Potatoes are the only crockpot dish where the answer depends more on how full the pot is than on what setting you chose. A half-full pot and a packed one are two different recipes, and almost nobody says which one they wrote.
Below are 6 crockpot potatoes recipes, from fluffy mashed to scalloped to foil-baked, each with its hours on LOW and a full recipe card. Every time assumes 3 lb in a 6-quart pot filled a little over halfway.
Fill the pot a little over halfway, cut every piece to the same size, and the clock can finally be trusted.
Quick answer
Three pounds of potatoes in a 6-quart pot, filled a little over halfway, take LOW 4 hours or HIGH 2 for mashed and cheesy dishes, and LOW 5 for scalloped, where the slices sit in a sauce. Pack the same pot to the brim with five pounds and add two hours. Cut every piece to the same size or the timing means nothing.
What are crockpot potatoes?
Crockpot potatoes are potatoes cooked in a slow cooker until soft, either whole, diced, sliced or mashed in the pot. The hours depend on the cut and on how full the pot is, since dense raw potato conducts heat slowly.
For a main to go with them, see our pot roast crock pot recipes, easy crockpot dinners and crockpot meatballs.
Pick the right crockpot potatoes recipe in one minute
| Preview | Idea | Best for | Hands-on time | Avoid if | Get it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Crockpot Mashed Potatoes That Do Not Turn to Glue | Thanksgiving and any dinner that needs a fluffy side | Low · 4 h LOW | You want a skin-on, rustic mash | Jump to recipe |
| 2. Cheesy Crockpot Potatoes with Cream Cheese | Potlucks and holiday tables | Low · 4 h LOW | You need a dairy-free side | Jump to recipe | |
| 3. Scalloped Crockpot Potatoes with Onion and Thyme | A creamy, layered side for a roast dinner | Medium · 5 h LOW | You cannot slice evenly or have no mandoline | Jump to recipe | |
 | 4. Foil-Wrapped Baked Potatoes in the Crockpot | A hot oven you do not want to use | Low · 7 h LOW | You want a crisp, oven-baked skin | Jump to recipe |
| 5. Garlic-Parmesan Baby Potatoes in the Crockpot | A simple side for grilled meat | Low · 4 h LOW | You want a creamy sauce | Jump to recipe | |
| 6. Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole with a Late Topping | Thanksgiving, when the oven is taken | Low · 3.5 h LOW | You dislike sweet side dishes | Jump to recipe |
For a first try, make the mashed potatoes (1). It uses only pantry staples, and mashing in the pot teaches you the fill line that every other recipe uses.
How do you choose a crockpot potatoes recipe?
- Which potato: russets and other floury potatoes mash smoothest, while waxy potatoes such as Yukon Gold or baby potatoes hold their shape for cheesy, scalloped and whole dishes.
- How it is cut: quarters for mash, 2 cm dice for cheesy, 3 mm slices for scalloped, whole for baby and foil-baked, and 3 cm cubes for sweet potato.
- How much goes in: 3 lb in a 6-quart pot filled a little over halfway. Under half full cooks fast and risky, and a full pot of 5 lb takes about two hours longer.
A second small pot is the real tool for a full dinner: a 4-quart is the right size for one side and frees the big pot for the potatoes.
How to Make Crockpot Potatoes: the Base Method
Why the fill line decides the time
A slow cooker heats through its walls and base, and the heat then has to travel inward through the potato. Under half full, the edges cook ahead of the middle; around three pounds is the band every recipe here is timed for; and filled to the brim, the middle is the last thing to soften, so stir once at the halfway mark.
Pin itCut every piece the same size
A tray of pieces ranging from walnut to fist gives you mush at one end and raw at the other, whatever the clock says. For scalloped, an adjustable mandoline gives every slice the same thickness in one pass.
Add little liquid and check your pot
Potatoes steam in half a cup of stock, since nothing evaporates under the lid. Newer cookers run hotter on LOW: fill yours halfway with water, run LOW four hours and read it with an instant-read thermometer. Around 190°F is normal; over 205°F, take an hour off every time.
1. Crockpot Mashed Potatoes That Do Not Turn to Glue
This is the baseline for the page. The potatoes steam in half a cup of stock, so nothing needs draining and the mash is not watery.
It differs from boiled mash by the water: slow-cooked potatoes keep all of theirs, which is why you mash by hand and add the dairy warm and off the heat.
The catch is the tool. A stick blender bursts the starch cells and makes wallpaper paste in seconds. Use a stiff wire masher straight in the ceramic insert.
Crockpot Mashed Potatoes That Do Not Turn to Glue
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy8
servings20
minutes4
hoursThree pounds of quartered russets cooked 4 hours on LOW with half a cup of stock, then mashed by hand in the pot. Warm butter and milk go in after mashing.
Ingredients
3 lb russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
½ cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1½ tsp kosher salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
¾ cup whole milk, warmed
¼ cup sour cream or cream cheese, at room temperature
2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp white pepper
2 tbsp chopped chives
Pinch of nutmeg, optional
Directions
- Cut the potatoes into even quarters so they cook at the same rate and add them to a 6-quart crockpot.
- Add the stock, salt, whole garlic and bay leaf. Stir once. The pot should be filled a little over halfway.
- Cover and cook 4 hours on LOW, or 2 hours on HIGH, until a fork slides into the largest piece with no resistance.
- Remove the bay leaf. Turn the cooker off and drain off any liquid beyond a few spoonfuls.
- Warm the milk and butter in the microwave for 45 seconds, until the butter just starts to melt.
- Mash the potatoes and garlic by hand with a stiff masher, right in the insert, until mostly smooth.
- Fold in the warm milk and butter a little at a time, then stir in the sour cream and white pepper.
- Taste and add salt; the potatoes take more than you expect. Top with chives and a pinch of nutmeg.
Notes
- Russets and other floury potatoes mash smoothest, while waxy potatoes stay lumpy. Keep the mash on warm for up to 2 hours, adding a splash of warm milk before serving. Do not use a mixer or stick blender.
Potato ricer
Presses the potatoes through fine holes for the smoothest mash with no lumps.
Stainless steel potato masher
A stiff masher that works straight in the ceramic insert without scratching it.
Slow cooker liners
Lifts the starchy residue out with the bag, so washing up takes a minute.
2. Cheesy Crockpot Potatoes with Cream Cheese
This is the cheesy side that holds on warm. Diced potato, stock, cream cheese and a little mustard powder cook together into a thick sauce.
It differs from the mash by keeping its shape: waxy potatoes diced at 2 cm hold up, and the cheddar goes on at the end so it does not turn to a rubbery lid.
The catch is the cheese timing. Add it for the last 20 minutes. Serve with ham, roast chicken or a green salad.
8
servings15
minutes4
hoursTwo-centimeter diced potatoes cooked 4 hours on LOW with stock, cream cheese and mustard powder, with cheddar added for the last 20 minutes. The sauce is creamy and the lid does not go rubbery.
Ingredients
3 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, diced into 2 cm pieces
½ cup low-sodium chicken stock
8 oz cream cheese, cubed
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar
3 scallions, sliced
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled, optional
Directions
- Dice the potatoes into even 2 cm cubes and add them to a 6-quart crockpot.
- Whisk the stock with the mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and pour over the potatoes.
- Scatter the cream cheese cubes on top. Do not stir.
- Cover and cook 4 hours on LOW, or 2 hours on HIGH.
- Stir to melt the cream cheese into a sauce and check that a cube is tender.
- Sprinkle the cheddar on top and replace the lid for the last 20 minutes.
- Stir gently once the cheese melts and taste for salt.
- Top with the scallions and bacon and serve straight from the pot.
Notes
- Grate your own cheddar, since packaged shreds melt less smoothly. The potatoes hold on warm for about 2 hours; stir once before serving. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge.
Cheese grater with container
Grates the cheddar fine so it melts into the sauce in a minute.
Crispy fried onions
A crisp, salty topping that stays crunchy on warm cheesy potatoes.
3. Scalloped Crockpot Potatoes with Onion and Thyme
This is the layered gratin made in the pot. Potato slices, onion, cream and thyme cook slowly into a tender, creamy stack.
It differs from the diced dishes by the cut: 3 mm slices are the number, and at 5 mm the middle is still firm at 5 hours.
The catch is the slicing. By eye 3 mm is guesswork, so slice them evenly with a mandoline. Serve with ham or roast chicken.
8
servings25
minutes5
hoursThin 3 mm potato slices layered with onion, cream and thyme and cooked 5 hours on LOW. The even slices are what let the middle cook through.
Ingredients
3 lb waxy potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 3 mm thick
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1½ cups heavy cream
½ cup low-sodium chicken stock
3 garlic cloves, minced
1½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp unsalted butter
¾ cup grated Gruyère
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Directions
- Butter the crockpot insert well and slice the potatoes 3 mm thick, keeping the slices in cold water until you layer.
- Whisk the cream, stock, flour, garlic, salt, pepper and thyme in a bowl until smooth.
- Drain and pat the potato slices dry with a towel.
- Layer one-third of the potatoes in the pot, then half the onion, then a quarter of the sauce.
- Repeat with the second third of potatoes, the remaining onion and another quarter of the sauce.
- Top with the last potatoes and pour over the remaining sauce, pressing down so slices are covered.
- Cover and cook 5 hours on LOW, or 2½ hours on HIGH, until a knife slides through with no resistance.
- Sprinkle the Gruyère on top for the last 20 minutes and let it melt. Rest 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Keep the slices the same thickness. Do not lift the lid for the first 3 hours. The dish holds on warm for about 2 hours; add a splash of cream if it tightens.
4. Foil-Wrapped Baked Potatoes in the Crockpot
This is the hands-off baked potato. Wrapped tight in foil, the potatoes bake in their own steam with no water and no rack.
It differs from the other dishes by being whole: large russets with the skin on, packed in a tight layer, and cooked the longest at 7 hours on LOW.
The catch is the wrapping. Keep the foil snug and the skins dry. Serve with butter, sour cream and chives.
Foil-Wrapped Baked Potatoes in the Crockpot
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes7
hoursSix large russets rubbed with oil, wrapped tight in foil and cooked 7 hours on LOW with no water. The skins stay dry and the insides come out fluffy.
Ingredients
6 large russet potatoes, about 8 oz each, scrubbed
2 tbsp olive oil
1½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
6 sheets of aluminum foil
4 tbsp unsalted butter, for serving
½ cup sour cream, for serving
¼ cup chopped chives
1 cup shredded cheddar, optional
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled, optional
Directions
- Scrub the potatoes and dry them completely with a towel.
- Prick each potato 6 to 8 times with a fork so steam can escape.
- Rub each potato with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Wrap each one tightly in a sheet of foil, crimping the ends closed.
- Pack the potatoes in the crockpot in a tight layer without adding water or a rack.
- Cover and cook 7 hours on LOW, or 4 hours on HIGH.
- Check one by squeezing it with a mitt; it should yield easily, or pierce with a thermometer to about 205°F.
- Unwrap, split each open, fluff the inside with a fork and add butter and sour cream.
- Top with chives, cheese and bacon, if using, and serve hot.
Notes
- Use potatoes of similar size so they finish together. The tight foil keeps the skins dry. They hold on warm for about 2 hours.
Fast-read thermometer
Confirms the center reaches about 205°F without unwrapping every potato.
Food storage containers
Stores the cooled leftovers for crispy hash browns the next day.
5. Garlic-Parmesan Baby Potatoes in the Crockpot
This is the easy side. Baby potatoes cook whole, skin on, so there is no peeling or cutting.
It differs from the other dishes by being simple: butter, garlic, herbs and a little stock, finished with Parmesan after cooking.
The catch is size. Choose potatoes of about the same size so none are raw while others soften. Serve with steak, chicken or fish.
6
servings15
minutes4
hoursWhole baby potatoes with their skins on, cooked 4 hours on LOW with butter, garlic and stock, then tossed with Parmesan. They stay whole and buttery.
Ingredients
2½ lb baby potatoes, scrubbed
¼ cup low-sodium chicken stock
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp lemon juice
Directions
- Scrub the potatoes and halve any larger than a golf ball so they are even.
- Add them to the crockpot with the stock.
- Mix the melted butter, garlic, Italian herbs, salt and pepper and pour over the potatoes.
- Stir to coat. The pot should be filled a little over halfway.
- Cover and cook 4 hours on LOW, or 2 hours on HIGH, until a fork slides in easily.
- Stir gently once at the halfway point if the pot is full.
- Sprinkle in the Parmesan and lemon juice and toss to coat.
- Top with the parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- Choose waxy potatoes since they keep their shape. The potatoes hold on warm for about 2 hours. Add the Parmesan only at the end so it does not clump.
6. Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole with a Late Topping
This is the sweet side that frees the oven. Sweet potatoes cook in butter and cinnamon until soft enough to mash.
It differs from the savory dishes by the finish: the topping goes in during the last half hour, so it does not go soggy.
The catch is the cut. Cube them 3 cm so they finish in 3½ hours. Serve with turkey, ham or roast pork.
8
servings20
minutes3
hours30
minutesCubed sweet potatoes cooked 3½ hours on LOW with butter and cinnamon, with a pecan topping added in the last half hour. The topping stays crisp instead of soggy.
Ingredients
3 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 3 cm cubes
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ cup orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp brown sugar, for the topping
2 tbsp cold butter, for the topping
Directions
- Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 3 cm cubes.
- Add them to a 6-quart crockpot and pour over the melted butter and orange juice.
- Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and vanilla and toss to coat.
- Cover and cook 3½ hours on LOW, or 2 hours on HIGH, until the cubes are tender.
- Mash roughly with a masher right in the pot, leaving some small chunks.
- Mix the pecans, topping sugar and cold butter with your fingertips until crumbly.
- Scatter the topping over the potatoes and replace the lid slightly ajar for 30 minutes.
- Serve warm, straight from the pot.
Notes
- Add the topping in the last half hour so it stays crisp. The casserole holds on warm for about 2 hours. Swap the pecans for crushed cornflakes if you prefer.
If it goes wrong
- Gluey mash: a stick blender or too much liquid. Mash by hand, use half a cup of stock, and add warm butter and milk after mashing.
- Raw and mushy pieces in one pot: the pieces were uneven. Cut every piece the same size next time.
- Brown, papery edges: your pot runs hot. Take an hour off and stir a full pot at the halfway mark.
- Rubbery cheese lid: the cheese cooked too long. Add it for the last 20 minutes only.
- Firm middle in scalloped: slices over 3 mm. At 5 mm the middle is still firm at 5 hours.
How to Hold, Store and Reheat Crockpot Potatoes
A pot of potatoes holds on warm for around two hours, longer than most crockpot dishes, since there is no protein to dry out. Stir once before serving. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge; reheat mash and cheesy potatoes on the stove with a splash of milk or stock. Do not freeze scalloped potatoes, since the cream separates. For a main to go with them, see our crockpot soup recipes.
Key takeaways
- Fill the pot a little over halfway and time from there.
- Cut every piece the same size, with a mandoline for scalloped.
- Use half a cup of stock, not a pot of water.
- Mash by hand, never with a stick blender.
- Add cheese and toppings only for the last 20 to 30 minutes.
- Hold on warm for about two hours and stir once before serving.
When the free version isn’t enough
A few tools make these side dishes easier. A 4-quart pot suits a single side and frees the big pot, and an adjustable mandoline gives scalloped slices an even 3 mm. A stiff potato masher works straight in the insert, an instant-read thermometer tests your pot’s heat, and slow cooker liners save the washing up after starch and cheese.
Pin itOn a Thanksgiving or Sunday table, a three-crock buffet server runs three of these sides at their own times and holds them on warm without taking up the oven. Two sides rarely share one pot, since green beans at three hours and scalloped potatoes at five want different windows. A liner also lifts out the baked-on cheese.
Common questions
Can you put raw potatoes in a crock pot?
Yes. Raw potatoes go straight into the crock with half a cup of stock, cut to one size, and take about four hours on LOW for three pounds.
Can you make scalloped potatoes in a crock pot?
Yes. Slice the potatoes 3 mm thick, layer them with onion and cream, and cook 5 hours on LOW. Thicker slices stay firm in the middle.
Can you put sweet potato in a slow cooker?
Yes. Cube it 3 cm and cook 3½ hours on LOW with butter and cinnamon, and add any topping for the last half hour.
When should you add potatoes to a crock pot with a roast?
At the very beginning, halved and at the bottom where the heat is. They take the full eight hours the meat takes.
What are swamp potatoes, and how long do you cook swamp potatoes in the crockpot?
Swamp potatoes is a name some recipes use for cheesy diced potatoes. The best swamp potatoes crockpot recipe is our cheesy version (2): cook it 4 hours on LOW and add the cheese for the last 20 minutes.
How long do potatoes take in a crockpot on LOW?
About four hours for three pounds of quartered or diced potatoes in a 6-quart pot filled a little over halfway. Pack the same pot to the top with five pounds and it is closer to six.
Do I need to add water to potatoes in a slow cooker?
Only half a cup of stock or water. They steam in their own moisture, and nothing evaporates under the lid, so more liquid just means draining at the end.
Why did my crockpot mashed potatoes turn gluey?
Either a stick blender or too much liquid. Mash by hand, use half a cup of stock rather than covering them, and add warm butter and milk after mashing.
Can I leave potatoes on warm?
About two hours, which is longer than most crockpot dishes hold. Stir once before serving, and add any cheese topping in the final twenty minutes rather than at the start.
What size potatoes should I cut for a slow cooker?
Even ones, which matters more than the size itself. Two-centimetre dice for cheesy potatoes, 3 mm slices for scalloped, quarters for mash. Mixed sizes give you raw pieces and collapsed pieces in the same pot.
Can potatoes go in with the roast?
Yes, halved and at the very bottom where the heat is. They take the full eight hours the meat takes and come out soft rather than fluffy, which is right for a pot roast and wrong for mash.
What is the best crockpot potatoes recipe for a crowd?
The cheesy potatoes (2) hold well on warm for two hours and feed eight, and the mashed potatoes (1) are the classic for a holiday table.
More from the crockpot: pot roast crock pot recipes, easy crockpot dinners, crockpot soup recipes, crockpot meatballs.
