These Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Mississippi Potatoes are the kind of dish that disappears the second it hits the table. My aunt first brought a pan of these to our family Easter dinner, and every single person asked for the recipe before they left. The potatoes turn out incredibly tender, coated in a rich, tangy butter sauce with little bits of pepperoncini that give them that classic Mississippi-style flavor. With only three ingredients and a slow cooker, this is a practical, no-fuss side dish that tastes like you fussed over it all day.
Serve these potatoes straight from the slow cooker on warm so they stay silky and saucy. They’re wonderful alongside ham, roast beef, pork chops, or grilled chicken. For a fuller plate, add a simple green salad, steamed green beans, or roasted carrots. They also pair nicely with soft dinner rolls or crusty bread to soak up the extra buttery sauce. If you’re serving kids or picky eaters, you can spoon their portion with fewer pepperoncini pieces and offer shredded cheese or sour cream at the table for topping.
Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Mississippi PotatoesServings: 6-8
Ingredients
3 pounds baby gold potatoes, washed and halved (or quartered if large)
1 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers with 1/4 cup of their brine
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Directions
Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with a little butter or nonstick spray to help prevent sticking.
Add the halved baby gold potatoes to the slow cooker in an even layer. If some are quite a bit larger, cut them into quarters so everything cooks at about the same rate and gets equally tender.
Scatter the sliced pepperoncini peppers evenly over the potatoes, then pour 1/4 cup of the pepperoncini brine over the top. This brine is what gives the potatoes that tangy Mississippi-style flavor and helps the sauce soak into every bite.
Dot the potatoes and pepperoncini with the butter pieces, spreading them around so they melt down over the whole mixture as it cooks.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or until the potatoes are very tender and easily pierced with a fork. Avoid lifting the lid too often so you don’t lose heat and slow down the cooking time.
Once the potatoes are fork-tender, gently stir everything together so the potatoes are coated in the glossy butter-pepperoncini sauce. Some potatoes may break a little as you stir, which only makes the texture creamier and more melt-in-your-mouth.
Taste and adjust to your family’s liking. If you want a little more tang, you can stir in an extra splash of pepperoncini brine. If you prefer them milder, you can pick out some of the pepperoncini pieces before serving.
Switch the slow cooker to the WARM setting and serve the potatoes straight from the crock. Spoon plenty of the buttery sauce over the top of each serving so every plate gets that rich, tangy flavor.
Variations & Tips
For milder flavor, use fewer pepperoncini slices and more of the brine, or pick out most of the peppers before serving kids. For extra richness, stir in a handful of shredded cheddar or Parmesan right before serving; the cheese melts into the sauce and makes it even creamier. If you’d like a little more seasoning but still want to keep it simple, sprinkle in a teaspoon of garlic powder, onion powder, or dried parsley along with the pepperoncini. You can also swap baby gold potatoes for small red potatoes; just keep the pieces about the same size so they cook evenly. For a heartier dish, fold in cooked, crumbled bacon at the end or serve the potatoes topped with sliced smoked sausage. To lighten things up slightly, you can use 1 1/2 sticks of butter instead of 2; the sauce will still be rich but a bit less heavy. Food safety tips: Always wash and scrub potatoes well to remove dirt before cooking, and cut away any green or sprouted areas. Keep pepperoncini and butter refrigerated until you’re ready to cook. Once the potatoes are done, don’t leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours; keep the slow cooker on WARM for serving or refrigerate leftovers promptly in a shallow container. Reheat leftovers to steaming hot before eating, adding a splash of water or broth if they seem dry.
