Description
Hearty Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes blend comfort and flavor in one delightful dish. Creamy potato goodness meets melted cheese, promising a satisfying meal that warms souls and delights dinner crowds with minimal kitchen effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes and Cheese:
- 1 (32 ounces / 907 grams) bag frozen diced hash browns (or fresh potatoes, diced)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Dairy and Creamy Components:
- 1 (10.5 ounces / 298 grams) can cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom for vegetarian)
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup butter, melted
Seasonings and Optional Topping:
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika (optional, for color)
- ½ cup crushed Ritz crackers or cornflakes (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Thoroughly coat the interior of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- In the slow cooker, combine hash browns, shredded cheese, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, melted butter, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and paprika. Whisk the ingredients together until they form a uniform, creamy mixture.
- Cover the slow cooker and set it to LOW temperature, allowing the potatoes to simmer and develop rich flavors for 4-5 hours. Alternatively, use HIGH temperature for 2-3 hours, gently stirring every hour to distribute heat evenly.
- During the final 30 minutes of cooking, optional crispy topping can be added. Sprinkle crushed crackers or cornflakes over the potato surface to create a delightful crunchy contrast.
- Check the potatoes for tenderness by piercing with a fork. Once the potatoes are soft and the cheese has melted into a luxurious sauce, the dish is ready to be served. Transfer to a serving dish while hot, ensuring each portion captures the creamy, cheesy goodness.
Notes
- Always use frozen hash browns for the best texture and consistent results in this dish.
- Choose full-fat dairy products like sour cream and cheese to create a richer, more indulgent flavor profile.
- Customize the seasoning by experimenting with different herbs like rosemary or thyme for added depth.
- For a gluten-free version, replace cream of chicken soup with homemade cream sauce and use gluten-free crackers as topping.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4-5 hours
- Category: Dinner, Side Dish, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg