How to make a loaded potato casserole in a slow cooker (video)

This loaded potato casserole dish is everything you want it to be. It's creamy, it's comforting, and the base is made up of an all-time favorite — mashed potatoes. Those potatoes are crammed with all the toppings you'd find on a baked potato: crisp bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions and tons of butter. The result? A bowlful of goodness that will have you going back for seconds — and possibly thirds.

Once this all comes together, it doesn't actually take that long in the slow cooker. But if you don't want to spend your morning peeling potatoes, you can always assemble everything a day in advance and then just slip it all into the slow cooker when you're ready. Once cooked, this dish also freezes beautifully.

Cooktop Cove

Loaded Potato Casserole

30 minutes

2 hours

2 hours, 30 minutes

8 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and large diced

6 slices bacon, roughly chopped

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus 1/2 cup

1/4 cup butter

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup sour cream

3 green onions, sliced, plus 2 sliced

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place potatoes in a large pot and fill with water, just enough to cover them. Generously salt the water and bring to a rapid boil. Boil potatoes for about 20 minutes until tender. Drain and return to the pot.

Add the butter, heavy cream, salt and pepper to the potatoes. Mash until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese.

While potatoes are boiling, add chopped bacon to a frying pan set over medium heat. Fry the bacon, stirring regularly, for about 7 minutes, until crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Add the bacon, sour cream and the three sliced green onions to the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to completely combine.

Add the potato mixture to a greased 6-quart slow cooker. Even out the top with a rubber spatula and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and remaining 2 sliced green onions.

Cover the slow cooker, set to low and cook for 2 hours, until the cheese has melted and the entire casserole is hot throughout.

Pro tip: Make this side dish a full meal by adding chunks of cooked ham, peas, finely chopped broccoli or any of your other favorites!

Note: All slow cookers are a little bit different in temperature and calibration. This recipe was tested in Cooktop Cove's Test Kitchen using this slow cooker, which is available for purchase here.

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