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These Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes are creamy, cheesy, and incredibly easy to make. Just combine a few simple ingredients in your slow cooker for a rich, comforting side dish that’s perfect for holidays, potlucks, or busy weeknight dinners.
If you love cheesy potato sides, try Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes, or Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole next.
3 Tips That Make or Break This Recipe
A few tips to make sure these cheesy potatoes turn out perfectly creamy every time.
- Always cook on LOW. This is the most important step. Cooking on high will curdle the dairy and can burn the cheese onto the sides of your slow cooker. Multiple readers have learned this the hard way. Stick with low heat and let the slow cooker do its thing.
- Grate your cheese from the block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly. You’ll get the creamiest, best-tasting results with freshly grated cheddar and Parmesan.
- Use frozen diced potatoes, not shredded. Shredded or hash brown style potatoes will turn mushy during the long cook time. Frozen cubed potatoes hold their shape and give you tender, distinct pieces in a creamy sauce. No need to thaw them first.
recipe walk-through
How To Make Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
This is one of the easiest side dishes you’ll ever make. About 10 minutes of prep, then the slow cooker handles the rest.
Step 1: Combine Everything in the Slow Cooker
Lightly spray the insert of your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Add the frozen diced potatoes, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, diced onion, Parmesan cheese, and most of the cheddar cheese.
Reserve about half a cup of cheddar for topping later.
Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then stir everything together until the potatoes are completely coated.
Don’t skip the cooking spray. The cheese sauce can stick to the sides, especially toward the end of cooking. A slow cooker liner works great here too if you have one.
Step 2: Cook Low and Slow
Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours. The potatoes will soften and the cheese and sour cream will melt into a rich, creamy sauce.
Resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking. Every time you do, you lose heat and add to the cook time.
Watch for condensation. If you notice a lot of water building up on the lid, lay a few paper towels across the top of the slow cooker before replacing the lid. The towels absorb the moisture and keep it from dripping into the sauce, which can make it watery.
Step 3: Stir and Add the Final Cheese
After 4 hours, give everything a good stir to make sure the sauce is smooth and evenly combined. The potatoes should be tender and the sauce should be thick and creamy.
Switch the slow cooker to warm, sprinkle the reserved cheddar on top, and cover for another 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh minced chives and serve right away.
- Cream of chicken soup substitute. If you prefer not to use canned soup, cream of mushroom works the same way. You can also make a quick homemade version by whisking together 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of flour, and 1 cup of chicken broth over medium heat until thickened, then stirring in a splash of milk.
Oven Option
If your slow cooker is in use or you just prefer the oven, these cheesy potatoes bake up beautifully too.
- Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, then pour into a greased 13×9-inch baking dish.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil, sprinkle with the reserved cheddar, and bake uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly.
Pair These Potatoes With
Crockpot cheesy potatoes work as a side for just about anything, from holiday meals to backyard cookouts. They’re especially great when your oven is tied up with the main course.
For holidays, serve alongside Thanksgiving Turkey or Baked Glazed Ham.
For easy weeknight dinners, they go perfectly with BBQ Baked Chicken Thighs or Smothered Pork Chops.
When grilling season rolls around, try them with Grilled BBQ Chicken or BBQ Burgers.
Storage Tips
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate: Cool completely, then transfer leftovers to an airtight container. They’ll keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Freeze: You can freeze these, but the cheese sauce may lose some of its smooth texture when reheated. Place in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge before reheating.
Reheat: Microwave at 50% power, stirring every 20 to 30 seconds, until warmed through. You can also reheat in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce.
Make ahead: You can combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker insert the night before and refrigerate it. The next morning, just place the insert in the base and cook as directed. The potatoes may need an extra 30 minutes since they’ll be starting cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these cheesy potatoes in the oven instead?
Yes! Mix everything in a bowl, pour into a greased 13×9-inch dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Uncover, add the reserved cheese, and bake 10 to 15 more minutes until golden and bubbly.
What’s the best cheese for crockpot cheesy potatoes?
Sharp cheddar melts smoothly and gives you the most flavor. For a milder taste, try Colby jack or a cheddar-jack blend. Pepper jack adds a nice kick if you like a little heat. Smoked Gouda is great for something different. Just make sure to grate it from a block for the best melting.
Can I use fresh potatoes instead of frozen?
Yes, but you’ll need to peel and dice them into small cubes first (about 6 cups). Keep in mind that frozen potatoes have been partially cooked, so fresh ones may take a bit longer to get tender. Some readers par-boil them for a few minutes first to help with cook time.
Can I double this recipe?
You can, as long as your slow cooker is large enough (6 quart or bigger). The cook time may increase by 30 to 60 minutes. Check the potatoes at the 4-hour mark and continue cooking until they’re tender.
More Cheesy Potato Recipes
- Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
- Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Potatoes Romanoff
Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
Ingredients
- 32 ounce bag of frozen diced potatoes
- 2 1/2 cups freshly grated cheddar cheese divided
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup finely diced white onion
- 1 cup sour cream
- 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Fresh minced chives for garnish
Instructions
- Lightly spray the insert of your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the frozen diced potatoes, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, diced onion, Parmesan cheese, and 2 cups of the cheddar cheese to the slow cooker. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir until the potatoes are completely coated.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Do not cook on high, as the dairy will curdle and the cheese can burn onto the sides of the slow cooker.
- Stir the mixture until the cheese sauce is smooth and creamy. Switch the slow cooker to warm.
- Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese on top. Cover and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with fresh minced chives and serve immediately.
Notes
- Cook on LOW only. High heat will curdle the dairy and can burn the cheese onto the slow cooker.
- Grate cheese from the block. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting.
- Use frozen diced potatoes, not shredded. Shredded potatoes will turn mushy. No need to thaw frozen cubed potatoes before adding.
- Fresh potatoes: Use about 6 cups of peeled and diced russet potatoes. Consider par-boiling for a few minutes first since frozen potatoes are already partially cooked.
- Condensation tip: If moisture builds up on the lid, lay a few paper towels across the top of the slow cooker before replacing the lid to absorb excess water.
- Cream soup substitute: Cream of mushroom soup works well, or make a quick homemade version with butter, flour, and chicken broth.
- Make ahead: Combine everything in the slow cooker insert the night before and refrigerate. Add about 30 extra minutes of cook time.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months (texture may change slightly).
- Reheat: Microwave at 50% power, stirring every 20 to 30 seconds. Or warm in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of milk.
- Oven option: Mix everything together, pour into a greased 13×9-inch dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Uncover, add cheese, and bake 10 to 15 more minutes.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
How many cups of fresh diced potatoes?
It would be about 3-4 cups of fresh potatoes, but keep in mind that frozen potatoes have been partially cooked so you will need to boil and blanch them for a couple of minutes first.
Excited to try this
Thanks for stopping by Lea!
Ahhhhhhh-Mazing! Cooked this today as a side for grilled burgers. Perfect match. All I can say is thank God for the crock pot liners. Did the 4 hour high, and wouldn’t want to scrape all that burt cheese off. Found a new favorite side! Thanks
You are so welcome Michael! Thanks for the awesome feedback.
Going to try this today. To anyone talking about a mess there are crockpot liners I religiously use. Just line, spray in cooking spray and dump in ingredients!
This looks perfect for our Greek Easter dinner this weekend! We don’t have frozen diced potatoes in Greece, so I can’t use our normal family recipe and I was wondering about substituting fresh….thanks for the recipe!
This looks really good and I like the use of fresh potatoes. If I double recipe do I cook longer?
They may require longer to cook, but I’d check them at the recommended time and then each half hour to an hour depending on how firm they still are.
Will it hurt if I line the slow cooker with tin foil? Will it make the potatoes cook different?
I would look into one of those slow cooker liners that are made specifically for this. Find them here: https://amzn.to/2WPdbGI
This will be my first time making this recipe
I’m going to make them on the stovetop. I will let you know how it came out.
Yes, please do! 🙂
I cut the potatoes much smaller than specified in the recipe. They have been in the slow cooker on HIGH for 7 1/2 hours and are still too firm to eat. My slow cooker is only 2 months old.
If they were on high for 8 hours, they may have actually over-cooked and gotten hard that way. Other than that, I’d check the temperature on your slow cooker because there is no way that potatoes wouldn’t cook after being on high for that long.
Everyone loved the potatoes, but be warned, if you have to use the “on high for 4-5 hours” version you’re going to have one heck of a mess to clean up. I’ve never spent so much time scrubbing my crock pot. Never again. ?
If I don’t have time for the lie and slow version, tgey’re Not getting made.
Thank you for your feedback Meg.