I Tried the Viral “Kentucky Potatoes” and Can’t Believe There Are Only 5 Ingredients

These days, I will use any excuse to bust out my old Crockpot and fire up one of my favorite slow cooker recipes. Ever since perfecting my own pulled pork recipe last summer, I’ve had no shortage of leftover meats in the refrigerator on many occasions, and I honestly don’t see that changing anytime in the immediate future either. Lately though, I’ve been searching for a new side dish to go with my leftover Crockpot creations. And like most of us do, I keep coming back to potatoes. After discovering 365 Days of Crockpot, and Karen’s recipe for Kentucky Potatoes, I may have just found the perfect side dish that I should have already been making this entire time.

Kentucky Potatoes are made simply using five ingredients and a slow cooker, but can also be made using either an Instant Pot or your oven. The creamy and cheesy texture is what drew me in immediately and had me excited to switch things up a bit to slow cook some potatoes. As a result, I was ready to see if the taste matched the photos, because this recipe looked delicious!

Get the recipe: Kentucky Potatoes

This recipe uses a store-bought bag of O’Brien Potatoes with Onions and Peppers, although you can totally dice up your own potatoes, peppers, and onions for this from scratch. Begin by adding a 26-ounce bag of frozen O’Brien potatoes, a can of Campbell’s Cream of Potato Soup, garlic powder, pepper, kosher salt, sour cream, and shredded sharp cheddar cheese to your slow cooker and stir until well mixed. Adjust ingredient totals if needed (a.k.a add more cheese) and then cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours. Once everything is hot and bubbly, prepare a plate, garnish with more cheese, and pair with a main course or enjoy on its own. 

It is a hard sell to get me to say anything bad about potatoes, they literally symbolize prosperity, warmth, and the hearth. Today, they more closely represent french fries and potato chips, but still — those are things that do not get old and are always reliable in one way or another. 

Kentucky Potatoes are just another example of that warmth and familiarity we all crave. This recipe is perfect to make for a big family, or even within a meal prep plan. Kentucky Potatoes are as versatile as you need them to be, as they can be prepared as a breakfast casserole or even on their own with your favorite leftover pulled pork recipe. I will definitely be making them again, and am inspired to try out new ingredients and additions to make it more of my own.  

1. Let it cook for the full three hours. As tempting as it may be to dig in after you hit the second hour of slow cooking, hold on for that final hour and enjoy the sweet results. The creaminess really starts to take form in that last hour, so it is worth the wait — and then some. 
2. If you’re using the bag mix, let the potatoes thaw first. If you’re using a frozen bag of potatoes, let them thaw out enough to be able to break apart the big chunks. This will make things a lot easier when mixing all of the ingredients together. 
3. Have fun with it. This recipe is truly the best because of its versatility. It can cater to your specific tastes and pair well with a wide variety of meals. Have fun while making it and add ingredients to make it your own. This recipe should serve as a roadmap to a delicious meal, but it’s encouraged to take some detours along the way.