This is the kind of set-it-and-forget-it potato dish I wish I’d had when my kids were little and we were running out the door to every parade and ball game in town. These 3-ingredient slow cooker garlic butter baby potatoes use whole baby gold potatoes, so there’s almost no prep—just rinse, toss in the pot, and let them slowly bathe in garlicky, salted butter while you’re off enjoying the St. Paddy’s parade. By the time you come home, they’re tender all the way through, with that melt-in-your-mouth texture that reminds me of the Sunday dinners my mother used to make on the farm, only a whole lot easier on the cook. This is simple Midwestern comfort food, dressed up just enough with garlic and a sprinkle of herbs at the end if you like.
Serve these potatoes straight from the slow cooker, with a big spoon so everyone can scoop up some of that garlic butter from the bottom. They’re perfect alongside corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day, or any roast beef, pork loin, or baked ham. Add a simple green—steamed green beans, buttered peas, or a crisp salad—and some crusty bread to mop up the extra butter. They also pair nicely with grilled sausages or pan-fried pork chops, and the leftovers make a fine base for breakfast hash with a couple of fried eggs on top.
3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Baby PotatoesServings: 6
Ingredients
3 pounds whole baby gold potatoes, rinsed and well dried
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, cut into chunks
4 large cloves garlic, minced or very finely chopped
Directions
Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with a bit of butter or nonstick spray to keep the potatoes from sticking.
Place the whole baby gold potatoes into the slow cooker in an even layer. There is no need to peel or cut them; just make sure they are similar in size so they cook evenly. Larger ones can be cut in half if needed.
In a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, gently melt the salted butter just until mostly liquid. Stir in the minced garlic so it’s evenly distributed through the butter.
Pour the warm garlic butter evenly over the potatoes, using a spatula to scrape out every bit. Toss the potatoes gently with a spoon so they’re well coated in the butter and garlic.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork. If you’re heading out to a parade or errands, 5 hours on LOW will give you very soft, almost creamy potatoes.
Once the potatoes are tender, gently stir them in the garlic butter at the bottom of the slow cooker so every potato gets a fresh coating. The butter will be pooling around the potatoes, and they should look glossy and golden.
Taste one potato and add a pinch of extra salt if needed, depending on how salty your butter is. If you like, sprinkle a little dried or fresh parsley over the top for color before serving.
Serve the potatoes hot, straight from the slow cooker, making sure to spoon some of the garlicky butter over each portion so they’re as buttery and melt-in-your-mouth as possible.
Variations & Tips
If you’d like to dress these up a bit without complicating things, you can add 1 teaspoon of dried parsley or dried thyme to the melted butter along with the garlic before pouring it over the potatoes. For a slightly deeper flavor, stir in a pinch of black pepper or smoked paprika. If you prefer unsalted butter, simply add 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt to the melted butter and adjust to taste at the end. For a crisper, more roasted look like you might see in a cookbook photo, transfer the finished potatoes to a sheet pan and pop them under a hot broiler for 3 to 5 minutes to lightly brown the tops, then pour the garlic butter from the slow cooker over them before serving. You can also cut very large baby potatoes in half before cooking for more surface area to soak up the butter. Leftovers reheat well in a skillet over medium heat; just add a small pat of butter and warm until lightly browned on the edges. If you need to hold them a bit longer, you can keep the slow cooker on WARM for up to 1 hour, stirring gently once or twice so the potatoes stay coated and don’t dry out.
