Slow Cooker Parmesan Potato Chowder is a recipe I put together to use the veggies we get from the school lunches that we’re getting due to the pandemic. Seriously! We have been getting frozen yet thawed veggies in some of the lunches. I saved them for a few days and used them in the chowder.
With all the uncertainty we just don’t know if we’ll continue to have an income and my Sister and Daughter both work at hospitals. We know we have to keep wiggle room in our budget in case we get sick. So trying to be as careful as I can and frugal with what we have so we can limit our grocery store visits and not waste food. I tried to pick ingredients that we would already have available or could easily be adapted to what you do have. As an example I picked chopped ham, but you could use bacon, cooked chicken or ground sausage.
We are keeping a bag of potatoes in the house, since they keep well for an extended amount of time and are so versatile. They are affordable too. Although I normally use Russet or Idaho potatoes, I chose to use Red potatoes for this recipe. Everyone loved it! Not even sure if they realized I used their school veggies. One trick to making Slow Cooker Parmesan Potato Chowder easier is to use an immersion blender. I honestly only use our immersion blender now. The clean up is so much nicer. Highly recommend for our Slow Cooker lovers.
Another great potato recipe Slow Cooker Pesto Mashed Potatoes!
Slow Cooker Parmesan Potato Chowder
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Red Potatoes, large diced
- 1 Small Yellow Onion, Diced
- 6 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 1 1/2 Cups Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
- 1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Parsley
- 1 Brick (8 ounces) Cream Cheese
- 2 1/2 Cups Frozen Corn
- 1 Cup Frozen Carrots
- 2 Cups Diced ham, Precooked
- 1 Teaspoon Paprika
- 1 Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
- Scrub and dice the potatoes. These will be pulverized later so they don't need to be peeled and do not need to be super small. Do the same with the yellow onion. Place both in the Slow Cooker.
- Add 4 Cups of Chicken broth. Add the Garlic and spices. Stir well and cover. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. If cooking on high, stir a least once.
- Add the Cream cheese, slicing in thick chunks and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Then if you have an immersion blender, blenderize the potatoes and cream cheese. Add an additional 2 cups of Chicken broth and blend that in. If you don't have an immersion blender you can remove and use your blender, hand mixer, or a potato masher.
- Add the frozen corn, carrots and ham, put on high for an additional 30 minutes. When that is done, add the cheddar cheese and blend well, taste test to see if you need any additional salt or pepper and add your paprika on top.