Let Me Tell You About These Cheesy Potatoes & Kielbasa!
Alright friend, so if you’ve ever had one of those days (you know, the ones where you swear you just sat down for coffee and suddenly it’s 6 PM), this is the dinner I reach for. I grew up with a version of this after-church casserole, all gooey and comforting, bubbling away all Sunday and making the whole house smell like, well, a hug. To this day, my sister and I still bicker over who gets the crispy edge bits. Not that I’m counting. Okay, maybe I am.
Anyway, I first made this easy crockpot cheesy potatoes and kielbasa recipe when my college roommate decided to host a potluck and someone forgot the mac n cheese. Cheesy potatoes to the rescue! You get your carbs, your savory sausage, and all that goodness, no oven required. And in case you’re wondering—yes, I did have to fish out a plastic spoon that fell in (so watch out for that).
Why You’ll Love This (Besides the Obvious Cheese Situation)
- I make this when my fridge is looking a little sad and the only suspiciously old thing left is cheese (and I mean, who throws out cheese?).
- My family goes a bit wild for this, especially my uncle who pretends he doesn’t eat carbs. He eats two bowls, minimum.
- If you have picky kids, this is a win (mine only fish out the kielbasa now, which is progress...)
- It’s basically impossible to mess up, unless you somehow forget to turn the crockpot on. Which I’ve, uh, never done. Nope.
- On chilly nights, it’s like edible central heating—fills the house with that ‘come eat!’ aroma.
- Last but not least, cleanup = one lonely pot. Bless.
What Goes In (Plus Handy Substitutions)
- 1 (32 oz) bag frozen diced hash brown potatoes (sometimes I use the shredded ones if that’s all I can grab; Grandma was very "brand loyal" but honestly, any will do)
- 1 lb kielbasa, sliced into coins (or smoked sausage, or leftover hot dogs if you’re desperate—been there, done that)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I rarely measure, just a couple big handfuls—sometimes I toss in Pepper Jack for a kick!)
- 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup (cream of mushroom is a swap I use if I’m out)
- 1 small onion, diced (yellow, white, or skip it if you can’t stand onion breath)
- ¾ cup sour cream (greek yogurt is fine if you’re out, or honestly, just leave it out... it’s still creamy)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (I’ve also added smoked paprika or a pinch of cayenne for funsies)
- Pinch of salt (careful—kielbasa and cheese are salty on their own, so I keep it light)
- Optional: chopped chives or parsley, for feeling fancy
How To Actually Make This (With Real-Life Asides)
- Wake up your crockpot: Spray the inside with nonstick spray unless you love scraping baked cheese. You don’t? Knew it.
- Layer it up: Dump your frozen hashbrowns into the pot. No need to thaw—who has that kind of time?
- Add the sliced kielbasa, chopped onion, and most of the cheese. Keep a little cheese back for sprinkling over the top; I have learned the hard way that uncovering a naked casserole is just sad.
- Mix the magic: In a bowl (or directly in the pot, if you hate dishes like me), stir together the canned soup, sour cream, pepper, and a tiny bit of extra salt. Pour/dollop/scrape that mixture right over your potato-kielbasa pile.
- Give it all a gentle stir. (This is where I sneak a taste of the cheese. For, uh, quality control.)
- Top the whole thing with the remaining cheese. Now slap the lid on.
- Cook it up: Set to LOW for 4–5 hours or HIGH for 2–3 hours. Honestly, it’s forgiving—sometimes it’s ready in 2, sometimes the potatoes are stubborn. Don’t worry if it looks a bit weird halfway through; it comes together at the end, promise.
- If you remember, run a spatula around the edge once or twice so nothing crusts too much (or do nothing, just call it ‘extra texture’ like I do).
- Once bubbly and the potatoes are soft, toss on chives or parsley if you’ve got it—or just dig in. Let it sit a few minutes though, unless you like burning the roof off your mouth (I did, last time, ouch.)
Lived & Learned: Notes from My Kitchen
- If you get watery potatoes: drain off a little liquid at the end, or stir in a handful of extra cheese. Fixed!
- Forgot to spray the pot? Soak that thing overnight—a butter knife saves the day for baked on bits.
- Left it on ‘keep warm’ too long? It gets a little crunchy around the edges, but actually, my family fights over that part.
- Cheese stuck to the lid is basically impossible to salvage. Still, I’ve tried.
Twists and Tweaks (Some Better Than Others...)
- Once I tried using regular potatoes I peeled and chopped—whew, it took forever to cook and honestly, frozen ones just work better here.
- I swapped in turkey sausage once; it was fine, but not quite as rich. I missed the smoky flavor.
- If you add broccoli, which I did once on a health kick, it’s actually nice! Fresh, not frozen, or it goes mushy.
- I threw in jalapeños for a grown-up crowd—surprisingly popular. My kids threatened revolt, though, so proceed with caution.
Gear You Need (And What To Improvise With)
- Crockpot (I mean, that’s the heart and soul right here. But, honestly, I bet you could bake this at 350 in a covered dish for about an hour—never tried but seems likely?)
- Mixing bowl or just use the crock’s insert (less to wash, always my vote)
- Good knife for slicing sausage. Dull ones are the worst. Use your pizza cutter in a pinch—I have!
How To Store Your Leftovers (If That Happens...)
Scoop leftovers into a lidded container and pop them in the fridge. They’ll be good for about 3 days, but to be honest, in my house it never lasts more than a day. I think it’s even better the next morning for breakfast, especially with a fried egg on top; but maybe that’s just me?
How I Like To Serve It
I usually heap this into bowls and let folks pick their own toppings (hot sauce, extra chives, sometimes crumbled bacon if I’m feeling generous). On chilly days, I’ll serve it with a green salad or—if I’m honest—a pile of pickles on the side. No idea why, but it works. My cousin likes hers wrapped in a tortilla, and I say let folks make it weird if they want.
Lessons Learned (AKA Pro Tips)
- Don’t rush the potatoes by cranking it to HIGH thinking you’ll save time—they stay weirdly crunchy. Actually, I find it works better if you stick to the LOW setting unless you’re truly in a bind.
- Mix everything before topping with the last bit of cheese or you’ll just have a big cheesy blob on top (been there; not great).
- I once left out the sour cream thinking it wouldn't matter. It does; just makes the whole thing silkier, but if you’re out, don’t run to the shop—just toss in a splash of milk.
FAQ (Questions That Popped Up at Past Potlucks)
Q: Can I make this ahead?
Oh absolutely—I sometimes assemble it all the night before, stash it in the fridge, then just start the crockpot in the morning. If you do that, add maybe 30 min to cooking time.
Q: Will it work with non-dairy cheese?
Okay, so my neighbor tried this and said it was 'decent' but not quite as melty. I guess it’s worth a shot if you can handle a different texture.
Q: Can I double this for a crowd?
Yup! Just make sure your crockpot is big enough—mine handles a double batch if I don’t over-stir. If not, just use two slow cookers or do one batch in the oven.
Q: What if I accidentally overcook it?
It’ll just be more like crunchy cheddar hashbrowns. Not a disaster—in fact, some folks like the crispy bits best.
Honestly, if you mess something up, just call it ‘rustic’ and pour another glass of iced tea. Life’s too short to sweat the small stuff—or the cheese.
Oh, and this reminds me—did I ever tell you about the time my neighbor’s dog ate half a batch off the counter? (Lesson learned: always put the lid back on. Also, dogs have excellent taste.)
Ingredients
- 1 (14 oz) package kielbasa sausage, sliced
- 6 cups diced potatoes (fresh or frozen)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 small onion, diced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
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1Spray the inside of a crockpot with nonstick cooking spray or lightly grease with butter.
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2Add diced potatoes, sliced kielbasa, diced onion, and shredded cheddar cheese to the crockpot.
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3In a separate bowl, mix together cream of chicken soup, sour cream, garlic powder, black pepper, and melted butter. Pour the mixture over the ingredients in the crockpot and stir to combine.
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4Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until the potatoes are tender and everything is hot and bubbly.
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5Stir gently before serving. Garnish with additional cheese or chopped parsley if desired.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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