Pour raw ground breakfast sausage in the crock pot and 5 everyday additions to create a dinner so tasty your crowd will be begging for more!

This is one of those busy spring evening dinners that practically makes itself. You literally pour raw ground breakfast sausage into the slow cooker, add just five everyday pantry and fridge staples, and let it simmer into a cozy, creamy sausage, potato, and veggie supper. It has that comforting Midwestern potluck feel, but it’s light enough for a cool spring night when you want something hearty without turning on the oven. This is the kind of meal I make when the kids have activities, the neighbors might pop in, and I want everyone to have a warm bowl of something that tastes like home.

Ladle this sausage, potato, and veggie mixture into bowls and top with a little extra shredded cheese or sliced green onion if you like. It’s wonderful with a simple green salad, sliced cucumbers, or carrot sticks to keep things fresh and crunchy. Warm dinner rolls, buttered toast, or a pan of cornbread are perfect for soaking up the creamy sauce. For a bigger spread, serve with fruit salad or sliced apples and grapes—kids especially love having a little sweet on the side.

Servings: 6

1 1/2 pounds raw ground breakfast sausage (mild or hot)

Place the raw ground breakfast sausage in the bottom of the slow cooker, breaking it up gently with a spoon or clean hands into small, even chunks. It should cover the bottom in a fairly even layer; this is your base, just like in the picture of the raw sausage in the crock.

Pour the frozen diced hash brown potatoes with onions and peppers evenly over the sausage layer. Do not stir yet; keeping layers helps everything cook evenly and keeps the sausage from clumping.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, shredded cheddar cheese, and dried Italian seasoning until mostly smooth and combined. It will be thick but pourable.

Pour the soup and cheese mixture evenly over the potatoes and sausage in the slow cooker, trying to cover as much of the surface as possible. Use a spatula to gently nudge the liquid around so it seeps down into the layers, but you still don’t need to fully stir.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the sausage is cooked through, the potatoes are tender, and the mixture is bubbly around the edges. About halfway through cooking, gently stir from the bottom to break up any larger sausage pieces and mix everything together.

Once done, taste and adjust seasoning if needed with a pinch of salt and black pepper (optional, not counted in the six ingredients). The mixture should be creamy and spoonable, like a hearty casserole you can serve from a ladle.

Turn the slow cooker to WARM and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken slightly before serving. Serve straight from the crock, giving each bowl a good mix of sausage, potatoes, and veggies. Enjoy hot.

For picky eaters, you can use plain frozen hash browns without peppers and onions, then stir in a handful of very finely chopped, mild veggies (like carrots or zucchini) during the last hour of cooking so they stay soft but not obvious. If your family doesn’t like cream of mushroom soup, swap in cream of chicken or cream of celery. For a bit of brightness for spring, stir in 1 cup of frozen peas during the last 30 minutes of cooking. To make it a little lighter, you can use turkey breakfast sausage and reduced-fat cheese; just be sure to check that the sausage is cooked through—no pink remaining and an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). For extra flavor, you can quickly brown the sausage in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker, but the recipe is designed so you can safely start with raw sausage as long as you cook it fully in the crock. Always use a slow cooker that’s at least half full but not more than about two-thirds full so it heats properly. Don’t leave the sausage sitting at room temperature; go straight from fridge to slow cooker. Avoid lifting the lid frequently, especially in the first couple of hours, so the cooker stays hot enough to keep food out of the temperature “danger zone.” Leftovers should be cooled quickly, stored in the refrigerator within 2 hours, and eaten within 3 to 4 days, reheating until piping hot before serving.