Get ready… This combination will be difficult to resist! Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes includes a made-from-scratch sauce, bacon crumbles, and caramelized onion. Take this scrumptious side to your next gathering for a crowd-pleasing favorite!

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What’s To Love About This Recipe

Cheese and bacon… enough said, right?

I won’t stop there! There’s even more to love about the best slow cooker cheesy potatoes.

This recipe makes a nice-sized quantity of super-yummy potatoes perfect for taking to a gathering and serving as a larger side dish. You can easily transfer the potatoes in your slow cooker and keep them warm.
I love the preparation shortcut of using frozen diced potatoes. With no time spent peeling and dicing, you can easily add in the extras like crispy bacon and caramelized onions.
With made-from-scratch sauce, you can feel better about indulging in cheesy carbs! This recipe won’t include added preservatives or other unhealthy ingredients like similar recipes with canned cream soups. Plus, you can keep it gluten-free!
These cheesy potatoes are an excellent choice to pair with nearly any menu item. Try them for brunch, summer grilling meals, or holiday dinners!

Ingredients Needed

Potatoes – This recipe works best with frozen diced hash brown potatoes. The diced potatoes are already par-cooked and hold up well in the slow cooker without getting soggy or losing their shape. Since the sauce is on the heavier side, the frozen cubes maintain their texture better than shredded hash browns or fresh potatoes.
Bacon – Just two slices of bacon add the best crunchy, savory element.
Onion – Slice the onions very thin to get that added texture and to easily caramelize them.
Flour – Flour creates a roux when combined with the bacon fat and thickens the creamy, cheesy sauce. You can also use gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of regular flour.
Chicken broth – This creates a flavorful base for the cheese sauce.
Heavy whipping cream – Cream is essential to achieve decadence (and deliciousness).
Seasonings – Just a few seasonings bring all the flavors together! Use a bit of salt, garlic powder, thyme, and a pinch of pepper.
Cheese – Use your favorite variety of shredded cheese (or even better, shred your own if you have a few extra minutes)! I used a blend of Colby jack.
Butter – What else would be perfect for potatoes, cheese, and bacon? Top off the slow cooker potatoes with a few slices of butter.

package of thick cut bacon and a yellow onion

ramekins filled with flour, thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper

How To Make Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes

Spray the slow cooker with nonstick spray and add the bag of potatoes.

white round slow cooker filled with frozen cubed potatoes

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
Dice bacon into small pieces and add to the pan.
Let the bacon cook until it starts to brown and adds some fat to the pan.
Thinly slice onions and add to the pan.
Cook, stirring occasionally until the bacon is crisp and the onions are lightly browned.

Sprinkle in flour and stir to coat the bacon and onions evenly.
Slowly stir in broth and bring to a low boil for about 4-5 minutes until it starts to reduce and thicken.
Add in cream and seasonings and let the mixture simmer for about 2-3 additional minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in about 8 ounces of the shredded cheese.

sauce pan with cheese sauce and shredded cheese

When mixed well, carefully pour the cheese mixture over the potatoes and stir to coat evenly.

cubed frozen potatoes mixed with cheese sauce in white round slow cooker

Chop the butter into several pieces and place it on top of the potatoes.

round white slow cooker with cubed potatoes, sauce, cheese and topped with slices of butter

Top the potatoes with the remaining cheese, cover, and cook for 3-4 hours on high or 5-7 hours on low.

slow cooker filled with cheese potatoes topped with parsley

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Try a few substitutions to make these simple cheesy potatoes your own unique dish!

If you prefer to leave out the bacon, add some extra butter to the skillet with the onions and continue with the recipe as written. You can also leave out the onions if you prefer.
To add some extra veggies, finely dice a bell pepper (any color) and add it to the pan with the onions and bacon.
Try different cheese options such as sharp cheddar, a mild Colby jack, or mix in some pepper jack for some spice. Gouda would add a little bit of smoky flavor and shredded parmesan could be mixed in to add complexity. Customize the cheesy flavors to complement the meal you are serving.
Add sliced green onions to the cooked cheesy potato dish.
After cooking, you could also top these with crunchy French fried onions for added flavor and texture.
Add a dollop of sour cream to individual servings if you like!

Note: For this recipe, I would stick to frozen diced hash brown potatoes to maintain the shape and texture.

What To Serve With Cheesy Potatoes

Cheesy potatoes are an excellent side for BBQ and other hearty main dishes. These would be delicious paired with Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs, Slow Cooker Boneless Beef Ribs Recipe, or The Best Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.

Add some coleslaw, pickles, or Spicy Brussels Sprouts and you’re all set for a fantastic lunch or dinner!

white serving bowl filled with cubed cheesy potatoes

Storing and Reheating

Store leftover cheesy potatoes in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or a skillet on the stove until warmed.

I don’t recommend freezing this recipe since the cheeses and sauce will likely separate and not reheat well.