marilynpeight
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These cheesy scalloped potatoes are loaded with cheddar or blended cheeses and topped with crispy bacon bits. Not to mention that creamy, soup-less sauce with a nice herb and parmesan flavor, all done to soft perfection in the crockpot! We love these slow cooker scalloped potatoes with citrus and pineapple glazed ham or meat balls If you prefer you can add a salad and call it a meal! See below the recipe for more photos and notes.
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Cheesy Bacon Scalloped Potatoes (slow cooker)
Equipment
- Large skillet (linked below)
- Metal whisk (linked below)
- Pyrex measuring cup (linked below)
- 4 qt. crockpot (linked below)
- Chef's knife (linked below)
Ingredients
- 6 med-large Russet potatoes
- salt
- ground black pepper
For the Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons butter salted
- 3 tablespoons flour heaping
- 2 3/4-3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt (or to taste)
Toppings:
- Shredded cheddar cheese or cheese blend of your choice
- cooked and crumbled bacon *see notes below.
- Fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Make the sauce by melting 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Whisk flour into the melted butter until smooth and well combined, then add 2 3/4 cups milk and bring to a light boil, stir rapidly until thickened. Add more milk as needed to get the right consistency (the sauce should be somewhat thick, yet smooth). Stir in the parmesan cheese and seasonings, then remove from heat.
- Peel and thinly slice the potatoes, then place half of the slices in a layer on the bottom of a 2.5-4 quart crockpot/slow cooker. Season the potatoes liberally with salt and pepper and then pour 1/2 of the sauce evenly over the potatoes and add a layer of shredded cheese.
- Repeat the layering of the potatoes, salt, pepper, sauce and cheese, then cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours (cooking times may vary).
- Once the potatoes have softened to your preference, top with crumbled bacon and fresh parsley (optional). Allow to cool slightly and enjoy!
Notes
Equipment I recommend using for this recipe:
- Metal handled Whisk I really like metal handled whisks because of how nicely they dry out after being washed, not to mention how sturdy they are.
- 4 Quart Crockpot I use a basic crockpot, similar to the one linked, for all of my recipe testing and love how handy it is to prep meals ahead so that I can be present for my Toddlers with after nap-time crankies!
- Chef’s Knife having a nice and sharp chef’s knife makes slicing those potatoes to perfection so much easier!
- Pyrex glass measuring cups Pouring milk into the sauce is so much easier and less messy if you use a glass measuring cup with a pour spout.
- Large Skillet A large skillet with a lid is great to keep on hand for sauces, frying up chicken, sauteing green beans and much more!
Step one: Melt butter and then whisk in the flour. Add milk and bring to a light boil to thicken. Add parmesan and seasonings last.
I prefer to use a good 3 heaping tablespoons of flour. Because our levels of heaping may vary, I recommend adding milk slowly until you get the right smooth and somewhat thick consistency. The slow cooker cooks with more of a moist heat than the oven so I would avoid making the sauce too thin as it will only thicken slightly in the crockpot. Image of the final product below.
I prefer to use whole milk in this recipe. If using 2 percent you may wish to add more grated parmesan or simply add less milk to get the sauce smooth and adequately thickened.
Step 2: Prepare the potatoes and place them in a crockpot in an even layer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
My preference is to use Russet potatoes, but any baking potato will do.
Step 2-3: Add the sauce and cheese, repeat the layer, then cover and cook on high or low to preference.
I used Mexican style shredded cheese in this recipe, any cheddar or cheese blend will work as well.
Step 4: Add Toppings and enjoy!!
If you like your potatoes extra saucy, the sauce mixture can be adjusted. I have made the sauce with 4 Tbsp. butter, 4 heaping Tbsp. flour, 4 cups milk, extra seasoning and parmesan. My personal opinion was that they seemed soupy, but my husband loved them!
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