Slow Cooker Amish Kielbasa Potatoes

Need a comforting dinner with almost zero prep? These slow cooker amish kielbasa potatoes will save your weeknight. It’s a hearty, rustic dish that combines smoky sausage and tender baby potatoes in a perfectly sweet and tangy glaze. Simply dump everything in the crockpot in the morning and come home to a mouthwatering aroma filling your house.

I lean on this particular recipe as the weather cools and we need a meal that really sticks to your ribs. Amish-style sauce uses a few basic pantry items to achieve a ton of flavor without any fuss. It’s the perfect hands off dinner for when you have zero energy to cook.

Don’t let the small ingredient list trick you though, because the flavors are anything but small. Slow cooking allows the potatoes to absorb all the rich pan juices and become fork-tender. Everyone will be scraping their plates clean and begging for more.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This is a huge time saver because it eliminates the step of browning the meat on the stovetop and instead goes straight into your slow cooker. All you do is toss in the sliced meat and raw potatoes, pour the sauce on top, and let the slow cooker work its magic. It will gently cook the potatoes to perfection while the sausage becomes plump, eliminating the need to stand over a hot stove or wash a bunch of pots.

One of the main reasons I love this recipe so much is the unique Amish sweet and sour glaze. The tartness from the apple cider vinegar perfectly offsets the rich sausage fat, while the addition of brown sugar creates a sweet, sticky, caramelized crust. It achieves an incredible depth of flavor using just a few inexpensive ingredients from the pantry.

What You Need

To make this rustic, no-fuss dinner, you’ll need sliced smoked kielbasa, baby potatoes, sweet yellow onion, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar.

Smoked Kielbasa

By using a fully cooked smoked kielbasa, you add a ton of flavor to the dish without any additional work. Slice it up into thick rounds and it will infuse the potatoes with its delicious seasoning as it slowly cooks. If you want a leaner alternative, a high quality smoked turkey or chicken sausage is a great substitution.

Baby Potatoes

Waxy baby potatoes are the ideal choice here as they retain their form well after several hours of slow cooking. You don’t even need to peel them; just put them whole or halved in the slow cooker for the simplest prep possible. If all you have are big Russet potatoes, just peel and chop them up into big chunks so they won’t get too soft in the sauce.

Apple Cider Vinegar

This everyday ingredient gives the classic taste of Amish food – it adds a bit of tang to offset the sweetness of the brown sugar and cuts the richness of the smoky sausage. If you don’t have any apple cider vinegar, regular white wine vinegar or even rice vinegar will do the trick.

How to Make Slow Cooker Amish Kielbasa Potatoes

Get your slow cooker and let’s get this easy, comforting dinner rolling!

Prepare the Ingredients

Wash the baby potatoes and leave them whole, or cut them in half if they’re large. Slice your smoked kielbasa into thick, bite-sized pieces at an angle.

Load the Slow Cooker

Add the baby potatoes and kielbasa to the bottom of a large slow cooker. Sprinkle the chopped sweet onion over the meat and potatoes.

Mix the Sauce

In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard and water until mixed. Pour the mixture over the contents of the slow cooker.

Slow Cook

Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6-7 hours. You want to cook it until the potatoes are completely fork-tender and deeply infused with the savory sauce.

Toss and Serve

Once cooked, gently mix the contents of the slow cooker to coat the potatoes and sausage. Serve the dish immediately while it is piping hot and incredibly fragrant.

My Top Recipe Tips

To make sure the baby potatoes cook evenly, try to buy them in similar sizes. If you have a few huge ones, cut them in half so they’ll cook at the same rate as the others. This ensures all the potatoes are cooked through and there are no crunchy bites.

If you like a more coating-like consistency for the glaze, you can add a little extra thickness to the sauce before serving. Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with a bit of cold water and stir into the crockpot. Continue to cook on high heat for about 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Don’t be tempted to pour in too much additional liquid to the pot at the beginning of the cooking process. As the onions and potatoes slowly break down, they’ll release their juices. Adding too much water will result in a soupy mess rather than a delicious sticky sauce.

Storage and Reheating

• Store: Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: This dish freezes well for up to 2 months. Simply place in a freezer-safe bag and thaw overnight before reheating.
• Reheat: Gently reheat in the microwave or quickly sauté in a skillet to re-crisp the edges of the sausage.

Serving Suggestions

• A side salad with light vinaigrette dressing.
• Soft rolls to sop up all the sweet and sour sauce.
• Steamed green beans with garlic salt.
• A side of sweet, slow-cooked cinnamon apples.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cook this on the high setting?

Yes! Just reduce the cook time to 3-4 hours, checking that the potatoes are completely soft before turning off the slow cooker.

Can I brown the sausage first?

Yes! Although this step isn’t mandatory, browning the sausage in a pan before putting it in the slow cooker gives the meat a nice caramelized flavor.