These Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes and Ham are creamy, cheesy, and the ultimate comfort food. Tender layers of thinly sliced Yukon Gold potatoes and diced ham cook low and slow in a rich, cheesy white sauce made from scratch, with no canned soup needed. With just 10 minutes of prep, your slow cooker does all the work while you get the rest of dinner ready (or put your feet up!).
This is one of my favorite ways to use leftover ham after Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, and it’s hearty enough to serve as a main dish or a holiday side. If you love scalloped potatoes as much as we do, try my Creamy Scalloped Potatoes, Gruyere Scalloped Potatoes, Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes, or these Scalloped Potatoes with Bacon
Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
If you’re looking for a simple comfort food side dish that everyone will love, look no further than these crock pot scalloped potatoes. After just about 10 minutes of prep, you can set your slow cooker and forget it while you cook something else, or just relax!
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This is also one of my favorite leftover ham recipes. They’re absolutely perfect for making after Easter or Christmas when you don’t want to eat anymore leftover ham sandwiches.
If you want to go vegetarian, just substitute veggie stock and skip the ham. Serve alongside your favorite proteins, or any of the recipes listed below for a meal the whole family will love.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The slow cooker does almost all the work. After about 10 minutes of prep, the thinly sliced potatoes cook low and slow until tender—freeing up your oven and making this especially convenient for holiday meals.
- Sour cream and two cheeses make them extra creamy. Parmesan adds salty sharpness, cheddar gives you plenty of melty cheese, and sour cream creates a rich sauce with just a little tang.
- It’s a delicious way to use leftover ham. Leftover holiday ham cooks right alongside the potatoes, cheese, and fresh thyme, turning a simple scalloped potato side into something hearty enough to be a meal.
What to Serve with Scalloped Potatoes
A yummy potato casserole side dish like this will really pair well with just about any type of protein. For holidays, we like to serve with something classic like Herb-Roasted Turkey, Herb Crusted Top Round Roast or Simple Oven-Baked Chicken Breast.
You also can’t go wrong by pairing with any of the following:
Key Ingredients
- Potatoes – you can use raw potatoes – no need to precook them! Yukon Gold potatoes are great in scalloped potato dishes because they hold their shape very well and don’t fall apart during the long baking process. You could also try this with Red Potatoes. Peeled or unpeeled – it’s up to you.
- Chicken Broth – we use chicken broth but you can substitute veggie broth if you want to make this a vegetarian side dish (minus the ham, of course).
- Ham – anything from leftover ham to deli ham will work.
- Sour Cream – this will give your scalloped potatoes a little extra creaminess and a nice tart flavor. You can substitute heavy cream if you’d like.
- Parmesan Cheese – this adds some sharpness and a bit of salty flavor.
- Cheddar Cheese – you can use any kind of cheddar cheese that you’d like.
- Thyme – this is my favorite herb. It’s also really easy to grow! In a pinch, dried thyme will also work.
How to Make Scalloped Potatoes and Ham in a Crock Pot
- Prep the potatoes. Wash your potatoes then peel if you prefer (or leave the skins on) and slice into 1/8″ even slices. Spray the inside of your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray, then add the potatoes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Add the chicken broth, ham, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, fresh thyme and salt. Mix to combine, then sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese over the top.
- Cook. Put the lid on and set your slow cooker to low. Cook for 5-6 hours, depending on how hot your slow cooker bakes. The scalloped potatoes are done when the potatoes are soft and can easily be cut with a fork.
- Serve. Once finished cooking, either set to warm or turn off the slow cooker and serve. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- You can use any kind of ham in this recipe including leftover ham, deli ham or even ham that has been frozen. It’s a very forgiving recipe!
- Spraying your slow cooker with non-stick spray will help keep the potatoes from sticking from the sides of the crockpot a little more.
- If you are short on time, you can cook this recipe on high for about 3 hours.
- Check on your potatoes occasionally. Slow cookers have different cooking times. Some slow cookers get much hotter than others.
- Use a mandolin if possible. This is one of those tools that will simplify your life so much, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it. They are very affordable, too, and can be used for all sorts of purposes. In this recipe, it’s very important to slice your potatoes as evenly as possible so that you don’t get some bites that are over-cooked and some that are still raw.
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham Variations
This recipe is easy to switch up depending on what you have on hand:
- Classic with onions. Layer 1 thinly sliced yellow onion between the potatoes for that old-fashioned scalloped potato flavor.
- Extra cheesy. Swap the cheddar for Gruyère or a mix of Gruyère and sharp cheddar for a rich, au gratin–style dish. Love Gruyère? Try my Gruyere Scalloped Potatoes.
- Bacon instead of ham. Use 8 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon in place of the ham. Here’s my full recipe for Scalloped Potatoes with Bacon.
- Broccoli and ham. Stir in 2 cups of small broccoli florets during the last hour of cooking for a complete one-pot meal.
- Spicy. Use pepper jack cheese and add a diced jalapeño or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Leftover turkey. After Thanksgiving, swap the ham for diced leftover turkey.
- Vegetarian. Skip the ham and use vegetable broth.
- Crispy top. If your slow cooker insert is oven-safe, sprinkle with extra cheese and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This recipe doesn’t use any canned soup. The creamy white sauce is made with chicken broth, sour cream, Parmesan and cheddar cheese, so it tastes homemade and fresh.
Yukon Gold potatoes are my favorite because they hold their shape during the long cooking time and have a naturally buttery flavor. Red potatoes also work well. I don’t recommend russets for the slow cooker, since they can break down and get mushy.
Nope! Raw potatoes go right into the slow cooker. Just slice them evenly, about ⅛ inch thick, so they all cook at the same rate. A mandoline makes this quick and easy.
Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Every slow cooker heats a little differently, so start checking at the earliest time.
A 6-quart slow cooker is perfect for this recipe. A 5-quart works too, but the layers will be thicker, so it may need a little extra cooking time.
Uneven slices are the most common cause, since thicker slices take longer to cook. Make sure all the potatoes are coated in the sauce, and keep the lid on while cooking. Every time you lift the lid, you let heat escape.
Dairy can sometimes separate during long cooking. Using full-fat sour cream and cooking on low instead of high helps keep the sauce smooth and creamy.
Yes. Slice the potatoes the night before and store them covered in cold water in the fridge so they don’t turn brown. Mix the sauce and refrigerate it separately. In the morning, drain and pat the potatoes dry, layer everything in the slow cooker, and cook as directed.
I don’t recommend it. Potatoes and dairy-based sauces can turn grainy and watery once thawed. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Any cooked ham works: leftover holiday ham, ham steak or deli ham. It’s one of my favorite ways to use up leftover Easter or Christmas ham!
Sure! Preheat your oven to 400°F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange half of the potatoes and ham in the bottom of the dish so they overlap slightly, then pour half of the white sauce over the top. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, ham and sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until golden and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator: Store covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To reheat in the oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and let your baking dish come to room temperature. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and reheat slowly until warmed through (about 25-35 minutes).
- To reheat in the microwave: For individual portions, transfer to a microwave-safe dish and reheat on high for about 1 minute.
Pro Tips:
- Spray your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray to make cleanup easier.
- A mandoline slicer makes consistent, thin slices and saves time. Just be careful with your fingers! Aim for slices that are about 1/8″ thick.
- Use full-fat sour cream for the creamiest potatoes.
- Use leftover holiday ham or deli-sliced ham. Either works great.
- Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes work best.
- Layer the potatoes with the sauce so you ensure the sauce covers all the potatoes.
- Freshly grated cheese melts smoothly.
- You can also swap in different kinds of cheddar, parmesan, or gruyere.
Slow Cooker Ham and Cheese Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes, sliced 1/8"
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup ham, diced
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, (divided)
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme, fresh chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Spray the inside of your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray, then add the washed and sliced potatoes to the bottom.
- Top with the chicken broth, ham, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, fresh thyme and salt. Mix to combined, then sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese over the top.
- Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours, or until the potatoes are soft and can easily be cut with a fork.
- Once finished cooking, either turn the setting to warm or turn off the slow cooker and serve. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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These Ham and Cheese Scalloped Potatoes take only a few minutes to throw together in the slow cooker and are creamy, cheesy and packed with flavor. Creamy white sauce over slow-cooked scalloped potatoes and ham is a recipe the entire family will love.
Categories:
Christmas, Crockpot, Easter, Fall Recipes, Holiday Favorites, Nut-Free, Potatoes, Sides, Spring Recipes, Summer Recipes, Thanksgiving, Winter Recipes,
I see the nutritional info is provided, but what is the serving size?
What is the serving size to get 259 calories listed in nutrition info?
I estimated about 1/2 cup serving per person to get 8 servings.