The slow cooker takes an already-simple classic recipe and makes it even easier. Simply toss cut russet potatoes, butter and a touch of salt and pepper into a slow cooker, turn it on low and walk away for a few hours. When you return, the potatoes will be perfectly tender and ready to be mashed. Best of all, the slow cooker traps all the potato flavor, making these spuds extra potatoey.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 4 hr 20 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 4 hr |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 4 hr 20 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 4 hr |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 5 pounds medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups milk, warm
- 2 tablespoons sliced chives
Instructions
- Toss the potatoes, butter, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add 1 cup of water, then cover and cook on high until the potatoes are tender, about 4 hours. (The potatoes might have browned lightly in spots but that is okay.)
- Remove the lid and add the sour cream and 1 1/2 cups warm milk to the potatoes. Use a potato masher to smash the potatoes until they are mostly smooth. If the potatoes need to be thinned out, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup warm milk. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Garnish with chives.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 468 |
| Total Fat | 25 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 55 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Protein | 9 g |
| Cholesterol | 66 mg |
| Sodium | 904 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 468 |
| Total Fat | 25 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 55 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Protein | 9 g |
| Cholesterol | 66 mg |
| Sodium | 904 mg |
Reviews
Made these for a Thanksgiving potluck get-together and several people raved about them and I thought they were very good. Followed recipe except used 1 cup of chicken broth instead of water and replaced milk with half & half. I add worcestershire to everything so I added 2 tbsp at the end. Highly recommended.
Can’t comment on taste yet, but 5 pounds russet potatoes diced, completely cooked in 2hrs. I question the high setting. Now potatoes done a full 3hrs before dinner. Wonder how they are going to be after sitting on keep warm for 3 hrs..
I do this ever year at Christmas so cream , the best
I did this with about 3 pounds of red potatoes with skins (what I had on hand at the time) just to try this method. Tasted good, but It turned out a little gummy – maybe because the potatoes sit in their starchy water instead of being drained. It could also have been the type of potato. My teens liked them. I would give it another try with russets or Yukons. But definitely not for the holidays. I will stick to traditional for special occasions.
Great easy recipe! I’ve also tried it with garlic and goat cheese as a substitution for sour cream. I recommend slowly adding milk as the final ingredient after an initial mash to achieve the consistency/smoothness you desire.
I make these for every family holiday. They are so simple and I can focus on other things while they cook. Everyone loves them!
I did not like the “potatoey/ starchy” taste that came with the slow cooking method, even after adding garlic & parsley. It was a great idea, but didn’t work for me.
The only way I can describe these is KFC potatoes. That is what they taste like. A little to gritty though.
They turned out great for me. I was a little worried when I opened the cooker after 4 hours to mash, and saw what seemed like too much liquid, but as I mashed they became just the right creamy texture and consistency. I believe you do need to exercise your judgment in adding the sour cream and/or milk for two reasons. First, slow cookers vary in exactly how “high” the “high” setting is, so you may get more or less liquid evaporated over the course of 4 hours. Second, potatoes vary quite a bit in terms of how much moisture they have and how much they will soak up as you mash them–depends on the type of potato you have and how freshly harvested they are. Russets are often pretty dry compared to other kinds of potatoes so I can see why this recipe calls for so much milk. I used fresh reds so I knew I would have to likely add less milk, and I ended up adding just the cream plus a quarter cup or so of milk. If you are worried about the amount of liquid when you open the cooker, mash first and only add the cream/milk if you think they need it.
These are the best! So easy and yummy. I froze the leftovers with layers of cheese in little crocks! Perfect for just 2 of us…top with Parmesan and bake in a water bath!