Slow Cooker Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes
The easiest potatoes you can make right in the crockpot – perfectly tender, flavorful and cheesy!
Potatoes. Cheese. And bacon. With these 3, you can’t go wrong.
And when you can throw these in a slow cooker, well that’s a double win right there.
Now the hardest part about these is not the prep.
It’s the part where you have to hold yourself back before you eat every single perfectly-textured potato chunk smothered in cheesy goodness and crisp bacon bits.
And I really don’t even know how to classify this. It could be an appetizer, side dish, snack or an entree.
I actually had it as all of the above, and devoured every last potato. And don’t think that Jason and I weren’t fighting for that last bacon bit at the bottom of the plate!
Slow Cooker Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 3 pounds red potatoes, chopped
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 tablespoon Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix, or more, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Spread bacon in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake until brown and crispy, about 12-14 minutes. Let cool before crumbling; set aside.
- Line a slow cooker with aluminum foil, leaving enough to overhang to wrap the potatoes on top, and coat with nonstick spray. Place a layer of potatoes evenly into the slow cooker. Top with cheese, Ranch Seasoning and bacon, repeating 2 more times and reserving 1/2 cup cheese.
- Cover potatoes with aluminum foil. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours, or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover and cook until melted, about 1-2 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with chives.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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Yum – thank you!
Hi I was wondering if there is a way to make this recipe in the oven if you don’t own a slow cooker?
I am sure there is but do you know how long you would cook the potatoes and what temperature to have them come out to the right consistancy. Thanks 🙂
Love your recipes.
Leia, this recipe is specifically for a slow-cooker. Without further recipe testing, I cannot advise on how to bake this. Please use your best judgment to convert this recipe to be utilized in the oven.
A stoneware baker (pampered chef) would work amazingly for an oven version of this, if you don’t have one you can try a casserole dish with a lid or a piece of foil to cover.
Ooooh, I totally have a deep covered baker, but no crock pot/slow cooker, so your suggestion to use stoneware is music to my ears, or is that my tummy?! Well, regardless, thx for the idea, and now just one more pesky question, any further suggestions on cook temps and times? 😀
Thx again Crystal, you’re awesome!
I am so going to try making this tomorrow. I have fallen into a runt lately making the same old dishes every week. I’m bored the family is bored so this will shake them up along side some brown sugar, garlic glazed chicken BAM!
oops didn’t mean that as a reply sorry
I make these in my deep dish baker all the time without the chives in the microwave. I don’t bake it all together though as I toss the potatoes in the ranch powder and cook for 20-25 minutes depending on how many potatoes you have. I add the cheese and bacon when they are finished and put the lid back o for about 3 minutes to melt the cheese and you are good to go. My baker is well seasoned so I know longer need oil but when it was new I would put a couple pats of butter on the top of the diced potatoes as they “baked”.
Sorry for the typos I’m mobile and autocorrect hates me!
If you were to use your deep covered Baker in the oven, how long do you think it would take?
Depending on the size of your cut potatoes, 30 – 45 minutes at 350. You can also make this in the microwave in 10 minutes, stir and add the cheese after 5 minutes.
Yes, you can make these without a crockpot. I have only made them on the stove, but we call them “party potatoes”. I just wash the skin real well and cut them into bite-size chunks, then boil in a large pot of salted water. Boil just until you can start to insert a fork (don’t over cook because you are going to also bake in oven or on a grill).
While boiling potatoes, prepare large sheet pan with cooking spray. Drain potatoes and place as a single layer on prepared pan, lightly salt and pepper and toss with Ranch salad dressing (not the powder). Cover with cheese and bacon and bake (400*) until done. Garnish with green onions and fresh diced tomatoes.
Wow, these sound awesome too, Cindy. Thank you for that.
Leia: Slow cookers can be so inexpensive and are on sale a lot. A couple of sizes to choose from depending on whether you need it for one person or a meal for several people. Once you have one and use it – you will wonder how you ever got along without it.
Leia, yes, these can be made in the oven. 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. Any potatoes will work but some are better than others flavour wise and some are sturdier, e.g. russet versus yellow potatoes. I would add the cheese and chives after the potatoes are cooked and toss gently, then back in the oven uncovered to gently melt the cheese. I would also toss the potatoes in olive oil or other oil rather than cooking spray.
I make these all the time in the oven. I bake them from 45 min to an hour (depends on the potatoes) covered in foil at 400.
I make red potatoes on the BBQ grill and they cook in 35 minutes. I have just used diced/cubed red potatoes, garlic and butter, but this recipe should work nicely and be super quick on the BBQ. Just seal it all up in foil and pop on the grill. Gonna try this recipe this weekend -sounds yummy.
We make a similar recipe in the oven; cut the potatoes into smaller pieces. (Look on pinterest)
Looks great ! I will try these this week.
Sounds great! Never used foil in slow cooker~ will try, thanks
Tablet is acting up. It is there now so please disregard previous post. These look yummy.
This looks AMAZING!
Whoa. Never knew you could cook potatoes like this in the slow cooker. What a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
I didn’t either until recently! We’ve been missing out because this is really the only way to cook potatoes 🙂
Can I use this recipe for regular potatoes? I don’t have red potatoes, but I have a lot of russet potatoes, and want to use them up.
Yes, russet potatoes should work just fine.
Just saw this recipe and going to family cookout Saturday. The dressing mix, do I make it or put on potatoes dry from the package?
It should be used as a dry seasoning straight from the packaging.
Just saw this recipe and was wondering can these potatoes be made without cheese?
Yes.
It’s in the crock pot now! Can’t wait until they’re done!
i see that you cover the potatoes with foil, but you don’t mention the lid to the crockpot..i’m guessing you still put the lid on??? or is this a stupid question??? =)
never mind. i read below and got my answer.
Can I add cut up chicken breasts to this ?
Yes, but please note that cooking time may vary.
Why the foil?
The purpose of the foil is to allow the potatoes to steam rather than turning to mush.
Is the salad dressing …ranch salad dressing or just the mayo salad dressing
Tina, the Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix is a type of powder, not an actual liquid-type salad dressing.
What would be the equivalent in Australia (what is in the mix)
As mentioned in the previous comments, it may be best to make the Ranch Seasoning from scratch. There are a lot of easy DIY recipes available online.
Here’s my recipe for the homemade mix:
1 1/2 tsp pepper
3 TBSP parsley flakes
1 TBSP garlic salt
3/4 tsp salt
4 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1 1/2 TBSP granulated onion
3/4 tsp dill weed
You can buy the ranch dressing mix on the USA Foods website. They are in MoorabbinVictoria.
Anybody have a suggestion in regards to preparing tonight and then get up around 5 and turn on.Want them for Sunday lunch
WORK OR NOT?
This is exactly what I planned on doing. Did it work out for you?
Cut potatoes and put in bowl with water over. Cook bacon crumble and put in a sealed container. In morning put together….
They may turn gray if you cut the potatoes in the evening & then cook them in the morning