My favorite cheesy, creamy, garlicky, always-delicious scalloped potatoes recipe.
Scalloped Potatoes are an easy classic recipe, perfect for your Easter dinner, Christmas, Thanksgiving or even just for Sunday dinner.
In this side dish, thinly sliced potatoes and onions are layered in an easy homemade cream sauce and baked until tender, golden, and bubbly. Potato perfection!
POSSIBLE RECIPE VARIATIONS:
There are all sorts of delicious ways that you can customize these homemade scalloped potatoes if you would like. For example, feel free to…
Add bacon or ham: Diced cooked bacon or ham would be a delicious addition here! (Or go for the gold and make scalloped potatoes with ham and bacon!)
Add greens: Fresh kale or baby spinach would also be delicious. Just stir a large handful to the sauce before layering the potatoes.
Add pesto: For an extra herby twist, feel free to stir 1/4 cup of basil pesto into the sauce.
Use half sweet potatoes: I also love making a version of this dish with half Yukon gold and half sweet potatoes. The sweet/savory combo is such a winner.
Use a different cheese: Mozzarella, gouda, fontina or gruyere would also be delicious in place of the sharp cheddar. Or you could also sprinkle some extra crumbled/diced brie, goat cheese, or feta into the casserole.
Use cream: Feel free to sub in heavy cream for half of the milk for an even creamier dish.
Make it gluten-free: Just use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (in place of the standard AP flour). Or whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into the cold milk before adding it to the sauce.
Tips for Perfect Scalloped Potatoes
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Slice the potatoes evenly to ensure the scalloped potatoes cook evenly
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Use a mandoline to make this job extra quick (a $25 mandoline like this one does a great job and will save you lots of time)
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A roux is the foundation for a creamy sauce. A roux just means to cook fat (in this case butter) and flour and add liquid to make a sauce!
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If you decide to add cheese to the sauce (which will actually make these into Potatoes Au Gratin) remove the sauce from the stove and stir in 1 1/2 to 2 cups of cheese (cheddar/gruyere are great choices).
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Season the potatoes with salt and pepper between layers.
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Cover with foil while it bakes, this allows it to steam and the potatoes will cook a bit faster.
To Make Scalloped Potatoes Ahead of Time
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To make these ahead of time (and keep cooking fast on the day of serving) we have tested partially baking them with great results.
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Bake the dish covered for 50-60 minutes.
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Remove from the oven and cool completely on the counter (leave them covered, the steam will help to finish cooking).
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Cover well and refrigerate.
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On the day of serving, remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking. Bake uncovered about 35 minutes or until heated through.
PREP TIME: 15 MIN
Cook Time: 55 MIN
TOTAL TIME: 80 MIN
Yield: 10 -12 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS:
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3 tablespoons butter
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1 small white or yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
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4 large garlic cloves, minced
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1/4 cup all-purpose flour
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1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
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2 cups whole milk (or half and half)
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1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
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1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
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4 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
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2 cups freshly-grated sharp cheddar cheese*, divided (feel free to add more cheese if you’d like)
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1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
INSTRUCTIONS:
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Prep oven and baking dish: Heat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and set it aside.
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Sauté the onion and garlic. Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté for 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the flour until it is evenly combined, and cook for 1 more minute.
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Simmer the sauce. Gradually pour in the stock, and whisk until combined. Add in the milk, salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon thyme, and whisk until combined. Continue cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes until the sauce just barely begins to simmer around the edges of the pan and thickens. (Avoid letting it reach a boil.) Then remove from heat and set aside.
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Layer the potatoes. Spread half of the sliced potatoes in an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Top evenly with half of the cream sauce. (I usually strain out all of the onions and add them here too.) Then sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese, and all of the Parmesan cheese. Top evenly with the remaining sliced potatoes, the other half of the cream sauce, and the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese.
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Bake: Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. The sauce should be nice and bubbly around the edges. Then remove the foil and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through.
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Cool. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack, and sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of thyme and extra Parmesan.
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Serve. Serve warm.
NOTES:
Shredded cheese: As always when melting shredded cheese into a recipe, it’s best if you grate the cheese yourself just before adding it to the recipe. Store-bought shredded cheese usually contains a coating that prevents it from melting smoothly.