Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes with Cheesy Garlic Sauce
Easy to make and cook, this recipe for slow cooker scalloped potatoes is made with all real foods (no cans), can be made hours ahead, frees up oven space, and most importantly tastes amazing. Perfect for any holiday or special occasion, this crockpot recipe may be your new family tradition!
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I’ve always loved scalloped potatoes, though now that I think about it, it’s not such a huge revelation considering they are covered in sauce and cheese, is it?
Layers of potatoes, creamy white sauce, and cheese – yum.
What I didn’t like, though, was making them – all the slicing, sauce making, layering, layering. Especially while trying to make the rest of a meal and then trying to fit them into the oven when there’s a ham, chicken, or something taking up most of the room (though we usually eat these with ham – it’s a classic combo we love).
So I found I didn’t really make them much.
So when I discovered that you could make scalloped potatoes in a slow cooker it seemed like the perfect solution – get them ready early and then they cook away without taking up oven space.
I found that it was not only easy, but also that making it in advance saved a lot of stress and it turned out fantastic! Like the perfect combo of cheesy, creamy potatoes.
I haven’t made scalloped potatoes any other way in years, even if there is room in the oven!
Note: I just learned (via the Idaho Potato Commission) that “Au Gratin” potatoes contain cheese, whereas scalloped potatoes do not. However, I’ve always called these scalloped potatoes, and it’s too late to change the name now!
Ingredients & Substitutions
My version of this recipe is of course all real food – no “cream of something” soup in sight. I like to add garlic and onions to scalloped potatoes even though it’s not usual – the onions and garlic meld with the potatoes and cheese for even more flavor, which is always a good thing, right?
- Butter
- Flour – this is just to thicken the white sauce, so if you need gluten free you can use cornstarch (see notes section in the recipe card for details).
- Salt and pepper
- Milk – just whatever milk you have, no need for heavy cream like some recipes call for.
- Garlic – technically this is optional since it’s my addition, but it’s really good so I encourage you to try it!
- Shredded cheese – any flavorful cheese is good like sharp cheddar, Fontina (my favorite), Gruyere, Gouda, or a combination is nice, too. I basically use whatever cheese I have on hand, so each time it’s a bit different.
- Potatoes – I have used golden Yukon, red skinned, and russet and they’re all good.
- Onion – again, not technically required, but adds such good flavor.
How to Make Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes
Detailed quantities and instructions are included in the full recipe box below, but here are a few extra tips to help with each step:
Step 1: Slice the potatoes.
Besides using a crockpot, there’s another thing you can do to that makes scalloped potatoes even easier:
Use a mandoline slicer to cut even, uniform slices!
It’s so much quicker than slicing with a knife and when the potatoes are all the same thickness, they cook more evenly.
(I also use a mandoline to shred cabbage for this slaw – I love how the pieces are not mushy at all and are a bit easier to eat. So it really is a tool that I use more than once.)
Step 2: Make sauce.
The sauce is a basic white sauce (butter, flour, and milk) that you add cheese and garlic to.
After melting the butter, you whisk in flour, salt and pepper until it’s combined into a roux.
Then gradually add the milk, about 1/2 cup at a time, whisking over medium heat until the sauce is thickened and bubbly before adding the garlic and part of the cheese (we’ll save the rest for topping).
Step 3: First layer. Arrange half the sliced potatoes in an even layer in a butter crockpot. Sprinkle with all the onions.
Step 4: Sauce layer. Pour half the sauce over the layers, spreading as needed for even coverage.
Step 5: Finish layers. Repeat layering with the remaining potatoes and cheese sauce. End with a sprinkling of the remaining half cup of cheese.
Step 6: Cook. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. You can even make this a few hours before, refrigerate, and then set to cook when you need it.
As for the best cheese to use, my favorite is Fontina which has a nice bite to it. The kids like cheddar the best, but Gruyere, Gouda, or any sharp cheese, really, are all good. Really good.
Take my word for it, you will want to make this for your next holiday gathering, family get together – or just any time you’re craving scalloped potatoes.
Can I slice potatoes for scalloped potatoes the day before?
You can store your sliced, raw potatoes covered with water in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours. Keep submerged to prevent slices from turning gray. However, it’s not recommended for potatoes in a creamy sauce like this, since soaking causes the potatoes to lose some of their starch which is needed to thicken the sauce. You can try it, though and see if it makes any difference.
To Store and Reheat
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
For easy reheating, portions can be reheated in the oven at 325 °F for 20-30 minutes (best results) or in the microwave at 50% power for 3-5 minutes (quickest).
More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
- Moist Slow Cooker Spiced Whole Chicken breast
- Slow Cooker Italian Roast Beef
- 19 Easy Slow Cooker Boneless Chicken Thighs Recipes
- Easy Slow Cooker Curried Barley Recipe with Carrots & Onions
Best Comment
“Made this last night for dinner. It was delicious! So nice to get a side dish ready ahead of time. Like you, I served it with ham and that’s such a great combo. I loved the texture of the potatoes as well as the flavor. Those crispy edges are worth fighting over!” -Norma
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Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes with Cheese & Garlic Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- 5-6 quart slow cooker
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make the cheese sauce:Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Stir the flour, salt and pepper. Gradually add the milk, whisking over medium heat until the sauce is thickened and bubbly. Add the garlic and 1 cup of the cheese, stirring to melt. Remove from the burner and set aside.
- Butter the crock of a 4 to 6 qt. slow cooker. Layer half of the potatoes evenly on the bottom, and sprinkle all of the diced onions over the potatoes. Pour half of the cheese sauce over the layers, spreading as needed to cover all the potatoes.
- Repeat with remaining potatoes and cheese sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over the top.
- Cover and cook on low 6 to 7 hours or on high for 4 hours.**
Notes
Mix 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch with 1.5 tablespoons cold water, then pour into the sauce after adding the milk. Heat until thickened. **Can be made a few hours in advance and refrigerated before cooking (after step 3). Start for 30 minutes on high first, then switch to low (or just add 15-30 minutes to the cooking time on high.) Note: I used to say this could be made the day before, but unless you soak the potatoes, you can get gray, odd-tasting potatoes around the edges. So now I only suggest a few hours before.
Nutrition
This recipe has been updated – it was originally published in 2013, updated in 2016 and again in 2023.
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Made this last night for dinner. It was delicious! So nice to get a side dish ready ahead of time. Like you, I served it with ham and that’s such a great combo. I loved the texture of the potatoes as well as the flavor. Those crispy edges are worth fighting over! Used a Colby jack cheese and also added a few thin slices of sliced cheddar my husband smoked on top. I also added a little paprika on top for color and contrast. I don’t use my slow cooker very often, but this dish makes it worth pulling it out. Had thought about using the slow cooker function on my Instant Pot, but I think the larger surface area of a “crock pot” type cooker is the best. We both really liked this! Only problem is I don’t think we’ll get more than 6 servings out of it, it’s so good! Have looked for a good scalloped/au gratin potato recipe for a long time but so far they all somehow fell short. Not this one! Oh, one other thing is I used Yukon Gold potatoes (about two and three quarters pounds) and did not peel them and you would never know the skins were there (would definitely peel russets though). That step definitely saves some time on the prep. This smells really good cooking too!
I’m so glad you discovered and liked this recipe, Norma! Yes, totally agree that a larger surface area creates those crispy edges. And I love that tip about the yukons – I’ve used them in the dish before but never thought to leave the skins. Totally doing that the next time. 🙂
I tried this dish for Thanksgiving by assembling the day before, then popping into the slow cooker Thanksgiving morning. Smelled great all day, but was I SOOOOO sad that when I took them out to dish them up, the potatoes had all oxidized and were grey and tasted like metal! There were a few at the top that were okay, but most of the dish had to be thrown away. How embarrassing to not have a potato dish to go along with the turkey. I’m not sure why this happened. Does anyone have any advice? Loved the idea of making ahead, but probably won’t try it again.
Bummer, Christine! I know that potatoes will turn gray when cut and exposed to air but why they had a metallic taste is odd – your slow cooker is ceramic, right? I’ve only made it the night before once and a few potatoes on the ends were a bit grayish, but not bad. I did lay plastic wrap directly on top of the last layer. I mostly make this in the morning.
i would definitely say soak your potatoes, which i always do, but especially when leaving overnight. I soak my potatoes in cold water with a little salt (sometimes 1T vinegar instead) then drain well, place on towel lined sheet pan to dry and then proceed with recipe. I always find that when cooking ahead foods need a little pre-love, so i cut my potatoes and BTW I also leave the skins on, rinse them in cold water and let set in water refrigerated if need be. Hope this helps
Can I double the recipe? What would cooking time be?0
I haven’t tried doubling it, Cathy, so I don’t know how much longer it would take, but I assume it would take longer. Sorry.