Dill Butter Fingerling Potatoes: Easy Slow Cooker Side

These dill butter fingerling potatoes are the easiest melt-in-your-mouth side dish you can make in a slow cooker. Just toss whole fingerlings with butter, garlic, lemon zest, and fresh dill, then let the Crockpot do all the work.

After four hours on low, the potatoes turn creamy inside with slightly wrinkled, buttery skins. A final squeeze of lemon and a shower of flaky salt brightens every bite. Perfect alongside roasted chicken, grilled steak, or a simple green salad.

Slow cooker potatoes are a weeknight hero: dump everything in, walk away, and come back to a fragrant pot of tender spuds. This recipe keeps the ingredient list short and the flavors bright. Whole fingerling potatoes hold their shape during long cooking, so they don’t turn to mush.

The butter melts into a silky sauce, while garlic and dill perfume every crevice. Lemon zest adds a fresh, citrusy note that cuts through the richness. Serve these straight from the pot or transfer to a pretty bowl for company.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

Slow cooking on low heat lets the potatoes cook gently and evenly. The low temperature gives the starch time to soften without breaking down, so the flesh becomes creamy while the skins stay intact.

Because the potatoes cook in their own moisture and the butter, they absorb the flavors of garlic, dill, and lemon zest as they go tender. The result is a side dish that tastes deeply seasoned, not just boiled.

The method is truly dump-and-go. There is no parboiling, no sautéing, and no stirring required. The butter melts and coats the potatoes as they cook, creating a naturally emulsified sauce.

The lemon zest and dill infuse the butter, and the potato starch thickens it slightly, so every piece comes out glistening. It is a hands-off technique that produces a restaurant-quality side with almost zero effort.

Notes and substitutions

Fingerling potatoes are the star here because their thin skins and waxy flesh hold up beautifully during slow cooking. Look for small, evenly sized ones so they cook at the same rate. If you can only find larger ones, cut them in half lengthwise. Unsalted butter lets you control the final salt level; if you use salted butter, reduce or skip the flaky salt at the end.

Fresh dill is non-negotiable for the best flavor, but dried dill can work in a pinch (use about 2 teaspoons). Lemon zest adds a bright, aromatic note that dried zest cannot replicate, so do not skip it. A 6-quart slow cooker is ideal; if yours is smaller, reduce the potatoes to 2 pounds and keep the butter and seasonings the same.

• fingerling potatoes: baby Yukon Gold or new potatoes (halve if larger than 2 inches)
• fresh dill: 2 tsp dried dill, added with the butter, plus extra for garnish
• unsalted butter: salted butter, and reduce or skip the flaky salt at the end
• fresh lemon zest: 1 tsp lemon extract or 1/2 tsp lemon oil (add with the butter)

Equipment

• 6-quart slow cooker
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring spoons
• Mixing spoon
• Serving dish