Creamy, Slow Cooked Scalloped Potatoes – first time and not last.
Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
This is my first time, this curious obsession, of cooking with a slow cooker. For as long as I could remember, I’ve been stalking slow cooker recipes, often wondering how/why/what could possibly be the advantage having a slow cooker. Quite frankly, I’m more fearful of actually pressing a button on an appliance, leaving it on all day and coming home to a burned down house.
My gut feeling has always been to leave the house with everything turned off and I’ve been known to circle back on the freeway to make sure my curling iron was on off. That’s how much of a wimp I am about leaving anything with heat on all day.
Then there’s this talk, I hear, about how a slow cooker can cook things down to a wonderful, flavorful texture. Oh great, so will everything taste like a stew? Gloppy soup?
Then there’s the photographs I see on Pinterest with incredible cheesy, gooooeeey, decant mac and cheese recipes. Obviously their house didn’t burn down during the making of the dishes.
And the photographs of roasts cooked down to the perfect fork-tender texture slay me to eye-popping interest. Well, if they were able to pin this photo, then their house still must be standing up, untouched by fire.
Ok, so I’m comforted to know that people are still alive, standing and cooking food that makes my stomach growl at midnight when I’m browsing Pinterest.
So here I go, and I tell Todd that I want a slow cooker and I want it now. Like, right– now — so I can experiment with a scalloped potatoes recipe for Christmas.
Todd, the most awesome guy in the world, the same guy that will nurture dishes through hours of laborious steps just to get the perfect texture, and who doesn’t judge me nor my secret obsession. We bought a slow cooker that very day.
The first thing I made upon bringing home my first slow cooker (now 3 weeks ago) was a pork rillette dish. My traditional recipe calls for about 4-5 hours of braising the pork over the stove, but it also requires stirring the pot every 30 minutes. I successfully made the dish to tender perfection with only stirring twice. Wow! And the cleanup was super easy.
Now I’m hooked and more curious to find out what type of dish can benefit from this all-day-cooking process with a push of ONE button.
Granted, there are some dishes that I would never cook in the slow cooker because I’m looking for a different flavor and texture. But for anything cheesy or stewy, I’m all for experimenting.
This time, I’ve been intrigued by scalloped potatoes in the slow cooker so that for Christmas, it can stay warm during the feasting without drying out. This is one of those potluck dishes that often dries out and gets cold so fast, that the warm-tender texture of the potatoes has dissipated.
My second slow cooking experiment were these potatoes and it was a super success, resulting in a cheesy, creamy and quickly eaten batch of scalloped potatoes. Best of all, the dish can remain warm, and still gooey, meltingly cheesy throughout the evening.
I’m hooked and look forward to cooking more from the slow cooker. Best of all, my house hasn’t burned down!
Any favorite slow cooker recipes that you have? I’ve love to see. Please leave your link.
Hail to the slow cooker!
-diane
Our Favorite Cookers:
Whether you prefer a slow cooker, pressure cooker, or a multi-cooker, these kitchen counter appliances help make dinner a little easier for the busy household:
The Crockpot 6qt. Slow Cooker – The original slow cooker. On this on the lid locks down which is great for transporting to potlucks and such. Simple, inexpensive and reliable.
Instant Pot Multi-use Pressure Cooker – It has cult-like following for a reason. It’s a pressure cooker and so much more. Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, & Yogurt Maker. It’s awesome! If you want a pressure cooker that has a few more bells and whistles (like hands free steam release), this Breville Pressure Cooker is also great.
Cuisinart Multi-Cooker – If pressure cooking is a not your thing but want a bit more than just a slow cooker, this multi-cooker is perfect for you. It can Sauté, Steam, and Slow Cook. Perfect to create those one pot meals.
Slow Cooker Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds (1.36 kg) Potatoes (1360 g), washed and sliced to about 1/8"-1/4" I kept the skin on but you can peel your potatoes if you please.
- 3.5 cups (830 ml) Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1.5 teaspoons (8 ml) Kosher Salt (based on how salty your cheese is)
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) freshly grated Nutmeg (or 1/4 teaspoon of dry nutmeg)
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) freshly grated Black Pepper
- 2 cups (226 g) grated extra sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 1 cup (100 g) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Instructions
- In large bowl, combine heavy cream, salt, nutmeg, black pepper. Stir well. Add potato slices and gently stir to coat potatoes with cream mixture.In another bowl, combine grated cheeses.
- Spray or add thin layer of oil on inside of crock pot. In three parts, layer potatoes and cheese. **refer to step-by-step photographs.After layering of potatoes and cheese is finished, pour left over cream mixture evenly over potatoes.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours, gently stirring 3 times every 2 hours. When stirring, with wooden spoon, gently scrape the edges inside the slow cooker free of the cheese. When finished stirring, press potato slices down evenly into the cheese sauce.
Thank you for a recipe that doesn’t use canned soup!!!
I plan to try this recipe for a family event. But I was surprised to read the cooking time is 6-8 hours on High. Usually, crock pot recipes (including ones for Scalloped Potatoes) are 6-8 hours on Low or 3-4 hours on High. Was this a typo or ?? Also, I won’t be around during the day, so I won’t be able to stir the ingredients. How critical is this? Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth,
it was a typo, thanks for bringing it to our attention. The edit has been made. As far as stirring, we found that it was very helpful because it allowed the potatoes to cook evenly. When we tested it without stirring much, some of the potato slices on top weren’t as soft and tender as the potato slices that were immersed under the cheese sauce.
Got it. Thanks!
Hi! Trying to make these potatoes, and I’d like to double check the amount of cream – the recipe says both 3.5 cups and 590 mls which are quite different- which do I use? Thanks!
Hi Sara,
Sorry about that. It is for 3/12 cups or 830ml of cream. I mistyped in converting and accidentally converted for 2.5 cups. Thanks for catching that. Hope you enjoy!
This looks like a fabulous recipe which I am anxious to try. However, I need the recipe for a weeknight potluck, and I am at work during the day. Will it hurt the dish not to be stirred every two hours?
Elaine – did you try the recipe? I was also wondering if it would be ok without stirring, since no one would be home to do that during the day. Hope it was successful if you did!
I found your recipe through a Google search and love that they don’t use condensed soup. Made these for Easter dinner for our big family gathering today. Added some garlic and other spices. They were a huge hit – even my potato-hating kids ate them with minimal fuss. Thanks!