Slow cooker scalloped potatoes free up your oven for the main dish: thin slices of Yukon gold or red potatoes layered with buttery sautéed onion and a creamy cheddar sauce made from cream of chicken soup, heavy cream, garlic and thyme, then cooked low and slow until tender and topped with more melted cheese. The recipe makes a 6-quart crock that serves 8.
How to make them: Soften the onion in butter and stir together the cheese sauce. Layer half the potatoes, a little salt, all the onions and half the sauce in a greased slow cooker, then the rest of the potatoes, salt, sauce and a drizzle of cream. Lay paper towels under the lid to catch moisture and cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours or LOW for 7 to 8, adding the last of the cheese partway through.
Why You’ll Love Them
- Frees the oven: perfect for holidays when the ham or turkey needs the oven.
- Creamy and cheesy: cheddar, cream and soup make a rich sauce.
- Raw potatoes go right in: no par-boiling.
- Feeds a crowd: 8 servings from one slow cooker.
Ingredient Notes
Potatoes: 3 pounds of Yukon gold or red-skinned potatoes, thinly sliced. Waxy potatoes hold their shape better than russets over a long cook.
Onion and butter: half a large onion, thinly sliced and softened in 1 tablespoon of butter.
Cheese sauce: 1 cup of the cheddar, a 10.5-ounce can of condensed cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
To finish: 1/2 cup more cream drizzled on top and the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar near the end.
Salt: 3/4 teaspoon in all, divided between the sauce and the potato layers.
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Ingredients
- 1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 10.5 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup (1 can)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 pounds Yukon gold or red-skinned potatoes, thinly sliced
How to Make Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes
1. Cook the onions. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until they soften slightly, about 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Make the cheese sauce. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together 1 cup of cheddar cheese, cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of heavy cream, garlic powder, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper until well combined.
3. Layer. Grease a 6-quart slow cooker with non-stick spray. Place half of the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker, and season them with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Top with all of the cooked onions, spreading them evenly. Spoon half of the cheese sauce over the onions and potatoes.
4. Add the remaining layers. Add the remaining potato slices on top, season with another 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pour the rest of the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Drizzle 1/2 cup of heavy cream evenly over the top.
5. Cook. Lay a double layer of paper towels over the top of the slow cooker, being careful not to let them touch the potatoes. Cover with the lid to help absorb moisture, which prevents the potatoes from becoming watery. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.
6. Add the cheese. After about 2 1/2 hours of cooking, sprinkle the remaining cheese over the potatoes and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender and the cheese is melted.
Can You Put Raw Potatoes in the Slow Cooker?
Yes. Raw potato slices cook through slowly in the creamy sauce, which is exactly how this recipe works. The keys are slicing them thin and evenly, about the thickness of a coin, and making sure the sauce reaches every layer. Thick or uneven slices leave some potatoes firm while others turn soft.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Thick slices. A mandoline gives thin, even slices that cook at the same rate.
- Skipping the paper towels. Condensation drips back in and makes the sauce watery.
- Using russets. They can fall apart over a long cook; Yukon gold or red potatoes hold up better.
- Lifting the lid too often. Each peek lets out heat and adds time.
- Adding all the cheese at the start. Saving some for later keeps the top melty, not greasy.
Is There a Faster Way to Make Scalloped Potatoes?
The oven is faster: classic oven-baked scalloped potatoes are done in a fraction of the time, and you can speed them up by simmering the sliced potatoes in the cream sauce on the stove for a few minutes before they go into the baking dish. The slow cooker takes longer, but it’s hands-off and keeps the oven free, which is its real advantage on a busy cooking day.
Variations
- Gruyère: use half Gruyère and half cheddar for a richer, au gratin-style flavor.
- Ham: layer diced cooked ham between the potatoes for a one-pot meal.
- Cream of mushroom: swap it for the cream of chicken soup.
- Bacon and chives: sprinkle over the top before serving.
- Crispy top: transfer to a baking dish and broil for a few minutes to brown the cheese.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat covered in the oven or microwave until hot, to 165°F.
What to Serve With Them
Serve them with baked ham, roast chicken, pork chops, meatloaf or steak, plus green beans or a salad.
More potato sides: oven-baked scalloped potatoes, copycat Ruth’s Chris potatoes au gratin, slow cooker glazed herb baby potatoes, Mississippi mud potatoes and roast carrots, potatoes and onions. For a main dish with scalloped potatoes built in, try smothered pork chop scalloped potato casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you do scalloped potatoes in a slow cooker?
Yes. Layer thinly sliced raw potatoes with the cheese sauce and cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours or LOW for 7 to 8.
Can I put raw potatoes in the slow cooker?
Yes, as long as they’re thinly and evenly sliced and covered with sauce.
Why put paper towels under the lid?
They catch condensation so it doesn’t drip back in and thin the sauce.
Can I make them ahead?
Cook them ahead, refrigerate, and reheat covered in the oven until hot.
What potatoes are best?
Yukon gold or red potatoes; they stay creamy and hold their shape.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Final Notes
Slice the potatoes thin, use the paper towel trick and add the last of the cheese partway through. If you try Gruyère or add ham, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 1/2 large onion thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 10.5 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup 1 can
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 3/4 teaspoon salt divided, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to taste
- 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes or red-skinned potatoes thinly sliced
Instructions
- Cook the Onions: In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until they soften slightly, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Make the Cheese Sauce: Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together 1 cup of cheddar cheese, cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of heavy cream, garlic powder, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper until well combined.
- Layer the Ingredients: Grease a 6-quart slow cooker with non-stick spray. Place half of the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker, and season them with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Top with all of the cooked onions, spreading them evenly. Spoon half of the cheese sauce over the onions and potatoes.
- Add Remaining Layers: Add the remaining potato slices on top, season with another 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pour the rest of the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Drizzle 1/2 cup of heavy cream evenly over the top.
- Cook: Lay a double layer of paper towels over the top of the slow cooker, being careful not to let them touch the potatoes. Cover with the lid to help absorb moisture, which prevents the potatoes from becoming watery. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.
- Add the Cheese: After about 2 1/2 hours of cooking, sprinkle the remaining cheese over the potatoes and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender and the cheese is melted.
Notes
Nutrition
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Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
