May 22, 2023
Review RecipeCheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes
These cheesy bacon ranch potatoes are a fantastic choice for a quick side dish when you are short on time. A yummy recipe whose delicious cheese and bacon are irresistible and the whole family will love.
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Smothered in melted cheese, these tender cheesy bacon ranch potatoes are an amazing side dish for any meal. Loaded with crispy bacon and flavored with tangy ranch seasoning, this simple recipe cooks in the slow cooker and is sure to warm up your day.
Do you love flavorful potatoes with ooey gooey cheese? We can help you out with other easy recipes, including our scalloped potatoes, mashed potato casserole, crispy fried potatoes and twice-baked potatoes.
Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes Ingredients
You will need:
- 8 slices of bacon
- 5 pounds red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
- ½ red onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons Ranch seasoning
- 2 tablespoons chives or green onions, chopped
Substitutions And Additions
Jalapeños: For an extra spicy version, add chopped jalapeños to your potatoes.
Ranch Dressing: This recipe will not work with Ranch dressing out of a bottle; it has to be the powdered ranch seasoning mix.
Cheese: This recipe would be delicious with a variety of different cheeses. Try Monterey jack, pepper jack or sharp cheddar cheese. If you wanted extra creaminess, you could even add a few cubes of cream cheese when layering the shredded cheese.
Potatoes: Red potatoes are the best type of potatoes for this recipe, but you could also use russet potatoes, yellow potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes.
How To Make This Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes Recipe
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
If you don’t like the skins on your potatoes, feel free to peel them before adding them to the crockpot. This is a personal preference and won’t affect the taste of the potatoes.
STEP ONE: Place the bacon on a baking sheet (on a rack if possible) and bake in the oven at 400°F for about 10 minutes, until just crispy. Remove and, once cooled enough, chop into small pieces.
STEP TWO: Take a piece of aluminum foil and line the inside of a 7-quart crockpot with extra overhang as you’ll need to fold it back over the top of the potatoes. Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
PRO TIP:
The foil is a must for this dish so that the potatoes do not turn to mush and just steam as they are. It will also make for easy clean up later.
STEP THREE: Before you start layering the ingredients, set aside ½ cup of the cheese in a small bowl for later.
STEP FOUR: Working in layers, add a first layer (⅓) of the potatoes on the bottom of the crockpot. Sprinkle the bottom potatoes with ⅓ of the red onion and ⅓ of the bacon. Dust with ⅓ of the ranch dressing mix, then take ⅓ of the remaining cheese and sprinkle over the top.
STEP FIVE: Repeat with the next two layers. Once finished, use the overhanging foil to close up the potatoes. This will enable the potatoes to be steamed while cooking.
STEP SIX: Place the cover on the crockpot and turn it on high. Cook for 5 to 6 hours.
PRO TIP:
My crockpot takes about 5 hours on high to get the potatoes to where they are fork tender. Yours may need a little more or less time. You can cook on low, expecting about a 7 to 8 hour cooking time.
This recipe can be cut in half if your crockpot is not big enough; my 7-quart was nice and full with these amounts. If you reduce the quantities, you’ll have to reduce the cooking time.
STEP SEVEN: When the potatoes are cooked and you’re ready to serve, open up the foil and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Cover back up and cook for a further 2 minutes until the cheese is melted.
STEP EIGHT: Garnish with chopped chives or green onions and serve.
How To Serve
Loaded bacon cheddar and ranch potatoes are a perfect side dish alongside our grilled chicken, fried pork chops or meatloaf and sauteed vegetables for a hearty meal. Add a dollop of sour cream on top of these delicious potatoes for added creaminess.
MORE POTATOE RECIPES
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: Store these potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Although potatoes can be frozen, there will be a texture change when thawing and reheating. We would not recommend freezing this dish.
This easy slow cooker version of cheesy bacon ranch potatoes are an excellent choice for an easy side dish or main dish the next time you need to keep it simple. A quick crisp in the oven for the potatoes before combining your ingredients and letting the crockpot do the work, and you will come home to a delicious dish that is the ultimate comfort food.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I serve with cheesy bacon ranch potatoes?
This great side dish goes well with almost any entree. Serve it alongside chicken, pork or beef and vegetables for a complete meal.
How do I reheat leftover cheesy potatoes?
You can microwave these potatoes on high for 3 minutes. Top with a bit of extra cheese before heating.
Can you freeze cheesy bacon ranch potatoes?
Freezing this recipe will change the texture of the potatoes, so we do not recommend freezing.
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Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes
These cheesy bacon ranch potatoes are a fantastic choice for a quick side dish when you are short on time. A yummy recipe whose delicious cheese and bacon are irresistible and the whole family will love.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes
Servings 10
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon
- 5 pounds red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Mexican blend cheese, shredded
- ½ red onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons Ranch seasoning
- 2 tablespoons chives, chopped
Instructions
- Place the bacon on a baking sheet (on a rack if possible) and bake in the oven at 400°F for about 10 minutes, until just crispy.
- Remove and, once cooled enough, chop into small pieces.
- Take a piece of foil and line the inside of a 7-quart crockpot with extra overhang as you’ll need to fold it back over the top of the potatoes.
- Spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Before you start layering the ingredients, set aside ½ cup of the cheese for later.
- Working in layers, add a first layer (⅓) of the potatoes on the bottom of the crockpot.
- Sprinkle with ⅓ of the red onion and ⅓ of the bacon.
- Dust with ⅓ of the ranch seasoning, then take ⅓ of the remaining cheese and sprinkle over the top.
- Repeat with the next two layers.
- Once finished, use the overhanging foil to close up the potatoes. This will enable the potatoes to be steamed while cooking.
- Place the cover on the crockpot and turn it on high. Cook for 5 to 6 hours.
- When the potatoes are cooked and you’re ready to serve, open up the foil and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Cover back up and cook for a further 2 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with chopped chives and serve.
Notes
- If you don’t like the skins on your potatoes, feel free to peel them before adding them to the crockpot. This is a personal preference and won’t affect the taste of the potatoes.
- The foil is a must for this dish so that the potatoes do not turn to mush and just steam as they are. It will also make for easy clean up later.
- My crockpot takes about 5 hours on high to get the potatoes to where they are fork tender. Yours may need a little more or less time. You can cook on low, expecting about a 7 to 8 hour cooking time.
- This recipe can be cut in half if your crockpot is not big enough; my 7-quart was nice and full with these amounts. If you reduce the quantities, you’ll have to reduce the cooking time.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 540mg | Potassium: 1098mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 227IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 235mg | Iron: 2mg
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