Sprinkle rubbed sage over raw quartered potatoes, alongside 3 simple ingredients, into slow cooker for a hearty springtime dinner that disappears faster than anything else.

This slow cooker sage potato dish is the kind of simple, honest food I grew up with on Midwestern farms—nothing fancy, just potatoes, a gentle hand with herbs, and a few pantry staples. You start with raw quartered potatoes, sprinkle rubbed sage over them right in the slow cooker, then add just three more simple ingredients and let time do the rest. Around here, these remind folks of old Amish suppers: humble, comforting, and somehow the first thing to disappear from the table at a hearty springtime dinner, especially when the weather’s still a bit chilly but the days are getting longer.

Serve these sage potatoes straight from the slow cooker, scooped into a big warm bowl. They pair beautifully with roast chicken, ham, or a simple skillet pork chop, and they soak up the juices from any pan gravy you might have. Add a bright side, like buttered peas or green beans, and maybe a fresh lettuce salad with a light dressing to bring in that springtime feeling. A basket of warm dinner rolls or a slice of crusty bread to mop up the buttery sage drippings never hurts, either.

Servings: 6

3 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with a bit of butter or nonstick spray so the potatoes don’t stick.

Place the raw quartered potatoes into the slow cooker in an even layer, with some wedges resting on top if needed.

Sprinkle the rubbed sage evenly over the raw potatoes, letting it fall from your fingers so it coats the cut sides and skins. Reserve a small pinch to finish at the end if you like.

Sprinkle the salt and black pepper evenly over the sage-dusted potatoes.

Dot the top of the potatoes with the small pieces of butter, tucking a few down between the wedges so they melt down into the potatoes as they cook.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for about 3 hours, until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Once cooked, gently toss the potatoes right in the slow cooker with a wooden spoon or spatula to coat them in the buttery sage juices, being careful not to mash them too much unless you prefer them softer.

Taste and adjust seasoning with a bit more salt, pepper, or the reserved pinch of rubbed sage if desired. Serve hot, spooned into a warm bowl or straight from the slow cooker on the table.

For a creamier version, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup warm heavy cream or whole milk during the last 15 minutes of cooking, just enough to coat the potatoes without turning them into mashed potatoes. If you like a touch of onion flavor, scatter 1/2 of a thinly sliced yellow onion over the potatoes before sprinkling on the sage, keeping the ingredient list simple and familiar. To lean into a more traditional Amish-style table, you can add 1/4 cup chicken broth at the beginning for a slightly saucier dish that’s wonderful spooned alongside roast chicken or ham. Yukon Gold potatoes will give you a buttery, tender texture, while russets will be a bit fluffier and more likely to break up—both are good, just different. For a slightly richer taste, use salted butter and reduce the added salt a bit. Leftovers reheat well in a covered skillet with a splash of water or broth; you can also crisp them in a cast-iron pan the next morning to serve with eggs, turning them into sage breakfast potatoes.