Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes and Ham is a comfort food dish that can be dinner on its own or a luxurious side dish! I love making this anytime we have leftover ham. I've even used leftover Christmas or Easter ham to make this as a brunch dish the next day. The whole family loves it!
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This hearty, creamy homemade scalloped potatoes and ham dish is so satisfying! It's a simple "meat and potatoes" meal that definitely qualifies as comfort food. Our family loves and craves the tender, creamy potatoes, chunks of ham, and cheesy sauce. Try this one and let us know how you like it!
If you love cheesy scalloped potatoes and ham, be sure to try my other slow cooker potato recipes like Crack Potatoes, Beef and Potato Taco Casserole, and Hamburger and Potato Casserole.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Effortless Cooking: Once the potatoes are sliced, the slow cooker is going to do most of the work for you! You don't have to parboil the potatoes or make the sauce separately; it's all going into the same pot together.
- Pantry Staples: You might already have some of the ingredients in your pantry for this recipe. It's a great way to use up leftover ham and soup cans you have around.
- Crowd Pleaser: This recipe is a hit with kids and adults alike. No one can resist this comfort food dish!
Ingredients
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: Starchy, smooth, buttery Yukon gold potatoes are the best taste and texture for these scalloped potatoes. Slice them thin (about ⅛ inch) so that they cook evenly.
- Ham: Cut up cubes of ham give this dish plenty of protein and delicious, hearty flavor. You can use leftover ham or pick up ham steaks from the deli.
- Cream of Celery Soup and Cream of Chicken Soup: Creamy soup is used as the base of the sauce. You'll want to get one 10.5 ounce can of both celery and chicken soup. This makes the sauce thick without needing to make a homemade roux.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream adds a little tanginess to cut through the richness of the dish.
- Cheddar Cheese: Cheddar cheese is what really makes this dish irresistible. I used sharp cheddar but you could also use white cheddar, Monterey Jack or a Mexican cheese blend.
- Yellow Onion and Garlic: Infuse the dish with more flavor and really bring out all of the flavors as they slow cook.
- Seasonings: I used paprika, black pepper, and dried thyme for a subtle smokiness and earthy notes that complement the potatoes and ham.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Add Veggies: Throw in some sauteed mushrooms and diced bell peppers for more flavor, texture, and nutrition.
- Add Bacon: Crumbled bacon goes really well if you want more richness. You could also put green onions and a bit of sour cream on top, like a loaded baked potato.
- Use Honey-Glazed Ham: If you have leftover honey-glazed ham after the holidays, use it in this!
How to Make Scalloped Potatoes and Ham in the Crock Pot
Begin by gathering all of your ingredients and slicing the potatoes. You will also want to spray the inside of your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray or use a crockpot liner.
- Step 1: Prepare the Cheese Sauce Mix. Mix together the cream of celery soup, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, diced onion, minced garlic, paprika, black pepper, dried thyme, and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese in a bowl until you have a smooth, well-blended sauce.
- Step 2: Layer the Ingredients. Spread half of the thinly sliced potatoes evenly across the bottom, then top with half of the cubed ham. Pour half of your prepared cheese sauce over this first layer. Repeat the process with the remaining potatoes, ham, and cheese sauce.
- Step 3: Cook Low and Slow. Cover your slow cooker with the lid and set it to cook on high for 5-6 hours. The potatoes should become tender but not mushy when they are done.
- Step 4: Add the Final Cheese Topping. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheddar cheese over the top of the potatoes when there's 10 minutes left to cook. The residual heat will melt the cheese. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving for a pop of color and fresh flavor.
Hint: Use a Mandoline to Slice the Potatoes
Use a mandoline to slice the potatoes so that they are evenly cut and will cook evenly in your slow cooker. The tool also makes slicing them faster and easier.
Expert Tips
- Uniform Potato: Slicing the potatoes evenly helps them cook evenly so that there are no undercooked or mushy pieces.
- Use Yukon Golds: Yukon Gold potatoes seem to hold their shape better than russet potatoes for this recipe.
- Sauce Thickness: If the cheese sauce seems too thick, add a little milk or cream to thin it out a bit.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The creamy sauce may thicken slightly when chilled, but it shouldn't affect the flavor.
- Reheating: For best results, reheat individual portions in the microwave on medium power for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even heating. For larger portions, reheat in a 325°F oven, covered with foil, for about 20 minutes or until heated throughout.
- Make Ahead: This recipe is great for meal prep! You can assemble all the layers in your slow cooker the night before, cover, then refrigerate overnight. In the morning, place the insert into your slow cooker base and cook according to the recipe directions, adding about 30 minutes to the cooking time since you're starting with cold ingredients.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy slow cooker potatoes with ham dish is versatile. You can have it as a simple weeknight meal, a holiday gathering like Easter, Christmas, or Thanksgiving, or for a lovely Sunday dinner with the whole family.
- Pair the creamy potatoes and ham with a simple green salad, garlic bread, and cooked collard greens for a well-rounded meal.
- Enjoy as the main dish and pair with slow cooker side dish ideas like crockpot cornbread, corn casserole, and crockpot Brussels sprouts.
- Serve the potatoes and ham as a side dish with crockpot meatloaf and make slow cooker cherry cobbler for dessert.
- For a breakfast or brunch version of this recipe, serve with crockpot cinnamon rolls and slow cooker breakfast casserole.
More Delicious Potato Recipes
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Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes sliced thin
- 2 cups cooked ham cubed
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of celery soup
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 3 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine cream of celery soup, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, onion, garlic, paprika, salt, black pepper, thyme, and 1 cup of cheese. Mix until well combined.
- Spray the bottom of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Evenly spread half of the potatoes in the bottom and top with half of the diced ham. Then top with half of the cheese sauce. Repeat layers one more time.
- Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours.
- Ten minutes before cook time is over, sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and cover until melted.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Notes
- Slice the potatoes with a mandoline for uniform thickness to ensure they cook evenly.
- Layer the ingredients so that they're evenly distributed.
- Spray your slow cooker with non-stick spray so nothing sticks and cleanup is a breeze.
- Choose Yukon gold potatoes over russets for this recipe as they hold their shape better during slow cooking.
- Adjust the sauce consistency if needed by adding a splash of milk or cream if your cheese mixture seems too thick.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate. It may vary based on ingredients, brands, and changes in cooking methods listed in the recipe. If you need exact ingredient numbers, I recommend calculating them with your preferred nutrition calculator.
Heidi | The Frugal Girls says
I love this! Easy enough for a weeknight dinner and fancy enough for holidays!
Ryan Allen says
Thanks! I hope you really enjoy it.