The Ultimate Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes and Ham: Delight Your Taste Buds Today!

Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

This classic comfort food dish is made with layers of thinly sliced potatoes, ham, and a creamy cheese sauce. It’s easy to make in a slow cooker, and it’s perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion.

To make slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham, you will need the following ingredients:

3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 pound ham, cubed
1 onion, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Place the potatoes, ham, and onion in a slow cooker.
In a bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, heavy cream, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, salt, and pepper.
Pour the sauce over the potatoes and ham.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is bubbly.
Serve hot.

Here are some tips for making the best slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham:

Use a sharp knife to thinly slice the potatoes. This will help them cook evenly.
Don’t overcrowd the slow cooker. If necessary, cook the potatoes and ham in batches.
Cook the potatoes and ham on low for 6-8 hours. This will give them time to become tender and flavorful.
If the sauce is too thick, add a little more chicken broth or milk.
If the sauce is too thin, add a little more flour or cornstarch.

Slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for any occasion. It’s a great way to use up leftover ham, and it’s also a budget-friendly meal.

Key Aspects of Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is a classic comfort food dish that is easy to make and perfect for any occasion. Here are six key aspects of this dish:

Ingredients: The main ingredients in this dish are potatoes, ham, and a creamy cheese sauce.
Cooking method: This dish is cooked in a slow cooker, which makes it easy to prepare and cook.
Flavor: This dish is flavorful and comforting, with a creamy cheese sauce and tender potatoes and ham.
Texture: The potatoes in this dish are tender and creamy, while the ham is flavorful and slightly chewy.
Versatility: This dish can be made with a variety of different ingredients, such as different types of potatoes, ham, and cheese.
Popularity: This dish is a popular comfort food dish that is enjoyed by people of all ages.

These six key aspects highlight the important elements of slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham. This dish is easy to make, flavorful, and versatile, which makes it a popular choice for many people.

Ingredients

The main ingredients in slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham are potatoes, ham, and a creamy cheese sauce. These ingredients are essential to the dish, as they provide the flavor, texture, and richness that make it so popular. Potatoes are the base of the dish, and they provide a starchy, filling base. Ham adds a salty, savory flavor to the dish, and it also provides protein. The creamy cheese sauce brings everything together, adding a rich, velvety texture and flavor. Without these three main ingredients, slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham would not be the same dish. The potatoes would be bland and starchy, the ham would be dry and tough, and the sauce would be thin and watery. The combination of these three ingredients creates a dish that is both comforting and satisfying. It is a perfect meal for a cold winter night, or for any occasion when you want to enjoy a hearty and flavorful meal.

Here are some tips for choosing the best ingredients for slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham:

Use russet potatoes for the best results. They have a high starch content, which will help to thicken the sauce.
Choose a ham that is not too salty. You can always add more salt to taste, but it is difficult to remove salt once it has been added.
Use a good quality cheese for the sauce. A sharp cheddar cheese will give the sauce a rich, flavorful taste.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham will be a delicious and satisfying meal.

Cooking method

Slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is a dish that is cooked in a slow cooker, a type of kitchen appliance that cooks food slowly over a long period of time. This cooking method has several advantages, which makes it ideal for this dish.

Convenience: Slow cookers are very convenient to use. Once you have added the ingredients to the slow cooker, you can simply turn it on and let it cook for several hours. This means that you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time doing other things.
Tenderness: Slow cookers cook food at a low temperature, which helps to tenderize the meat and vegetables. This makes slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham a very tender and flavorful dish.
Flavor development: Slow cookers allow the flavors of the ingredients to develop over time. This results in a dish that is full of flavor.

In addition to these advantages, slow cookers are also a relatively inexpensive kitchen appliance. This makes them a great option for people who are on a budget.

Overall, the slow cooker cooking method is ideal for scalloped potatoes and ham. It is convenient, produces tender and flavorful results, and is budget-friendly.

Flavor

The flavor of slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is one of its defining characteristics. The creamy cheese sauce, tender potatoes, and flavorful ham come together to create a dish that is both comforting and satisfying.

The creamy cheese sauce is a key component of the dish’s flavor. It adds a richness and depth of flavor that complements the potatoes and ham. The sauce is made with a combination of milk, cream, and cheese, and it is seasoned with salt, pepper, and other spices. The sauce thickens as it cooks, and it coats the potatoes and ham in a delicious, flavorful coating.

The potatoes are another important component of the dish’s flavor. They are thinly sliced and cooked until they are tender. The potatoes absorb the flavors of the sauce and the ham, and they become soft and creamy. The potatoes are a starchy vegetable, and they help to thicken the sauce as it cooks.

The ham is the final component of the dish’s flavor. It adds a salty, savory flavor to the dish. The ham is cooked in the slow cooker with the potatoes and the sauce, and it absorbs the flavors of the other ingredients. The ham is tender and flavorful, and it adds a depth of flavor to the dish.

The combination of the creamy cheese sauce, tender potatoes, and flavorful ham creates a dish that is both comforting and satisfying. The flavors of the ingredients complement each other perfectly, and the slow cooker cooking method allows the flavors to develop and meld together. Slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is a delicious and flavorful dish that is perfect for any occasion.

Texture

The texture of slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is an important part of the dish’s overall appeal. The potatoes are tender and creamy, while the ham is flavorful and slightly chewy. This combination of textures creates a dish that is both satisfying and enjoyable to eat.

Tender potatoes: The potatoes in slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham are cooked until they are tender and creamy. This is achieved by cooking the potatoes in a slow cooker on low heat for several hours. The slow cooking process allows the potatoes to absorb the flavors of the other ingredients in the dish, and it also helps to break down the starch in the potatoes, resulting in a creamy texture.
Flavorful ham: The ham in slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is cooked in the slow cooker with the potatoes and the other ingredients. This allows the ham to absorb the flavors of the other ingredients, and it also helps to tenderize the ham. The ham is cooked until it is flavorful and slightly chewy. This slight chewiness adds a nice contrast to the creamy potatoes.

The combination of tender potatoes and flavorful ham creates a dish that is both satisfying and enjoyable to eat. The different textures of the two ingredients complement each other perfectly, and they create a dish that is both comforting and delicious.

Versatility

The versatility of slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is one of its key strengths. This dish can be made with a variety of different ingredients, such as different types of potatoes, ham, and cheese, which makes it a great option for people with different dietary preferences and restrictions.

For example, people who are allergic to dairy can use a dairy-free cheese substitute in the sauce. People who are vegetarian or vegan can use a plant-based ham substitute or omit the ham altogether. People who are on a low-carb diet can use a low-carb potato substitute, such as cauliflower.

The versatility of slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham also makes it a great dish for using up leftovers. For example, if you have leftover ham from a holiday meal, you can use it to make scalloped potatoes and ham. Or, if you have leftover mashed potatoes, you can use them to make a scalloped potato casserole.

The practical significance of understanding the versatility of slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is that it allows you to customize the dish to your own taste and dietary needs. You can also use the dish to use up leftovers, which can save you time and money.

Popularity

The popularity of slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is due to several factors, including its taste, ease of preparation, and affordability. This dish is a comfort food that evokes feelings of nostalgia and warmth, making it a favorite among people of all ages. The slow cooker cooking method makes it easy to prepare, and the dish is relatively inexpensive to make.

Comfort food: Slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is a comfort food that provides a sense of nostalgia and warmth. It is a dish that is often associated with family gatherings and special occasions. The combination of creamy potatoes, flavorful ham, and a rich cheese sauce creates a dish that is both satisfying and comforting.
Ease of preparation: Slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is a very easy dish to prepare. Simply add the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low for several hours. This makes it a great option for busy weeknights or for when you want to spend less time in the kitchen.
Affordability: Slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is a relatively inexpensive dish to make. The ingredients are all affordable, and the dish can be made in bulk to save money.

The popularity of slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is well-deserved. It is a delicious, easy-to-prepare, and affordable dish that is enjoyed by people of all ages. Whether you are looking for a comforting meal or a simple dish to feed a crowd, slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is a great option.

A slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham recipe is a dish made with thinly sliced potatoes, ham, and a creamy sauce, all cooked together in a slow cooker. It is a classic comfort food dish that is easy to make and perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion.

Scalloped potatoes have been around for centuries, but the slow cooker version of the dish is a more recent invention. The slow cooker allows the potatoes and ham to cook slowly and evenly, resulting in a tender and flavorful dish. The creamy sauce adds a richness and depth of flavor to the dish.

There are many different variations of slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham recipes, but the basic ingredients are always the same. Potatoes, ham, and a creamy sauce are the foundation of the dish, and from there, you can add other ingredients to your liking. Some popular additions include cheese, onions, and celery. You can also use different types of potatoes, such as russet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, or red potatoes.

FAQs about Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is a popular comfort food dish that is easy to make and perfect for any occasion. Here are some frequently asked questions about this dish:

Question 1: What is the best type of potato to use for slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham?

Answer: Russet potatoes are the best type of potato to use for slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham. They have a high starch content, which helps to thicken the sauce.

Question 2: Can I use other types of meat besides ham in this recipe?

Answer: Yes, you can use other types of meat in this recipe, such as bacon, sausage, or ground beef. However, ham is the traditional meat used in this dish.

Question 3: Can I make this dish ahead of time?

Answer: Yes, you can make this dish ahead of time. Simply assemble the dish and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to cook, simply place the dish in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Question 4: Can I freeze this dish?

Answer: Yes, you can freeze this dish. Simply place the cooked dish in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. When you are ready to eat, thaw the dish overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat in the slow cooker on low until warmed through.

Question 5: What are some tips for making the best slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham?

Answer: Here are some tips for making the best slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham:

Use a sharp knife to thinly slice the potatoes. This will help them cook evenly.
Don’t overcrowd the slow cooker. If necessary, cook the potatoes and ham in batches.
Cook the potatoes and ham on low for 6-8 hours. This will give them time to become tender and flavorful.
If the sauce is too thick, add a little more chicken broth or milk.
If the sauce is too thin, add a little more flour or cornstarch.

Summary: Slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for any occasion. By following these FAQs, you can make the best slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham possible.

Next: Ingredients for Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Conclusion

Slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham is a classic comfort food dish that is easy to make and perfect for any occasion. This dish is made with thinly sliced potatoes, ham, and a creamy sauce, all cooked together in a slow cooker. The result is a tender and flavorful dish that is sure to please everyone at the table.

In this article, we have explored the key aspects of slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham, including the ingredients, cooking method, flavor, texture, versatility, and popularity. We have also provided answers to some frequently asked questions about this dish.

We hope that this article has given you a better understanding of slow cooker scalloped potatoes and ham. We encourage you to try this recipe for yourself and see how easy it is to make this delicious dish.