This 3-ingredient slow cooker Patriot's Day potatoes recipe is my kind of busy-day cooking: you literally layer frozen hashbrown patties into the pot, add just two more pantry-friendly ingredients, and let the slow cooker do the work. The result is a creamy, cheesy potato casserole that tastes like it came from a church potluck table—comforting, familiar, and strangely irresistible. While Patriot's Day is a New England observance, Midwesterners like me love any excuse for a hearty, set-it-and-forget-it dish that can feed a crowd with almost no effort.
Serve these slow cooker potatoes as a side with grilled sausages, baked ham, or roast chicken, or let them be the star of the plate with a simple green salad and some sliced tomatoes. They’re especially good alongside eggs for a brunch spread, with a little hot sauce on the table for anyone who likes extra kick. A crisp, acidic side—like a vinegar-based slaw or a lightly dressed arugula salad—helps balance the richness, and a loaf of crusty bread is perfect for scooping up any cheesy bits from the bottom of the slow cooker.
3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Patriot's Day PotatoesServings: 6
Ingredients
8 frozen hashbrown patties (about 24 ounces total)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
Directions
Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with a bit of oil or nonstick spray to help with cleanup and prevent sticking.
Arrange a snug layer of frozen hashbrown patties on the bottom of the slow cooker, fitting them in as evenly as possible. It’s fine if they overlap slightly; the goal is to cover most of the base.
Sprinkle about one-third of the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the hashbrown patties.
Spoon roughly half of the condensed cream of chicken soup over the cheese in small dollops, then gently spread it out a bit with the back of the spoon. It doesn’t need to be perfectly even; it will melt and spread as it cooks.
Add a second layer of frozen hashbrown patties on top, again covering as much surface as you can.
Sprinkle another one-third of the shredded cheddar cheese over this second layer of patties, then dot and lightly spread the remaining condensed soup over the cheese.
Finish with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese sprinkled evenly over the top. At this point, you should have visible layers of hashbrown patties, cheese, and soup, with the patties forming the base as shown in the process image.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the potatoes are tender all the way through and the cheese and soup have melted into a creamy sauce.
Once cooked, turn the slow cooker to WARM. Let the potatoes sit, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the layers to set slightly, which makes serving easier.
Use a wide spatula to scoop out portions, trying to keep the layers intact, and serve hot straight from the slow cooker.
Variations & Tips
For a vegetarian version, swap the cream of chicken soup for cream of mushroom or cream of celery. If you like a bit of smokiness, stir 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika into the condensed soup before layering, or use a smoked cheddar in place of some of the sharp cheddar. To stretch this into more of a full meal, scatter 1 to 1 1/2 cups of cooked, crumbled bacon or diced ham between the layers of hashbrown patties and cheese before cooking. You can also add a little texture by sprinkling crushed plain potato chips or buttered breadcrumbs over the top during the last 30 minutes of cooking, leaving the lid slightly vented so some steam can escape and the topping can firm up. If your slow cooker runs hot, check at the earlier end of the time range to prevent the edges from over-browning, and if you prefer a looser, saucier texture, stir 1/4 to 1/3 cup milk into the condensed soup before layering.
