Crock Pot Baby Potatoes
These Crock Pot Baby Potatoes are our go-to recipe for a hands off side dish when we’re feeding a big group and need to free up oven space!
Toss a bag of little potatoes with olive oil, garlic, and Italian dressing mix right in the slow cooker, no cutting or mixing bowl needed, and they’ll hold on warm until everyone’s ready to eat.
The Easiest Baby Potatoes Recipe For A Crowd
In our house, a big gathering isn’t complete without a potato side dish. We’ve made Cheesy Potatoes For A Crowd, Scalloped Potatoes For A Crowd, and Make Ahead Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes more times than I can count. They’re all family favorites, but some days I want the absolute lowest effort option and putting baby potatoes in the crock pot is it!
We’ve tested several version of this recipe, all for big holiday meals. Our most popular crock pot baby potatoes recipe is also the most versatile option that holds well when traveling and pairs well with a variety of main dishes. They disappeared quickly at our recent Halloween party served with Pulled Pork, Chili with Tomato Juice, and Crock Pot Chili with Pinto Beans. I wanted a hearty, filling side dish that could wait for everyone.
The biggest lesson we’ve learned through testing is that not every bag of baby potatoes is the same. One brand has a bag that is full of tiny, round potatoes, and the next brand they’re twice the size.
Our baby potato recipe pairs perfectly with big batch mains like Ham In A Roaster Oven, Shredded Beef Sandwiches, or Shredded Chicken Sandwiches.
Ingredients Needed
- Baby potatoes: One 3 pound bag. Ours are Little Trios from The Little Potato Company, a mix of baby red, baby Yukon gold, and small purple potatoes. They’re pre-washed, which saves so much time, but any bag of baby potatoes works.
- Olive oil: A quarter cup coats every potato and helps the seasonings stick.
- Italian dressing mix: One 0.7 ounce packet of dry Italian dressing and marinade mix.
- Granulated garlic: Granulated garlic spreads more evenly than fresh garlic in a big batch and won’t burn on the bottom of the crock.
- Salt: Sea salt or kosher salt.
- Parmesan cheese (optional): Half a cup of grated Parmesan for a salty, cheesy finish.
For a smaller crowd try our Honey Garlic Roasted Potatoes and these are great creamy options Creamy Crock Pot Potatoes or Easy Cheesy Potatoes.
How Long To Cook Baby Potatoes In A Crock Pot
Best case, a bag of small baby potatoes is tender in about 4 hours on high. Because brands and sizes vary so much, give yourself a window of 4 to 5 1/2 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low. It’s much easier to hold done potatoes on warm than to rush ones that aren’t ready! Here’s what makes the difference:
- Smaller is easier. The most petite potatoes, sometimes labeled mini potatoes or little potatoes, cook the most evenly and the most predictably. If you have a choice, grab the bag with the smallest potatoes.
- Bigger baby potatoes. Larger baby potatoes can take up to 50% longer to cook until tender.
- Fingerlings. Fingerling potatoes are long and skinny instead of round, so plan on 30 to 50% more cooking time depending on their size.
Using a mix like Little Trios? We love the red, gold, and purple together on a buffet table, it looks so pretty with almost no effort! In our tri-color mix, all three colors finished together, so size matters more than color. If your bag has a few potatoes that are much bigger than the rest, cut just those in half so they’re done at the same time as the little ones.
If you’ve never made baby potatoes in a crock pot before, I’d recommend trying a smaller batch first, like our Crock Pot Red Potatoes.
How To Make Baby Potatoes In A Crock Pot
Add the potatoes. Pour the baby potatoes straight into your crock pot. No peeling or cutting needed.
Drizzle with oil. Pour the olive oil over the top of the potatoes. Then, using a big spoon, gently toss them, which just means scooping from the bottom and turning the potatoes over until they all look shiny and coated. No mixing bowl needed!
Season. Sprinkle the granulated garlic, salt, and the packet of Italian dressing mix evenly over the top. Stir again so the seasonings get down to the potatoes on the bottom too.
Cook on high. Put the lid on and set the crock pot to high. Stir about every 90 minutes, then every 30 minutes once they start getting close to done, usually around the 3 hour mark.
Check for doneness. The potatoes are done when a fork slides into the biggest potato easily, with no hard center. Test a few petite potatoes from different spots in the crock, since the ones on top can take longer than the ones on the bottom.
Turn to warm. As soon as they’re tender, switch the crock pot to keep warm.
Optional Addition Parmesan Cheese – If using stir in the Parmesan within 30 minutes of serving.
Keeping Baby Potatoes Warm For A Party
This is where this recipe really shines. Small, tender potatoes hold so well on the keep warm setting. Just give them a stir about every hour so the potatoes on the bottom don’t sit too long.
If you’re traveling, a crock pot with a latching lid is a game changer. We’ve driven two hours with these and they were perfect when we got there.
We tested this several ways. If the potatoes will sit on a buffet for a long time or you’re waiting on people to arrive, hold off on the cheese. It melts into the potatoes over time and the flavor sort of disappears.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- How many people does this feed? One 3 pound bag serves about 20 as a side. For a big party, double everything and use 6 pounds in a 7 quart crock pot. Our double batch fed a crowd of 50, including several small children and light eaters. For hearty eaters, plan on about 40.
- Don’t skip the stirring. Stirring helps the potatoes cook evenly, keeps the seasonings coating every little potato, and rotates which ones are touching the hot sides of the slow cooker.
- Pepper on the side. Set out a pepper grinder and let everyone add their own.
- Traveling with them. A crock pot with a latching lid makes it easy. Load it in the car, plug it in on keep warm when you arrive, and they’ll taste just as good as when they came out at home.
Planning the whole menu? Check out our list of Food For A Crowd, Graduation Party Food Ideas, and Midwest Potluck Recipes.
Crock Pot Baby Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds baby potatoes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- .7 ounce packet dry Italian dressing mix
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Add the baby potatoes to a 5 quart or larger crock pot.3 pounds baby potatoes
- Drizzle olive oil over the potatoes and gently toss to coat evenly.1/4 cup olive oil
- Sprinkle granulated garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian dressing mix over the top. Stir well.1 tablespoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon granulated garlic, 1/2 tablespoon black pepper, .7 ounce packet dry Italian dressing mix
- Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 1/2 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. Stir every 90 minutes, then every 30 minutes as the potatoes near done.
- When a fork slides easily into the largest potato, turn the crock pot to keep warm. Stir about every hour.
- Optional: stir in Parmesan cheese within 30 minutes of serving.1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
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