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This slow cooker ranch potato recipe is one of those wonderfully unfussy, weeknight-friendly dishes that tastes like you spent far more time on it than you actually did. Ranch-flavored potatoes are a very American comfort food—ranch seasoning itself has roots in mid-20th-century California, but it’s been thoroughly adopted across the Midwest, where it shows up on everything from chips to veggie trays. Here, we turn those familiar flavors into a creamy, tangy sauce made with ranch seasoning, cream cheese, butter, chicken broth, and chives, then pour that single mixture over raw quartered potatoes in the slow cooker. A few hours later, you have tender, richly flavored potatoes that work as a side dish for almost anything off the grill, from the oven, or straight from a rotisserie chicken. It’s a great option when you want a hands-off, crowd-pleasing side that doesn’t require hovering over the stove.
These slow cooker ranch potatoes pair beautifully with simple roasted or grilled meats—think roast chicken, pork tenderloin, or grilled steak. Because the potatoes are already rich and creamy, I like to balance them with something green and crisp: a basic green salad with a sharp vinaigrette, steamed green beans with lemon, or roasted Brussels sprouts all work well. If you’re building a more casual spread, serve them alongside burgers, brats, or barbecue pulled pork; they’re also right at home on a potluck buffet next to a big bowl of coleslaw. For a more rounded plate, add a bright, acidic element—pickles, quick-pickled onions, or a tomato-cucumber salad—to cut through the richness of the sauce.
Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Potatoes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
3 pounds small Yukon Gold or red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning mix
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt, to taste (optional, depending on saltiness of ranch mix and broth)
Directions
Prepare the potatoes: Scrub the potatoes well and pat them dry. Cut them into evenly sized quarters (or sixths if they’re larger) so they cook at the same rate. Place the raw quartered potatoes directly into the slow cooker crock and spread them into an even layer.
Make the ranch mixture: In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese cubes, butter pieces, chicken broth, dry ranch seasoning mix, chopped chives, and black pepper. Whisk or stir until the mixture is mostly smooth. A few small bits of cream cheese are fine; they’ll melt as the potatoes cook.
Pour over the potatoes: Holding the bowl over the slow cooker, carefully pour the single ranch-cream cheese mixture evenly over the raw quartered potatoes, making sure as many potatoes as possible are coated or at least touched by the sauce. Use a spatula to scrape out any remaining mixture from the bowl into the slow cooker.
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