Easy Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes (Printable)

Tender potatoes, smoky kielbasa, and creamy cheddar sauce layered and slow-cooked to perfection. An easy, hearty comfort dish.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 14 oz kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce & Dairy

05 - 2 cups half-and-half or whole milk
06 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
09 - 1/2 cup chicken broth

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 tsp salt
11 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
12 - 1/2 tsp paprika
13 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme

# How To Make It:

01 - Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker with butter or non-stick spray.
02 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add garlic and onion; sauté 2-3 minutes until soft.
03 - Whisk in cornstarch; cook for 1 minute, then slowly add half-and-half and chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - Stir in 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar, salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme, stirring until cheese melts.
05 - Layer half of the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top with half the kielbasa and half the sauce. Repeat layers with remaining potatoes, kielbasa, and sauce.
06 - Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
07 - Sprinkle reserved 1/2 cup cheddar over the top during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
08 - Let sit 10 minutes before serving for the sauce to thicken.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting while you go about your day
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day
  • That moment when you lift the lid and smell the smoky cheese sauce is pure magic
02 -
  • Slicing potatoes evenly is the difference between some being perfectly tender and others staying stubbornly crunchy
  • That 10 minute rest period seems optional but it is what transforms this from a loose mess into scoopable layers
  • Cornstarch needs to bubble for at least a minute or your sauce will never thicken properly
03 -
  • Use a mandoline if you have one, it makes potato slicing so much faster and perfectly even
  • Layer potatoes slightly overlapping like shingles for the most attractive presentation
  • Set your slow cooker to WARM after cooking if you are not ready to eat immediately

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