Slow Cooker Potato and Onion Bake

 I like to serve this slow cooker potato and onion bake straight from the crock, spooned into shallow bowls so the buttery gloss coats every slice. It’s hearty enough to stand alone with a slice of crusty bread or a pan of cornbread for soaking up the buttery juices. On lean days, we eat it just as it is; on more generous nights, it makes a wonderful bed for a fried egg, a few slices of leftover sausage, or a scoop of cottage cheese. A simple side of green beans, coleslaw, or a crisp salad adds a bit of freshness alongside this rich, old-fashioned comfort.

 Ingredients

3 tablespoons salted butter, melted (plus a little extra for greasing the slow cooker)

2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced (about 1/8-inch thick)

2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced (about 1/8–1/4-inch thick)

Directions

Prep Slow Cooker: Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with a bit of butter to keep the potatoes from sticking and to add extra flavor.

Prep Potatoes: Peel the potatoes if you like (or scrub them well and leave the skins on for a more rustic bake). Slice the potatoes into thin rounds, about 1/8-inch thick, so they cook evenly and become tender all the way through.

Prep Onions: Peel the onions, then slice them in half from root to tip. Lay each half flat and cut into thin slices, about 1/8–1/4-inch thick, so they soften and caramelize as they cook.

Butter Bottom: Drizzle 1 to 2 teaspoons of the melted butter into the bottom of the slow cooker and tilt the crock so it coats the surface.

First Layer: Add a single, even layer of potato slices to the bottom of the slow cooker, overlapping them slightly like shingles. Sprinkle a loose handful of sliced onions over the potatoes, spreading them out so they cover the surface.

Butter & Season: Drizzle a teaspoon or so of melted butter over this layer, letting it sink down between the slices. If you normally cook with salt and pepper, you may add a light pinch now, but the recipe is designed to be satisfying even without extra seasonings.

Repeat Layers: Repeat the layering process: potatoes, onions, and a light drizzle of melted butter, building up until all the potatoes and onions are used. Finish with a final drizzle of any remaining melted butter over the top so the upper layer turns glossy and golden as it cooks.

Cook: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for about 3 to 4 hours, until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork and the onions are soft, translucent, and lightly caramelized around the edges.

Rest: Once cooked, let the potato and onion bake rest with the lid off for about 10 minutes. This allows the steam to settle and the buttery juices to thicken slightly, giving the potatoes a rich, glossy finish.

Serve: To serve, scoop down through all the layers so each portion has both potatoes and onions. Spoon any buttery juices from the bottom of the crock over the top of each serving for extra flavor and moisture.