This slow cooker 4-ingredient poor man’s potato and bologna stew is the kind of humble, stick-to-your-ribs meal my dad grew up eating every payday week. When the check came in, his parents would stretch a few affordable ingredients into something that felt like a celebration after a long workweek. It sounds a little odd if you didn’t grow up with it—thick slices of bologna simmered with potatoes in a creamy, peppery gravy—but the result is deeply comforting, cozy, and exactly the kind of bowl you crave on a cold Midwestern night. It’s budget-friendly, uses pantry basics, and the slow cooker does all the work while you go about your day.
Serve this potato and bologna stew straight from the slow cooker into warm bowls, with plenty of black pepper on top. It’s especially good with buttered white bread, soft dinner rolls, or biscuits to soak up the creamy gravy. A simple green side—like steamed green beans, a basic tossed salad, or even sliced cucumbers with vinegar—adds a bit of freshness. If you want to round it out more, pair it with applesauce or coleslaw for that classic Midwestern comfort plate.
Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Potato and Bologna StewServings: 4
Ingredients
2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pound thick-cut bologna, cut into 1/4-inch rounds (or half-moons)
3 cups whole milk (or 2% milk)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional, for extra richness)
Nonstick cooking spray or a little butter for greasing the slow cooker
Directions
Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or a bit of butter. This helps keep the creamy gravy from sticking and makes cleanup easier.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into roughly 1/2-inch cubes so they cook evenly and become tender without disintegrating. Place the potato cubes in the bottom of the slow cooker in an even layer.
Slice the bologna into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. If the rounds are large, cut them in half into half-moons. Scatter the bologna evenly over the potatoes.
In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the milk, flour, kosher salt, and black pepper until the flour is fully dissolved and there are no lumps. This mixture will thicken into the pale, creamy gravy as it cooks.
Pour the milk mixture evenly over the potatoes and bologna in the slow cooker, making sure most of the solids are submerged. Dot the top with the optional butter if you’d like a richer, silkier gravy.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the potatoes are very tender and the bologna is soft around the edges. Avoid lifting the lid in the first couple of hours so the mixture can come up to temperature safely and the gravy can thicken.
Once the potatoes are tender, gently stir the stew from the bottom to mix the thickened gravy with any liquid that has separated. The potatoes should be soft, the bologna rounds pink and plump, and the gravy pale and creamy with visible flecks of black pepper.
Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper if needed. Ladle the stew into bowls and serve hot, ideally straight from the slow cooker on its WARM setting to keep the texture silky and comforting.
Variations & Tips
To stay true to the spirit of a payday-week dish, keep the ingredient list short and affordable, but there’s room to adapt it to your kitchen. For a slightly smokier flavor, use ring bologna or a smoked bologna if you can find it. If you prefer a thicker gravy, whisk 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of flour into the milk, or let the stew sit uncovered on HIGH for the last 15 to 20 minutes to reduce slightly. For a looser, soupier bowl, add up to 1/2 cup extra milk. You can swap part of the milk for evaporated milk for a more old-fashioned pantry feel, or use 1 cup chicken broth plus 2 cups milk for a lighter-tasting gravy. If you need to avoid dairy, an unsweetened, full-fat oat milk will give you the closest creamy texture; just be aware the flavor will be a bit different and you may need a touch more salt. For a bit of color without changing the core recipe, stir in a small handful of frozen peas during the last 20 minutes of cooking.
Food safety tips: Because this dish includes both meat and dairy, keep the slow cooker temperature in the safe zone—use the LOW or HIGH settings only, never WARM for the full cook time. Make sure the mixture comes up to at least 165°F in the center before serving. If you’re starting with very cold ingredients, don’t delay getting the slow cooker turned on. Leftovers should be cooled quickly, stored in shallow containers, and refrigerated within 2 hours; they’ll keep safely for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until steaming hot throughout, adding a splash of milk if the gravy has thickened too much.
