Slow cooker roast potatoes – crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. This simple side dish is perfect for your Sunday roasts or festive meals.
Potatoes in any form are our favorite side dish for almost anything that can be served with potatoes, not only a roast dinner. And this slow cooker roast potatoes recipe is so easy and delicious that I keep making it all the time.
Cooking roast potatoes in the slow cooker is an excellent way of preparing the side dish when the oven is already occupied with the main dish or the dessert. And as the recipe uses a bit less fat than the original, I would also rank it as a bit healthier.
So try this delicious side dish of crisp-tender potatoes; you will not regret it; it’s comfort food at its best!
For more crispy potato side dishes, check out our Crispy Garlic Smashed Potatoes, the Polenta Roast Potatoes, or the Cast-Iron Potatoes.
Simple ingredients
What are the best potatoes for roasting?
- You will achieve the best results with floury or all-purpose potato sorts; waxy potatoes should only be used as the last alternative.
- Yukon Gold or russet potatoes in the US and Maris Piper and King Edward in the UK are considered to be the best potatoes for roasting. If you live in Australia, choose Dutch Cream or Desiree. They contain more starch than the waxy sorts, ensuring a fluffy interior and a crispy exterior after cooking.
- Fat: A mixture of olive oil and melted butter.
- Spices: Sweet and smoked paprika powder, dried rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, fine sea salt (or Kosher salt), and ground black pepper.
- This is my standard seasoning mixture for roasted potatoes; I usually make a big batch and use it every time I make potatoes in the oven.
- Alternatively, use your favorite spices or store-bought seasoning mixture. For example, I like to use Italian seasoning, ras-el hanout, or Cajun seasoning for a different flavor.
How to make roast potatoes in the slow cooker?
- Peel, wash, and dry the potatoes with paper towels. Cut them into large chunks (2-bite pieces) and place them in the slow cooker or crock pot (1, 2).
- Melt the butter on low heat in a small pan and pour it over the potatoes with the oil. Toss well to coat them with the hot oil-butter mixture.
- Mix the spices in a small bowl. Sprinkle them over the tubers and mix well.
- Cook them on HIGH for 3 hours or on LOW for 4-5 hours, stirring quickly halfway through until they are tender. Check and give them another 20 minutes if they are not perfectly tender yet.
Expert Tips
- I recommend peeling the potatoes for two reasons. First, traditional roast potatoes are always peeled, and secondly, unless they are organic, they are very likely sprayed with all kinds of things you don’t want to ingest.
- Fresh spices: Use grated fresh garlic cloves and fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme instead of dried garlic and herbs.
- Salt: If using a store-bought seasoning mixture, please check if it already contains salt and adjust the salt you use accordingly.
Recipe FAQ
Traditionally, yes, but I often skip this step. However, you can parboil the chunks in already-boiling salted water for 10 minutes if you like. Then, drain and let them get completely dry before placing them in the crock pot.
Sure, swap the butter for goose fat. Melt the goose fat before using it for the recipe.
A slow cooker is a kitchen appliance (a metal pot), while a crock pot is a type of slow cooker with a stoneware pot surrounded by a heating element.
Refrigerate leftover crock pot roast potatoes in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Reheat them in the oven at 400°F/ 200°C for about 10 minutes or until hot. You can also reheat them in the air fryer.
Potatoes are not great for freezing; their consistency will change after defrosting, and you will not like them anymore.
How to serve?
- Perfect side dish for so many meals: Try them with Red Wine Turkey or Roast Chicken. Serve them with Balsamic Beef (in the Dutch Oven), Braised Pork Cheeks, Country-Style Pork Ribs in the Oven, Spicy Pork Roast, or Pork Chops in Milk Marinade.
- Main course: Once the crock pot potatoes are cooked, top them with cheese (Gouda, Cheddar, Parmesan cheese), and slow cook them for another few minutes until the cheese melts. Serve them with a green salad with Yogurt Dressing or Simple White Cabbage Salad.
- Serve the slow cooker potatoes Mexican-style with sour cream, salsa, chopped avocado (or guacamole), sliced green onions, fresh parsley or cilantro, and grated cheese.
More potato side dishes
- Sweet Chili Dip and Potato Wedges
- Caramelized Potatoes – Icelandic Side Dishes
- Rich Truffle Mashed Potatoes
- Confit Potatoes
- Potatoes with Tomato Sauce
A few of our best slow cooker recipes
Slow Cooker Roast Potatoes
Equipment
- Slow cooker or crock pot
- Small saucepan
Ingredients
- 3 lbs potatoes 1.4 kg, weighed before peeling, Note 1
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder Note 2
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher, Note 3
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the potatoes: Peel the potatoes, wash and dry them with paper towels. Cut them into chunks (2-bite pieces). Place them in the slow cooker or crock pot.3 lbs/ 1.4 kg potatoes
- Butter: Melt the butter in a small pan and pour it over the potatoes. Pour in the olive oil as well. Toss well to coat.2 Tbsp butter + 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Season: Mix all the spices in a small bowl. Sprinkle them over the potatoes and mix well.1 tsp sweet paprika powder + ½ tsp smoked paprika powder + 1 tsp rosemary + 1 tsp garlic powder + ½ tsp onion powder + ¾ tsp fine sea salt + ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 4-5 hours. Lift the lid and stir super quickly halfway through.
- Check that the potatoes are fork tender; if not, give them another 20 minutes and check again.
Notes
- Potato sort: It is preferable to use floury or all-purpose (all-rounder) potatoes, for instance, Maris Piper or King Edward in the UK, Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes in the US, Dutch Cream or Desiree in Australia.
- Spices: Substitute with other spices you like. You can use a store-bought spice mixture for potatoes, ras-el hanout, curry powder, Cajun or Italian seasoning, etc.
- Salt: If using table salt, use less; it’s more potent than sea or Kosher salt. If using a store-bought seasoning mixture, please check if it already contains salt and adjust the salt you use accordingly.