Cheesy Ranch Potatoes – Potato Side Dish Recipe

A side dish recipe made in the crockpot – potatoes, bacon, ranch, and cheese make a delicious and easy casserole recipe.

Cheesy ranch potatoes are always a favorite side dish recipe around here. We like them so much, I’m adding them to the regular rotation of slow cooker recipes we make in our kitchen.

Especially on those hot Iowa days where turning on the oven is just plain not worth it.

Cheesy ranch potatoes make an easy side dish to go with ham – especially during the holidays. It takes about 20 minutes of your time and lets the slow cooker do the rest of the work.

Why This Casserole Works

• waxy red potatoes are best for slow cooking for several hours – they’ll hold their shape better than a starchy russet potato.
• one tablespoon of ranch seasoning adds a herby, savory base to the dish – it coats the bacon and potatoes to bring it all together.
• pre-cooked and crumbled bacon adds another level of savory to the casserole. Baking the bacon first means it’ll be crispy and not rubbery.
• cheddar cheese – some stirred into the recipe before slow cooking and some sprinkled on top at the end. Adding too much cheese in the beginning would result in a gluey, overcooked texture.
• use a piece of heavy-duty foil to line the slow cooker then fold over the edges after adding the casserole ingredients – trapping in the steam so the potatoes will cook through but also so the casserole will not burn on the bottom or dry out.

What to Know Before You Start

This casserole recipe is written to fit into a typical 6-quart slow cooker. Using a smaller one?

Make sure to cube the potatoes so they’ll fit into a single layer when adding them into your slow cooker under the piece of foil. Make sure the edges of the foil don’t prevent your slow cooker’s lid from fitting and sealing correctly.

Once everything is combined, cooking is going to take 3-4 hours on high or about 4 hours on low. However, all slow cookers are different, and one slow cooker’s high may not be as hot as another slow cooker’s high.

After about 3 hours on high, test the potatoes by slipping a fork under the foil and piercing the thickest part of a cube. If the fork doesn’t go all the way through, cook another 30-45 minutes undisturbed before testing again.

Prep is super easy. Cook and crumble the bacon, cut up the potatoes, combine ingredients, and it’s a true “start it and walk away” kind of recipe.

Active prep time is about 20 minutes.

3 lbs red potatoes or about 10-12 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into approx. 1″ cubes, because I like red potatoes in slow cooker recipes. The potatoes hold up better due to their waxy texture.

10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, and I know it’s a lot of bacon, but it’s a 1 to 1 ratio with the potatoes. And, bacon is a must in this recipe because it’s what makes it special.

Plus, since you’re cooking the bacon and crumbling it over the potatoes, it’s incorporated throughout the potatoes and in every bite. You can’t achieve that with just plopping slices of bacon into a slow cooker.

2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese, divided, meaning you’ll be using 1 1/2 cups mixed into the dish and 1/2 cup sprinkled on top before covering with foil. Use mild cheddar cheese for this recipe.

Sharp melts well, but can turn a little oily in the slow cooker.

1 Tbsp ranch seasoning – I love Hidden Valley Ranch. You could use one of the packets of seasoning, but they’re a tad more than a Tbsp and too much seasoning turns salty instead of flavorful.

2 Tbsp butter, melted – You could try using bacon grease, but I’ve found that doesn’t coat the potatoes evenly. You need some sort of fat to marry the ranch seasoning with the potatoes, plus, the butter adds some much-needed richness.

1 tsp black pepper – The other ingredients are pretty rich, so the black pepper really helps balance things out.

Line a slow cooker with a large sheet of aluminum foil, making sure there is foil hanging over the edges on all sides. Use heavy-duty aluminum foil because it won’t tear as easily.

Spray with cooking spray. This will make clean-up easier because it prevents the potatoes from sticking to the pan.

Leave enough foil overhang so that you can fold it over the potatoes when cooking. This will help to trap the steam in the slow cooker.

How to Make Cheesy Ranch Potatoes

Step 1: Cook the Bacon

Cooking and crumbling the bacon is definitely the most work-intensive part of this recipe. After the bacon is crumbled, the recipe takes about 5 minutes to prepare.

I like to cook the bacon in the oven, which eliminates splattering grease on your stove. To do so, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and place a wire cooling rack on top of the lined pan.

Lay bacon slices on the rack and bake at 400° F until crispy, about 15-18 minutes for 10 bacon slices. Once the bacon has cooled, remove from rack and crumble into bite-size pieces.

Step 2: Cut the Potatoes

If using red potatoes, scrub potatoes first. Cut potatoes in half vertically, rotate 90 degrees and cut each half in half vertically again.

Turn potatoes on their sides and slice across into thirds or fourths. Try to cut them as evenly as possible because bigger pieces may be undercooked.

The potato cubes should be about 1″ in size.

Step 3: Season the Potatoes

• Combine potatoes with melted butter, ranch, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss until potatoes are well-coated with melted butter mixture. Add bacon and 1-1/2 cups shredded cheese; toss to combine. Set aside remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

Add all remaining ingredients into slow cooker and toss to combine. The green chives are optional, but they do add a little onion flavor as well as brighten the dish up a bit.

Cover with aluminum foil by folding edges of foil over potatoes and slow-cook until potatoes are fork-tender. Serve immediately.

Step 4: Set Up the Slow Cooker

• Line the slow cooker with a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil, allowing several inches of foil to hang over the sides. Spray foil with cooking spray. Add potatoes, spreading into an even layer. Fold foil edges over potatoes, tucking foil tightly around potatoes. Replace lid.

Step 5: Cook

• Cook, covered, 3 to 4 hours on HIGH, or about 4 hours on LOW. Do not uncover potatoes while they’re cooking; doing so will add 15 to 20 minutes to your cooking time. When potatoes have cooked, remove lid; use tongs to carefully unfold aluminum foil. Insert a fork into potatoes to see if they’re done; if potatoes are still firm, refold foil over potatoes and allow to cook for another 30 minutes.

Step 6: Add the Final Cheese

• When potatoes are fork-tender, sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Replace foil, though it’s not necessary to tightly cover potatoes, or replace lid and allow to stand 5 to 10 minutes so cheese will melt. Serve directly from slow cooker, or transfer to a serving bowl. Top with chives if desired. Enjoy!

Helpful Tips

• Don’t substitute russet potatoes in this recipe. These potatoes are too starchy and will turn to mush in the slow cooker. The end result will be gummy and not at all appetizing. Red potatoes are a MUST.
• The aluminum foil is an important part of this recipe. The foil will allow the potatoes to steam in their own juices and become nice and tender. If you skip this step, your potatoes won’t cook as well. Also, there will be liquid from the condensation from cooking. Without the foil, this liquid would end up in your potatoes making them more of a soup. With the aluminum foil, that liquid drips back into the crock and the potatoes aren’t affected.
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil will make this recipe’s prep and clean-up a breeze. Standard foil can tear and won’t form as tight of a seal when folded over the top of the potatoes.
• Serving idea: Spoon the slow cooker potatoes onto a burger, sandwich, or sub. Yum!

Measure that ranch seasoning. We know it’s tempting to dump in the whole packet of seasoning.

We’ve done it in the past, too. But trust us…that’s a LOT of ranch and will result in super salty potatoes that are very ranch-y .

One tablespoon is just the right amount.

Lay the bacon out on paper towels as it’s cooking, then let it rest there. It will cool faster and won’t stick together, making it easier to crumble and incorporate into the potatoes.

Allow some of the foil to hang over the sides of the slow cooker so you can cinch it in the middle. It will fit more snugly and won’t allow any of that delicious steam to escape.

If you want these potatoes to be a little crispy on the outside, spread them out on a baking sheet after cooking and broil for 3-4 minutes. They will brown and get a little crispier.

For an extra creamy version of these potatoes, stir in 1/2 cup sour cream before cooking. We promise you won’t be able to tell what gives them their extra creaminess and richness.

Make It Spicy

If you like your food a little spicier, add 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper to the potatoes. Or try adding a teaspoon of smoked paprika…that’s our favorite and the flavor goes so well with the bacon.

Add Onion

A white or yellow onion, diced, would be a tasty addition to these potatoes. Cooked down in a slow cooker, the bite will be gone and it’ll just add some extra savory goodness.

Use a Different Cheese

Sharp cheddar is the most popular cheese for baked potatoes, but colby jack melts really well and is much milder in flavor. Or go the other direction and make them extra-spicy with pepper jack.

Make It Oven-Roasted Instead

Combine all of the ingredients except 1/2 the cheese. Pour into a foil-covered 9×13 baking pan and bake at 400 degrees for 45-55 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.

Uncover, add remaining cheese and bake another 10 minutes uncovered until cheese is melted and starting to brown on the edges. Whole new texture, same delicious flavors.

What to Serve These With

The ranch and cheese in this side dish pairs well with lots of grilled or oven-baked main courses, including burgers, grilled chicken, ribs, or a plain roast. The ranch and cheese also complement saltier options like smoked or baked ham.

• Pro tip: Cooking these potatoes in a slow cooker makes entertaining easier. While your grill and oven are occupied with other dishes, the slow cooker prepares this side dish with zero effort. Start the potatoes a few hours before guests are scheduled to arrive for an effortless side dish.

Tools That Help

A large, rimmed baking sheet fits 10 slices of bacon and makes cooking them quick and easy. The rimmed edge keeps the bacon grease contained, making cleanup easy.

• Pro tip: Place a baking rack in your baking sheet, lay bacon on the rack, and cook as usual. The drippings fall through the rack instead of cooking in the bacon. This renders more of the fat from the bacon and creates crispier results.

Storing, Make-Ahead, and Leftovers

Make it ahead

You can cook the bacon and crumble it, cube the potatoes, and mix the seasoning together the night before. Cover and leave in a bowl in your fridge.

In the morning, all it takes is 2 minutes to spray your slow cooker liner, dump everything into the slow cooker, add the shredded cheese, cover, and turn your cooker on.

However, add the shredded cheese just prior to cooking, not the night before. It can get a bit soggy sitting on top of the uncooked potatoes.

Storing Leftovers

Transfer to an airtight container and store up to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in a microwave in 90 second increments, stirring between.

You may find that the potatoes will firm up when chilled. They’ll soften up again when reheated.

Add a small splash of water or chicken broth if they seem too dry. Cover and microwave a bit longer if needed.

They also reheat really well in a skillet over medium heat. Add a little butter for lightly crispy edges.

Can I freeze leftovers?

I’ve been hesitant to answer this question because I’ve had bad results when freezing cooked potatoes with dairy. They end up very grainy/cloudy upon thawing.

However, you could freeze the mixture of potatoes/bacon without the cheese, reheat, and add cheese at the end.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Yukon gold potatoes instead of red?

Yes! Yukon golds are a little waxier, meaning they will hold up better in the slow-cooker, and have a nice, buttery flavor.

Russet potatoes are too starchy and will likely turn to mush when steamed for such a long time in the slow-cooker.

Do I have to use foil? Can I just put everything directly in the slow cooker?

While this may be a no-brainer for some, there’s a difference between wet and tender potatoes, lol. By using foil, the potatoes will not sit in the liquid that forms in the slow-cooker.

Instead, they’ll be evenly-cooked.

Can I use turkey bacon or another substitute?

Turkey bacon works well as long as the turkey bacon is fully-cooked and crumbled before adding to the recipe. Turkey bacon will be a little less flavorful, but still have that nice smoky bacon flavor and will make the recipe a little lighter and lower in fat.

You could also use bacon bits but I’m not a fan of them because they get kind of rubbery in the slow-cooker and aren’t worth it, IMO.

What if my potatoes are still firm after 4 hours on high?

Different slow-cookers have different heat strengths, so it may take a little more or less time in your slow-cooker. Check the potatoes and make sure they’re tender before serving.

If needed, cook another 30 to 45 minutes, and make sure to secure the foil again, since escaping steam means longer cook times.

Can I double the recipe?

You can double the recipe as written and make it in a larger (7-8 quart) slow cooker. Just be sure it’s not overfilled, and that you’re able to seal the aluminum foil over the potatoes.

I’d check them at the 3.5 hour mark and give them a stir if possible. Sometimes larger portions don’t cook as evenly.

If you’re feeding a crowd, I would consider making them in 2 slow cookers. That way they’ll definitely cook properly.

Related Recipes

• Classic Cheesy Potatoes Crock Pot Recipe
• Cheesy Potatoes Potato Bake Side Dish – made in the oven
• Baked Potato Soup – use up leftover potatoes.