This slow cooker 3-ingredient potato and butter beans recipe is inspired by the kind of humble, filling food my grandmother leaned on during the 1930s. It’s the kind of meal that stretches a few pantry basics into something warm and comforting that can feed a family for just pennies. Everything simmers together in the slow cooker into tender golden potato chunks and creamy butter beans in a simple, starchy broth.
It’s not fancy, but it’s exactly the kind of dinner I love keeping in rotation during a busy workweek here in the Midwest. By the time I’m done with work and everyone’s hungry, having something warm and comforting already waiting in the slow cooker feels like a small miracle.
Serve this potato and butter bean stew straight from the slow cooker into warm bowls with plenty of black pepper on top. It’s perfect with crusty bread, biscuits, or even plain toast for dunking into the light, starchy broth. A simple side salad, steamed frozen veggies, or sliced apples make it feel like a full dinner without much extra work.
Leftovers are great for lunches the next day, and you can ladle it over rice or leftover noodles to stretch it even further.
Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Potato and Butter Beans
Servings: 4
Ingredients
2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth (low-sodium if possible)
Directions
Peel the potatoes and cut them into roughly 1-inch chunks so they cook evenly and get tender without falling apart too much.
Add the potato chunks to the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, spreading them out in an even layer.
Rinse and drain the cooked or canned butter beans, then scatter them over the potatoes in the slow cooker.
