This is the kind of poor man’s scalloped potatoes I leaned on when the kids were little, the pantry was thin, and I still wanted something that tasted like a Sunday supper. You start with raw sliced potatoes right in the bottom of the slow cooker and add just four other basic pantry ingredients—no fancy cheeses, no canned soups, just the sort of things most Midwestern cupboards always seem to have. It’s a humble, stick-to-your-ribs dish that reminds me of the farm kitchens I grew up around, where a pot of potatoes could stretch to feed a crowd and nobody went home hungry.
Serve these slow cooker scalloped potatoes as a main dish with a simple green salad or steamed vegetables on the side to balance the richness. They’re wonderful alongside baked ham, meatloaf, or roast chicken, and they cozy right up to a plate of sausages or fried pork chops. A jar of pickles, some sliced tomatoes in summer, or a pan of skillet corn in winter all make fine companions. If you’re really feeding a crew, add warm dinner rolls or buttered bread to soak up every bit of that creamy sauce.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Scalloped PotatoesServings: 4–6
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled if desired and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cups milk (whole or 2%)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter, melted (plus a little extra for greasing the slow cooker)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Lightly grease the bottom and sides of your slow cooker with a little butter to help prevent sticking.
Wash the potatoes and peel them if you like. Slice the potatoes into thin rounds, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Slice the onion into thin half-moons.
Place a layer of raw sliced potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker, covering the surface in an even layer. Scatter a small handful of sliced onion over the potatoes. Repeat layering potatoes and onions until everything is used, finishing with a layer of potatoes on top. This should look like a close-packed bed of raw potato slices on the bottom and throughout the crock.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper. Slowly add the milk while whisking until the mixture is smooth with no flour lumps. Whisk in the melted butter.
Pour the milk mixture evenly over the layered raw potatoes and onions in the slow cooker, tilting the crock a bit if needed so the liquid seeps down between the slices.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours, or on HIGH for about 3–4 hours, until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork and the sauce has thickened and turned creamy around the edges.
Once done, turn off the slow cooker and let the potatoes sit, covered, for about 10–15 minutes to allow the sauce to settle and thicken a little more. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed, then serve warm straight from the crock.
Variations & Tips
If you grew up with a cheese-topped version, you can sprinkle 1–2 cups of shredded cheddar or Colby over the top during the last 30 minutes of cooking, just until melted and bubbly. For a little extra flavor using what you likely already have, add 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or a pinch of paprika to the flour mixture, or stir in a teaspoon of dried parsley or thyme. If you’re stretching this to feed a few more mouths, tuck a cup of diced leftover ham or cooked smoked sausage between the potato layers for a heartier main dish. To lighten it up, you can use 1% milk, though the sauce will be a bit thinner; if it seems too loose at the end, leave the lid off for the last 20–30 minutes on HIGH to help it reduce. For crispier edges, transfer the cooked potatoes to a buttered baking dish, sprinkle with a little extra flour and dot with butter, then run under the broiler for a few minutes. Leftovers reheat well in a covered dish in the oven or in a skillet with a splash of milk to bring the creaminess back.
