My grandma taught me this trick for Sunday dinner. Just 5 ingredients for the most tender side dish that steals the show every time.
My grandma taught me this simple little trick for Sunday dinners when I was a kid, and I still lean on it whenever I want a side dish that quietly steals the show. These slow cooker 5-ingredient garlic butter potato packets come out incredibly tender, buttery, and full of flavor with almost no effort. Everything gets tucked into individual foil packets, set in the slow cooker, and left alone to do its thing while you focus on the main dish or wrangling the kids. It’s old-fashioned, practical Midwestern cooking at its best: cozy, reliable, and family-friendly.
These garlic butter potato packets go with just about any Sunday-style main dish: roast chicken, pot roast, meatloaf, grilled pork chops, or baked ham. I like to serve them right in the foil so everyone can open their own little bundle at the table. Add a simple green salad, steamed green beans, or roasted carrots to round out the plate. They’re also wonderful alongside grilled burgers or brats in the summer when you want the slow cooker to handle the potatoes while you use the grill for everything else.
2 pounds small yellow or red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (plus extra for serving if desired) 4 cloves garlic, minced or very finely chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Prepare the slow cooker and foil: Tear off 4 large sheets of aluminum foil, each about 12 to 14 inches long. Lightly crumple and then flatten each sheet so they’re easier to shape into packets. Set them on the counter. Make sure the inside of your slow cooker is clean and dry.
Season the potatoes: Place the potato chunks in a large mixing bowl. Add the minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss well so the garlic and seasoning are evenly distributed over all the potatoes.
Add the butter: Cut 4 tablespoons of the butter into small pieces and scatter them over the seasoned potatoes in the bowl. Toss gently again so the butter pieces are tucked throughout the potatoes. This helps the butter melt down into every packet as they cook.
Fill the foil packets: Divide the potato mixture evenly among the 4 sheets of foil, piling the potatoes in the center of each sheet. Try to keep the piles fairly compact so they fit nicely into the slow cooker and cook evenly.
Seal the packets: Bring the long sides of each piece of foil up over the potatoes and fold them together tightly, then roll up the shorter ends to make a sealed packet. You want the packets closed well so the steam stays inside, which is what makes the potatoes extra tender like Grandma’s.
Arrange in the slow cooker: Place the foil packets in a single layer in the bottom of the slow cooker, seam side up. If your slow cooker is smaller and you need to stack them, that’s fine—just arrange them as evenly as you can so heat can circulate.
Slow cook the potatoes: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork. Cooking time can vary slightly depending on the size of your potato chunks and your slow cooker.
Finish with extra butter: When the potatoes are done, carefully lift the packets out of the slow cooker with tongs—they’ll be hot and may release steam when opened. Carefully open each packet away from your face. Add about 1/2 tablespoon of the remaining butter on top of each open packet so it melts over the hot potatoes. Gently toss with a fork right in the foil if you like.
Serve: Serve the packets directly on plates or transfer the potatoes to a serving dish. Spoon any buttery, garlicky juices from the foil over the top. Taste and add an extra pinch of salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy while hot and tender.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, you can skip the garlic in one or two packets and just season those potatoes with salt and pepper and a pat of butter; I usually mark those packets with a little fold so I know which is which. If you like a cheesy finish, sprinkle shredded cheddar or Parmesan over the potatoes right after opening the packets so it melts into the hot potatoes. For a slightly lighter version, replace half of the butter with a drizzle of olive oil in the mixing bowl, then still finish each packet with a small pat of butter for flavor at the end. You can also swap in baby potatoes and leave them whole; just keep them on the smaller side so they cook through. To add a little color without adding more ingredients, use a mix of red and yellow potatoes. If you’re cooking for a crowd, this recipe doubles easily—just make more packets and stand some of them on their sides in the slow cooker so they all fit. Leftovers reheat well in a skillet the next day; flatten the potatoes slightly and crisp them up in a little butter for quick breakfast hash.
