This slow cooker 4-ingredient Amish parsley potato recipe is the kind of simple comfort food I lean on during busy weeks. It’s inspired by the plain, honest cooking you find in Amish country—nothing fancy, just tender red potatoes, plenty of butter, and a couple of pantry seasonings that make the whole house smell cozy. You simply nestle halved red potatoes into the slow cooker, tuck slices of butter over the top, sprinkle on two simple seasonings, and let the slow cooker do the rest. It’s the kind of side dish I crave week after week because it tastes like home and requires almost no effort.
Serve these buttery Amish parsley potatoes alongside roasted chicken, meatloaf, pork chops, or a simple skillet of hamburgers for a down-to-earth family dinner. They’re also wonderful with grilled sausages or baked fish, and they soak up gravy beautifully if you’re making pot roast. Add a green vegetable like steamed green beans, roasted broccoli, or a crisp salad to round out the plate. For a cozy weekend meal, I like to spoon the potatoes into a big serving bowl and let everyone help themselves at the table.
Slow Cooker Amish Parsley PotatoesServings: 6
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed and halved
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and sliced into thin pats
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes)
Directions
Prepare the potatoes: Rinse the red potatoes well and pat them dry. Cut each potato in half so the pieces are roughly the same size. This helps them cook evenly and soak up the buttery seasoning.
Layer the potatoes in the slow cooker: Place the halved red potatoes into the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Spread them out in an even layer so most of the cut sides are facing up, but don’t worry if some tumble over—this is a very forgiving recipe.
Season the potatoes: Sprinkle the kosher salt evenly over the potatoes. Then sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley (or dried parsley flakes) over the top so the seasoning is fairly well distributed. These are your two simple seasonings that give the potatoes that cozy, homemade flavor.
Place butter slices over the potatoes: Lay the cold butter slices over the top of the seasoned potatoes, covering as much of the surface as you can. It’s fine if some slices overlap. As the slow cooker warms, the butter will slowly melt down over the potatoes, basting them in rich flavor.
Cook on LOW or HIGH: Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork. Try not to lift the lid too often, as that releases heat and can lengthen the cooking time.
Toss and taste: When the potatoes are tender, gently toss them in the melted butter and seasonings right in the slow cooker, making sure every piece is coated. Taste one and add a pinch more salt if needed. If you like a little extra color, sprinkle on a bit more fresh parsley.
Serve warm: Transfer the buttery parsley potatoes to a serving bowl or bring the slow cooker insert straight to the table (on a trivet) for a family-style meal. Serve hot, spooning some of the seasoned butter from the bottom of the pot over each portion for extra comfort.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, you can skip the parsley on half the batch by pushing some potatoes to one side and seasoning that side more lightly, then tossing separately before serving. If your family likes a little extra flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder or onion powder along with the salt and parsley—just know that will take it beyond the classic 4-ingredient version. To make this recipe slightly lighter, reduce the butter to 6 tablespoons and add a splash (2 to 3 tablespoons) of chicken broth; the potatoes will still be tender and comforting. You can also swap in baby Yukon gold potatoes for the red potatoes if that’s what you have on hand; keep them halved so they cook at the same rate. For a make-ahead option, scrub and halve the potatoes and slice the butter the night before, then store them separately in the fridge; in the morning, just season, place butter slices over the potatoes in the slow cooker, and turn it on before you head out. If you want a browned, slightly crisp top for company, spoon the finished potatoes into a baking dish and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, just until the tops get a bit golden around the edges.
