together and cover the crockpot.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours or until potatoes are tender. Once everything is finished cooking, taste and adjust salt and pepper to preference.
- Add the freshly grated cheese in an even layer over everything (or on individual serving plates--we like this way best!) and allow it to melt. Garnish if desired with fresh parsley.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Could I substitute hash browns for the potatoes?
I haven’t tested with hashbrowns so I can’t say for sure, but I worry they might cook faster than the thinly sliced potatoes, so if you do test it watch the timing.
I’ve made this a couple of times, once in my instant pot and once in my ninja Foodi multi. Both times it turned out great! I have it going right now in the ninja once again. i’m going to use a combination of cheeses today, including Monterey jack and sharp cheddar. It should be delicious. Thanks for such a nice and easy recipe.
By the way, the last time I made it toward the very end of the cook time I added about a cup of pico de gallo and that really makes it even more delicious!
Ohh wow yummy! I’m so glad it’s been such a hit for you! Thanks Dee! 🙂
Hi there making this dish for my family tonight but I’m so confused about the Italian seasoning do I prepare the pack like a dressing or use it as just a spice I love how it’s set up to show us what to buy at what store we use but I can’t figure out this one thing out. I looked and looked and couldn’t figure this out I’m not a cook so I half to have things in detail hope to hear back asap
Just Italian seasoning like a spice 🙂 Enjoy!
Can I sub meat with ground beef?
Yes, I think you’ll want some more seasonings though because it could turn out a little bland
My husband adapted this to the Instapot and it was delish! It is a keeper! Thanks for a great recipe!
That’s so awesome! I’m thrilled you guys loved it! Thanks Mary! 🙂
Can this be adapted to cook in the oven?
Yes! Thank you so much 🙂 I am enjoying your recipes!
Instructions are not showing up? Do I throw everything together and cook on high or low for three hours?
So strange; I’ve reset the recipe are you seeing them now?
Any idea on how to make this in an Instant Pot instead of a crockpot?