Slow Cooker Amish Savory Onion Potatoes

Tender, buttery potatoes slow-cooked with sweet caramelized onions, rich butter, and simple savory seasonings until they are melt-in-your-mouth soft and deeply flavorful — an honest, humble, irresistible side dish straight from the Amish tradition.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 0.5 cups unsalted butter, sliced into pats
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 0.5 teaspoons onion powder
• 0.5 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 0.5 teaspoons dried thyme
• 0.25 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 0.25 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

STEPS

1. Prep the potatoes and onions: Peel and slice the potatoes into even 1/4-inch rounds — uniform thickness ensures they cook evenly throughout. Slice the onions as thinly as possible. Pat the potato slices dry with paper towels to remove excess surface moisture.
2. Season the potatoes: In a large bowl, toss the sliced potatoes with the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and dried rosemary until every slice is evenly coated in the seasoning.
3. Layer the slow cooker: Lightly grease the inside of the slow cooker with butter or cooking spray. Add a layer of seasoned potato slices to the bottom, followed by a layer of sliced onions, a few pats of butter, and a sprinkle of minced garlic. Repeat the layers — potatoes, onions, butter, garlic — until all the ingredients are used up, finishing with a layer of butter pats on top.
4. Add the broth: Pour the chicken broth evenly over the layered potatoes. The broth creates just enough steam to cook the potatoes through without making them watery or soupy — the butter and onion juices do the rest.
5. Slow cook: Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours until the potatoes are completely tender, the onions are silky and sweet, and the butter has melted into every layer. Do not lift the lid during cooking — every peek adds significant time to the cook.
6. Finish and serve: Once done, use a wide spatula to gently scoop the potatoes into a serving dish, keeping the beautiful layers intact as best you can. Spoon any buttery onion juices from the bottom of the slow cooker generously over the top. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve hot.

NOTES Tips: Yukon Gold potatoes are the best choice here — their naturally buttery flavor and creamy texture hold up beautifully through the long slow cook without turning mushy or falling apart the way russet potatoes can. Slicing the potatoes to an even 1/4-inch thickness is important for even cooking — a mandoline makes this quick and effortless. Do not skip the butter pats between the layers — they melt slowly into the potatoes and onions as they cook and create an incredibly rich, savory depth that is the hallmark of this dish. The chicken broth adds just enough moisture to create steam without making the potatoes wet — do not add more than stated or the dish will turn soupy. For extra indulgence, scatter 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese over the top in the last 30 minutes of cooking and let it melt into a golden, cheesy crust. Leftovers reheat beautifully in a skillet over medium heat with a knob of butter until warmed through and lightly crisped on the bottom.