These 3-ingredient slow cooker sunny discs are my lazy-weekend secret for getting a cozy, picnic-ready side dish on the table without heating up the whole kitchen. Canned sliced potatoes get slow-bathed in a glossy, savory-sweet glaze that turns them into tender little morsels—almost like mini roasted potatoes, but with zero oven time. I started making these on hot summer Saturdays when I didn’t want to babysit the stove, and now they’re my go-to for potlucks, cookouts, or any time I want something that basically cooks itself while I’m off doing a million other things.
Serve these sunny discs straight from the slow cooker on warm, spooned into a shallow bowl so all that dark, glossy glaze can pool around the potatoes. They’re perfect next to grilled burgers, brats, or BBQ chicken at a picnic, and they also love simple sides like a crisp green salad, sliced tomatoes, or buttery corn on the cob. For a heartier plate, pair them with roasted or deli rotisserie chicken and a crunchy slaw. They travel well in the crock for potlucks—just set the slow cooker to warm at the picnic table and let everyone scoop as they go.
3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Sunny DiscsServings: 4
Ingredients
2 (15-ounce) cans sliced potatoes, drained well
1 cup thick barbecue sauce (your favorite brand)
1/4 cup salted butter, cut into small pieces
Directions
Lightly grease the inside of a small to medium slow cooker (about 3–4 quarts) with a bit of butter or nonstick spray to help prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
Drain the canned sliced potatoes very well, gently pressing the lid against the can to remove as much liquid as possible so the glaze doesn’t get watered down.
Pour about one-third of the barbecue sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker and spread it out to create a thin base layer of sauce.
Add half of the drained sliced potatoes in an even layer over the sauce, arranging them like little overlapping discs so they cook evenly.
Dot half of the butter pieces over the potatoes, spacing them out so they can melt down between the slices.
Spoon another third of the barbecue sauce over this layer of potatoes and butter, spreading it gently with the back of the spoon so most of the potatoes are lightly coated.
Repeat with the remaining potatoes in an even layer, then dot with the remaining butter pieces on top.
Finish by drizzling the last third of the barbecue sauce evenly over the top layer of potatoes, making sure most of the surface is covered so it can turn into a dark, glossy glaze as it cooks.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, or on HIGH for about 2 hours, until the potatoes are very tender and the sauce has thickened into a shiny, dark, savory glaze that lightly coats the slices.
Once cooked, gently stir just the top layer to baste the potatoes with the glaze, being careful not to break them up too much—you still want visible discs swimming in the sauce.
Switch the slow cooker to WARM if you’re serving later, and keep the lid on until ready to serve. For a picnic, unplug and carefully transport the covered crock; plug back in and set to WARM at your destination if power is available.
Stir again right before serving so each scoop gets plenty of the dark, glossy glaze along with the tender sunny discs.
Variations & Tips
To change up the flavor without adding extra ingredients, the easiest swap is the barbecue sauce—use smoky, spicy, honey, or even a tangy mustard-style sauce depending on what you’re serving. If you want more of a sweet-and-savory vibe, choose a sweeter BBQ sauce; for something that leans more toward classic roast potatoes in gravy, use a thicker, more savory sauce. You can also experiment with different canned potato cuts, like thick sliced or even canned whole potatoes that you slice yourself, but keep the total weight about the same so the glaze ratio still works. For a slightly crisper edge on top, you can transfer the cooked potatoes and some of the glaze to a broiler-safe dish and broil for a few minutes before serving, though this does add oven time and heat to the kitchen. If you need to stretch the recipe for a crowd, add an extra can of potatoes and bump the barbecue sauce to 1 1/2 cups and butter to 1/3 cup; cook time may increase slightly. Food safety tips: Always drain the canned potatoes well so extra liquid doesn’t keep the dish in the temperature “danger zone” too long. Cook on LOW or HIGH as directed until the potatoes are piping hot all the way through and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Keep the slow cooker covered and on the WARM setting (above 140°F) if you’re holding the dish for more than 1–2 hours. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of serving, store in a shallow container, and reheat thoroughly before eating.
