Slow Cooker Swamp Potatoes

Scooping cooked potatoes, green beans, and smoked sausage from a slow cooker.

This easy Swamp Potatoes recipe is made with just a few simple ingredients, is budget-friendly, and always a hit with picky eaters!

Course Main Course, Main Dishes, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 7

Total Time 7 10

Servings servings

Calories 545

Author Dorothy Bigelow

Ingredients

3 pounds baby potatoes halved (or 7-8 cups peeled and cubed red or russet potatoes)
1 pound smoked sausage sliced (4-5 links)
1 pound green beans cut into 3” pieces (fresh, frozen, or canned (2 15-oz cans, drained)
1 package ranch seasoning or 2-3 tablespoons homemade ranch dressing mix
3 teaspoons cajun seasoning store-bought or homemade*
1 cup beef broth
6 tablespoons butter sliced into 6 pieces

Instructions

Add the potatoes, smoked sausage, and green beans to a 6-quart slow cooker.
Sprinkle with the ranch seasoning and Cajun seasoning.
Pour in the beef broth, then stir to coat the sausage and vegetables in the seasonings.
Add the butter, in 6 pieces, evenly on top of the vegetables.
Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, or until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Serve immediately!

Notes

Note about spice level: My son is a very picky eater and thinks a pinch of pepper is too hot. He said this meal was "a little spicy", but was able to eat it (he's 5). As a spice-lover myself, this is very mild. Add a little more Cajun seasoning (or hot sauce) if you like things hot.

Serve it with: On its own as a casserole or “hash” style dinner, with rice, mashed potatoes, quinoa, or crusty bread.

Using uncooked sausage: We recommend using smoked sausage, which has already been pre-cooked. If you would prefer to use uncooked sausage, we highly recommend that you cook it in a skillet before adding it. Sausage is often high in fat, and a lot of that fat renders during the cooking process. Adding it before cooking would mean that there would be greasy pools floating on top, which isn’t appetizing.

*Green beans: Fresh is best, but it can be pricey if they are not in season! You may use frozen (no need for thawing first) or canned in place of the fresh green beans called for in the recipe. If using canned, be sure to drain them first. Using canned beans will result in a more “mushy” texture, but most folks won’t mind.

**Homemade Cajun seasoning: If you don’t have a Cajun seasoning blend, you can use my homemade Cajun seasoning recipe instead. This is what you need to make a small batch (about 5 teaspoons):

1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ ground coriander
¼ dry mustard powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper (or white pepper if available)

Should it be cooked on LOW or HIGH? We tested this recipe using both “low” and “high” settings on a slow cooker, and we preferred the results of those that were cooked for 7-8 hours on low. The potatoes were more tender throughout, and the flavors were more pronounced compared to the testing we did 3.5 hours on “high”. That being said, after it chilled in the refrigerator and was reheated in the microwave, the taste was very similar. It’s all about giving it time to absorb the seasonings.

Storing Leftovers: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. Reheat portions as needed in the microwave until they reach an internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC).

Nutrition