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Rich and cheesy Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes with Ham turn out perfect every time. Thinly sliced potatoes cook up so tender and the little chunks of ham add the perfect touch to the cheesy, creamy sauce. Perfect for a holiday dinner.
This holiday side dish just got a little easier thanks to the slow cooker!
Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes are a Holiday Must Make!
I’m a sucker for a good cheesy potato situation and these scalloped potatoes in the slow cooker do not skimp on the cheesy sauce or the layers of tender potatoes that melt in your mouth.
We stir in diced ham to add a little salty pop to each bite and the sauce is perfectly seasoned oh so creamy.
Our baked scalloped potatoes have been a long time favorite (hello, it’s the white cheddar that I love so much), but this crockpot recipe is a definite new love of mine.
Using the crockpot to make scalloped potatoes is perfect for holidays when the oven is full of ham or turkey. You still get that cheesy potato goodness and you don’t have to stress about timing everything just right so the oven is free when you need it.
The crockpot is great for making holiday sides, like these crockpot mashed potatoes or crockpot mac and cheese!
♥ What We Love About This Recipe:
- Sauce: Sharp cheddar and heavy cream make for a creamy dreamy sauce that you’ll want to make again and again. We throw in onions and oregano to add a depth of flavor that is just really hard to beat.
- Versatile: If you’ve got leftover ham from a previous meal this recipe is a great way to use it up! Just dice that ham up and add it in with the potatoes and sauce. Of course, you can just buy a little bag of diced ham at the grocery store too.
- Hearty: These scalloped potatoes are great comfort food. With the creamy sauce and savory potatoes and ham it’s a hearty side for weeknight or holiday dinners!
Ingredient Notes:
Yukon Gold Potatoes – We love Yukon Gold potatoes for their creamy, buttery texture and flavor.
Butter – It’s honestly illegal to make potatoes without butter, sorry. We use salted, but unsalted will work fine if you season to taste.
Garlic & Onions – Freshly minced garlic and onion will add flavor.
Flour – Use all-purpose flour to help thicken up the sauce.
Ham – You can dice up some leftover ham (try our crockpot ham!) or buy a bag of diced ham chunks at the store.
Cheddar Cheese – We like the flavor of sharp cheddar in this recipe, but you can use what you have on hand. I sometimes use up the bits of leftover cheese and love a mix of smoked gouda, cheddar, havarti, and gruyere.
Chicken Broth – This will provide most of the liquid for the sauce. I’d recommend using a good quality chicken broth to get the best flavor!
Heavy Cream – Can you swap in whole milk? Probably. We think heavy cream is the way to go here though, for maximum creamy goodness. This is a holiday side dish, after all.
Seasonings – We use dried oregano, paprika, kosher salt, and pepper. You’ll also get big flavor from the garlic and onions in the sauce. Plus fresh parsley for garnish. We love the flavors going on here.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Crockpot Recommendation!
In the market for a new slow cooker? We love this 7 quart Crockpot. It’s simple to use, cooks evenly, and is very budget friendly. Plus, it has a 4 1/2 star rating with over 5,000 reviews on Amazon!
Step by Step Instructions:
Peel and slice the potatoes thinly and uniformly. We use our food processor for this, but a mandoline works as well.
Start the sauce by cooking the onion and garlic in butter in a sauce pan. Once soft, stir in the flour until thickened and then whisk in the broth, cream, and seasonings until the sauce thickens.
Layer 1/3 of the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the crockpot. Pour 1/3 of the sauce over the top with 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat the layers twice more to use up the rest.
Cover and slow cook on low heat for 4 to 5 hours or until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is bubbly. We garnish with some fresh parsley and serve it hot!
Helpful Tip!
Leftovers:
Place any leftovers in a covered dish and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
To reheat, microwave until heated through.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes, you can cook potatoes in a slow cooker. They just need to have some kind of liquid or moisture to cook properly. The creamy sauce will take of that.
We prefer Yukon Gold potatoes for this scalloped potato recipe but you can use other varieties. Yukon gold potatoes have a medium starch level and are buttery and creamy.
More Crockpot Recipes We Love:
- Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
- Crockpot Ribs
- Slow Cooker Cube Steak
- Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
- Crockpot Cabbage Soup
Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 8 ounces diced cooked ham
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Grease the insert of your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray or butter to prevent sticking.
- Wash and peel the potatoes. Slice the potatoes very thinly and uniformly. Consider using a mandolin slicer for best results.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the onion and garlic and cook until translucent. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir constantly to cook the mixture until lightly golden brown, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and heavy cream until smooth. Stir in the dried oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 3-4 minutes.
- Layer one third of the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the greased slow cooker insert. Pour a third of the sauce over the potatoes followed by a third of the cheddar cheese and a third of the ham. Repeat the layers two more times.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 4 to 5 hours, or until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is bubbly and creamy.
- Once cooked, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley for a pop of color and freshness, if desired.
Susan says
How is this recipe without using the ham?
Would like to serve it with BBQ ribs
Karly Campbell says
You can definitely leave the ham out! I would use smoked paprika to add a little of that smoky flavor and add a bit more salt to make up for the ham. 🙂
Mary says
Wonderful! Now I’m looking for the comments from the scalloped versus au gratin police since these have cheese in them. I don’t care but some people make a big deal over it lol
Karly Campbell says
Yes, I know! Cheese is a controversial topic when it comes to scalloped potatoes, but many modern recipes do include cheese. And au gratin potatoes typically have bread crumbs sprinkled over the top, which these do not. So, you could technically call these whatever you want and be right enough (or wrong enough, depending on how strongly you feel about things). Haha!
Jacque Zannini says
Why do you not have reviews? I don’t make a recipe without being able to read some reviews.
Thank you, Jacque
Karly Campbell says
Hi Jacque! I just published this recipe yesterday, so no one has had a chance to review it yet. 🙂