Slow Cooker Baked Potato Casserole


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Make this Baked Potato Casserole in the slow cooker, it has smashed russet potatoes with all the deluxe baked potato toppings mixed in!

We love baked potatoes in our house, so we often make variations of loaded baked potatoes in our crockpot. This week we did a baked potato casserole, perfect for dinner or a special occasion.

Mashed potatoes loaded with cheese, bacon and green onion in slow cooker with wooden spoon in it.

How to make Baked Potato Casserole in the slow cooker:

You will need:

  • 5 pounds russet potatoes
  • 2 chicken bouillon cubes
  • Water to cover
  • 1/2 cup salted butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 16 ounces sour cream
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 16 ounces bacon, sliced and cooked
  • 1 bunch green onion, sliced
Bacon, butter, sour cream, onion powder, green onion and potatoes with slow cooker.

Directions:

  • Peel and cut the russet potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Add to the slow cooker.
  • Add water to cover the potatoes and add 2 chicken bouillon cubes.
raw potatoes in water with chicken bouillon cubes on top.
12

How long do I cook?

  • Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 5 hours.
  • Do not open the lid during the cooking time. Drain the potatoes before mixing or adding ingredients.

Should I smash the potatoes or use a handheld mixer?

  • I like to smash the potatoes with a potato masher though if you do not have a potato masher you can use a handheld mixer (the kind with 2 beaters) and mix right in the slow cooker.
  • Add the butter, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Smash or blend until the desired texture is achieved. I like some chunks of potato in this, just like a baked potato.
mashed potatoes with sour cream, bacon, green onions and cheese on top.
  • Mix in all of the sour cream, half of the cheese, half of the bacon and half of the green onion.
  • Smooth out the casserole and sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Place the lid back on the slow cooker and cook on high for 20 minutes more. Sprinkle over the remaining bacon and green onion after the cheese has melted.
mashed potatoes in slow cooker with cheese on top.

Can I use cream cheese instead of sour cream?

Yes, use one 8-ounce block of cream cheese in place of the sour cream in this recipe.

Can I use a different type of potato other than russet?

Any type of potato can be used in this recipe, choose one of these if you do not have russets:

  • Red potatoes
  • Yukon gold potatoes
close up of baked potato casserole in slow cooker.

How can I make this lower in calories?

  • Cut the butter in half
  • Fat-free or reduced-fat sour cream
  • Low-fat cheese
  • Turkey bacon
baked potato casserole with wooden spoon in it.

What to serve with Baked Potato Casserole:

Can I freeze leftover baked potato casserole?

  • Yes, spoon the cooled potatoes into ziplock bags and squeeze out all the air.
  • Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before needed.
  • Reheat in oven, microwave or stove-top.

What other baked potato themed recipes can I make in the slow cooker?

slow cooker full of baked potato casserole with wooden spoon in it.

Slow Cooker Baked Potato Casserole

5 from 4 votes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 15
Mashed potatoes filled with bacon, sour cream, cheese, bacon, and green onion!

Ingredients 
 

  • 5 lbs. russet potatoes
  • 2 chicken bouillon cubes
  • water to cover

Add these ingredients after the cooking time is up and water is drained:

  • 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. onion powder
  • 16 oz. sour cream
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese, divided
  • 16 oz. bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided
  • 1 bunch green onions, sliced divided

Instructions 

  • Peel the potatoes and dice them into one-inch cubes. Add to the slow cooker
  • Add the chicken bouillon cubes and enough water to cover the potatoes.
  • Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 5 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
  • When the cooking time is up, drain the water off the potatoes, leaving the potatoes in the slow cooker.
  • Pour over the melted butter, sprinkle over the salt, pepper and onion powder. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until the desired texture is achieved. If you do not have a potato masher you can use a handheld mixer (the kind with 2 beaters) and blend until desired texture is achieved. I like some chunks of potatoes in this as baked potatoes have.
  • Add the sour cream, half of the cheese, half of the bacon, and half of the green onions. Stir.
  • Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and replace the lid. Cook on high for 20 more minutes.
  • Sprinkle over remaining bacon and green onion and serve!

How to Video

Sarah’s Notes

Can I use a different potato type?
You can use either of these potatoes instead of russet with great results:
  • Yukon gold
  • Red potatoes
Can I freeze the leftovers?
  • Yes, spoon the cooled potatoes into ziplock bags and squeeze out all the air.
  • Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before needed.
  • Reheat in oven, microwave or stove-top.
Can I make this lower in calories?
  • Cut the butter in half
  • Fat-free or reduced-fat sour cream
  • Low-fat cheese
  • Turkey bacon

Nutrition

Calories: 421kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 662mg | Potassium: 752mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 556IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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25 Comments

  1. Rosanna Goode says:

    Too Too big = only two of us. Would love to see the calculator to auto fix ingredient amount to the people to serve.

  2. Wanda says:

    can this be baked in the oven instead of a crockpot? If so, at what temp and how long?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      I have not tested that, I apologize.

  3. Janene says:

    These look perfect for Christmas. Can you make these ahead of time?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      I don’t see why not, though they are best cooked fresh.

  4. Bobbie Brister says:

    Making tonight but adding some grilled chicken and making a main course and serving with salad yum!!

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      sounds great!

  5. Patty Shuert says:

    Yummy dish, however, you might want to add “drain potatoes” before mashing…. I know that’s probably kind of obvious, but having never made this before I followed the recipe to a T. I ended up having to add quite a bit of corn starch to my “mashed potato soup” in order to fix it. Everyone really like this dish though!

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Hi! The recipe card has the directions for draining. I made sure the blog post includes that as well.

  6. Dorthy says:

    5 stars
    I cut this in half for the family, but still added both bullion cubes. A couple of us do not like sour cream so set it off to one side for people who wanted to add it. This was such a hit the family has asked for it for Thanksgiving dinner a couple of weeks! Fantastic recipe, easy to make and modify, great taste as well! Thanks for sharing.

  7. Debbie Hildebrandt says:

    Has anyone ever added shredded chicken or ground beef to make it a one pot meal?