This 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Labor Day Weekend Bowl is the kind of low-effort, high-reward meal that suits a long holiday weekend perfectly. Using precooked pork sausage crumbles keeps prep especially simple, while the slow cooker does the heavy lifting and gives the ingredients time to turn into a hearty, scoopable dinner with rich, sweet-savory flavor. It has the practical feel of a Midwestern crockpot supper, built for feeding people well without keeping the cook tied to the kitchen.
Serve this bowl with a simple green salad, buttered cornbread, or crusty rolls to soak up the sauce. If you want to round it out for a holiday spread, it also works nicely alongside coleslaw, grilled corn, or sliced tomatoes, and a cold iced tea or light beer makes an easy porch-friendly pairing.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Labor Day Weekend Bowl
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 bag (20 ounces) refrigerated shredded hash browns
1 package (12 ounces) precooked pork sausage crumbles
1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
Directions
1. Lightly coat the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray or a thin film of oil if desired for easier cleanup. Add the hash browns, sausage crumbles, condensed soup, cheddar cheese, and barbecue sauce.
2. Stir everything thoroughly so the potatoes and sausage are evenly coated with the soup, cheese, and sauce.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or until the potatoes are tender and the mixture is hot and bubbling around the edges.
4. Give the bowl one final stir, then scoop into serving bowls and serve hot.
Variations & Tips
Swap the soup: Cream of chicken or cream of celery both work well here if that is what you have in the pantry. Each changes the background flavor a bit, but the bowl stays rich and cohesive.
Add onion for more depth: If you do not mind stepping beyond the five-ingredient framework, a small amount of finely chopped onion adds sweetness and a little more savoriness as it cooks down.
Choose your barbecue sauce carefully: A smoky sauce gives the dish a cookout-style flavor, while a sweeter sauce leans more classic and kid-friendly. Because there are so few ingredients, the sauce you pick has a big impact on the final taste.
Prevent overcooking: If your slow cooker tends to run hot, check the potatoes at the 4-hour mark. Once they are tender, switch to warm so the edges do not scorch and the cheese stays creamy rather than greasy.
Make it easier to serve: Let the finished dish stand uncovered for about 10 minutes before scooping if you want slightly neater portions. Right off the heat it will be looser, but it thickens a bit as it rests.