Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes

Crockpot cheesy potatoes are the easiest side dish ever. Creamy potatoes are topped with melty cheese in the crockpot.

Crockpot cheesy potatoes are creamy, rich, and sooo good. It’s like the best of worlds is the convenience of cooking in a slow cooker and the best parts of my Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole recipe.

You won’t get crispy edges all over, but if you dig into the edges, the cheese that clung to the sides of the crockpot will be a little crispy.

Why the Slow Cooker Gets This Right

I made these cheesy potatoes in a slow cooker because we have a crazy-crowded holiday coming up this year. There will be enough people that it’s helpful to use as many cooking methods as possible.

When your oven is packed with a huge ham and a few pans of dinner rolls, having cheesy potatoes cooking in a slow cooker frees up oven space.

What to Know Before You Start

If you’ve never made Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole before, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the addition of TWO cans of cream of chicken soup. It’s a ratio that makes for really creamy potatoes, not stiff and dry in certain spots like happens with just one can of soup.

Defrost the hashbrowns before adding to the slow cooker. Defrosting ensures that the potatoes will cook up more evenly because they’ll already be closer to room temperature instead of ice-cold, and will prevent excess water from seeping into your lovely, creamy, cheesy soup.

Defrost in the refrigerator for a few hours, about 2 to 6 hours depending on the temperature, or defrost on a sheet pan for 45 minutes if you’re in a big ol’ hurry.

Fold most of the cheese into the potato mixture and save a little to sprinkle on top. This ensures that cheese will melt throughout the casserole and that you’ll have a gorgeous, melty layer of cheese on top.

Crockpot cheesy potatoes will be creamy and delicious after cooking for 2 hours on high in a slow cooker.

What You Need and Why Two Cans Is Non-Negotiable

Add one cup of milk. This is the step that loosens everything up enough for the potatoes to be totally coated with sauce, which is critical for making this recipe.

Skip this and the casserole will be too thick and pasty. Whole milk makes it the best, but 2% works, too.

Use full-fat sour cream. Heating up light sour cream will make it super watery.

Use 8 ounces.

Use two cans of cream of chicken soup, and cream of mushroom is fine, too, if you prefer; it’s a tad earthier. Skipping a can of soup will make the casserole way too stiff and dry.

Use a total of 1-1/2 cups of shredded cheddar, with 1 cup in the casserole and 1/2 cup on top. Sharp is better than mild, and grate your own if you can because fresh-grated cheese melts way better than pre-shredded.

Thaw a 30-ounce bag of shredded hashbrowns. Use all of it.

The shreds mix in with the sauce better than diced potatoes, and they create a much softer texture.

Butter: Use 4-5 tablespoons, either dotted on top of the casserole so it will melt and work its way into the casserole, or melt it and stir it in.

Yellow onion, diced, optional. Two hours of cooking causes the onion to get super-soft, so it disappears into the background.

I like a little of its flavor, but this is a totally optional ingredient. Use 1/2 cup diced onion.

How to Make Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes

Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray (optional). It makes cleaning out your cooker easier if some of the cheese sticks to the sides.

Mix together hash browns (thawed), soup, sour cream, 1 cup of the cheese, milk, and onion in a bowl. It will look super chunky and thick.

That’s ok. It cooks down a lot.

Pour mixture into slow cooker. Dot with butter or melt and stir in, as I’ve done it both ways with the same results.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours, then top with remaining cheese and let sit for 5 minutes. If you uncover it during cooking, plan on adding on an additional 15-20 minutes for each time you remove the lid.

Serve right out of slow cooker.

Why this recipe MUST be cooked on high for two hours: I’ve made this recipe countless times. It is perfect when made according to recipe, and is totally ruined if you try to make it on LOW.

The texture is off no matter what, and even after cooking for as long as 4 hours, the cheese will be rubbery. Cooking it for LESS THAN the required 2 hours on HIGH will also yield disappointing results, which are burnt edges with a raw middle.

Stick with 2 hours on HIGH!

Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes FAQ

Can you make cheesy potatoes with fresh potatoes?

You can shred potatoes and make them. You have to remove all the moisture from the potatoes or the sauce won’t be as thick.

To do this, shred them and press them between towels. Allow them to sit out a bit.

That said, once cooked, the potatoes will be almost identical with the frozen hashbrowns being far more convenient.

Can you use cream of mushroom soup?

You can use cream of mushroom or cream of celery. I’ve done it before.

You can’t really taste the difference once it’s combined. There’s a hint of earthiness but nothing crazy.

Can you make cheesy potatoes in the oven?

Yes you can. It does take longer in a slow cooker but it’s also easier and more hands-off.

Baking takes about 45 minutes to an hour at 350 degrees. I find that oven-baked cheesy potatoes have a crispier edge and you can brown the top.

To make them in the oven, bake for 45 minutes covered, then an additional 15-20 uncovered to get the top browned. This recipe is my version of oven-baked cheesy potatoes: Funeral Potatoes, and it’s creamier throughout.

If you have room in your oven, I highly recommend making them in the oven. Otherwise, they’re equally delicious in a crockpot.

Can I make cheesy potatoes in advance?

I’ve never made them in advance but you could prepare them in advance and keep them refrigerated in your slow cooker overnight. In the morning, plug it in and let it cook, though not tested.

This will stay perfectly fine for about an hour. If you leave it any longer than that, it will begin to dry out a bit on the edges and the cheese will begin to get a little rubbery.

If you know it will be sitting out for a couple of hours, add a tiny bit of milk each hour. That will keep the texture and moisture perfect.

Crockpot cheesy potatoes are a holiday favorite, especially when served alongside a great ham. These crockpot cheesy potatoes are creamy and delicious.

Perfect with Christmas ham. Also great with Easter ham, this baked spiral ham recipe, grilled chicken, pork chops, and even brisket.

Serve alongside a great green bean casserole and some rolls for the perfect holiday meal.

More Potato Side Dishes

Funeral Potatoes are the oven version with a cornflake topping. It’s amazing with crispier edges and a creamy middle. Great for potlucks and holidays.

Cheesy Potato Bake is another oven-baked cheesy hashbrown casserole, this time with a great browned top and no cornflakes.

Pork Chop and Hashbrown Casserole features pork chops baked into hashbrowns. A full meal in one pan.

Crock pot baked potatoes are great when you want baked potatoes but don’t want to use your oven.

Tips for success: If you save 1/2 cup cheese to sprinkle on top, cover again and cook for 5 minutes for melted cheese on top of potatoes. Serve from slow cooker.

If you use frozen hashbrowns be sure to thaw before cooking or they will release too much water and make sauce thin. For creamiest potatoes use 2 cans of cream of chicken soup.

Try not to remove lid during cooking or it will take longer.