Scalloped Potatoes Recipe (Creamy and Cheesy)
This scalloped potatoes recipe is the side I make whenever the oven is already on for a holiday meal: thin Yukon Gold slices baked in a cheddar cream sauce until the top turns golden and bubbly. With no canned soup or chicken broth, it anchors my vegetarian Thanksgiving menu, and you can assemble it a day ahead.
Why This Recipe Works
- Made from scratch. This scalloped potatoes recipe uses a butter, flour and milk sauce finished with cream and cheddar. No canned soup, no broth.
- Eleven ingredients, 15 minutes of prep. The oven does the rest.
- Even slices, even cooking. Slices about 1/8 inch thick soften at the same rate, so there are no firm centers.
- Covered, then uncovered. Foil steams the potatoes tender; the last stretch uncovered browns the cheese.
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Full quantities are in the recipe card. These are the ones worth a word.
- Yukon Gold potatoes. Sold in every US and Canadian supermarket. They hold their slices and turn creamy. Russets work too; waxy red potatoes stay firmer.
- Sharp cheddar. Shred it from a block, since bagged shreds carry anti-caking starch and can melt grainy. Many cheeses use animal rennet, so check the label for vegetarian rennet or microbial enzymes; Tillamook and Cabot both make cheddars without it.
- Heavy cream. Half-and-half works in its place. Milk alone gives a thinner sauce that curdles more easily.
- Fresh oregano and thyme. Oregano goes into the sauce, thyme on top. For dried oregano, use about a third as much.
- Equipment. An OXO swivel peeler, a HexClad 1-quart saucier for the sauce, and a medium baking dish, or a Lareina 9×13 ceramic casserole dish if you double it for a crowd. A mandoline gives the most even slices; always use its hand guard.
How to Make Scalloped Potatoes
1. Slice the potatoes and onion. Peel the potatoes and slice them about 1/8 inch thick; I use a mandoline, because even slices matter most here. Hold them in cold water so they don’t brown, then drain and pat completely dry. Thinly slice the onion.
2. Make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter, whisk in the flour for about a minute, then add the milk slowly, whisking out any lumps. Stir in the cream, cheddar, salt, pepper and oregano, and simmer gently until it coats a spoon.
3. Layer. Butter a medium baking dish. Lay down a third of the potatoes, spoon sauce over them, and scatter onion and cheese on top. Repeat the layers, finishing with sauce and cheese.
4. Bake covered, then uncovered. Cover with foil and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 35 to 40 minutes more, until a knife slides through the center and the top is golden.
5. Rest, then garnish. Let the dish sit about 15 minutes so the sauce thickens, then scatter fresh thyme over the top. The full method is in the recipe card below.
Rekha’s Note
The step people rush is the sauce. Let it simmer until it coats the back of a spoon; a thin sauce is how a pan turns watery. This is a rich side, so I serve a modest scoop beside a big helping of roasted vegetables. That balance keeps it on my weeknight table, not just the holiday one.
Rekha
Scalloped potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for baking tray
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- Fresh oregano leaves
- 2 tbsp fresh cream
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes thinly sliced
- ½ onion medium, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese grated
- Fresh thyme garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit, the thinly slice the peeled potatoes and soak them in water to prevent browning. Meanwhile, finely chop the onions too.2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, ½ onion
- Let’s start making the Bechamel sauce and for that take a medium skillet and melt some butter, then add flour and combine.3 tbsp all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Now, slowly add milk and whisk it continuously to avoid lumps.1 cup whole milk
- Then, add some cream, grated cheddar, salt, black pepper and fresh oregano. Combine everything well and let the sauce simmer and thicken.Fresh oregano leaves, salt to taste, black pepper , 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 2 tbsp fresh cream
- To check the consistency, dip your spoon and take it out, if the sauce coats the spoon well, then remove from heat and empty in a bowl.
- Next, take a medium deep baking tray and grease it with butter.
- Now, layer a half or third of sliced potatoes at the bottom, then drizzle some sauce over it, top with onions and grated cheese. Repeat two or more layers depending on the size of pan.
- Now cover and bake for 30 minutes. Then, check the potatoes and further bake for 35-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender & its turned golden brown on top.
- Once done, cool it for 15-50 minutes and garnish with fresh thyme before you serve.Fresh thyme
- Watery sauce? Pat the slices completely dry, simmer the sauce until it coats a spoon, and rest the baked dish 15 minutes.
- Sauce curdled or grainy? The heat was too high. Keep it at a gentle simmer, never a boil, and stir in the cheese over low heat.
- Potatoes still firm? The slices were too thick or it needs more time covered. Put the foil back and bake in 10-minute stretches until a knife slides in easily.
- Top browning too fast? Lay loose foil over the dish for the rest of the bake.
Scalloped Potatoes Variations
- Au gratin style. Add extra cheese between the layers and a little Parmesan-style cheese, made without animal rennet, on top.
- Gruyère and cheddar. Swap half the cheddar for Gruyère for a nuttier sauce; check its rennet too.
- Lighter sauce. Use 2% milk and skip the cream; the sauce will be a little thinner.
- Gluten-free. Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in the sauce.
The Gruyère and cheddar version is the one I make for holiday dinners. For a different potato side, try my easy Irish colcannon or crispy roasted potatoes.
What to Serve With Scalloped Potatoes
- A holiday centerpiece. My whole roasted cauliflower makes a proper vegetarian main.
- Something green. A crisp-edged roasted broccoli recipe.
- Something tart. Classic cranberry sauce cuts the richness.
- A weeknight dinner. A bright fresh tomato salad and crusty bread.
Meal Prep and Storage
- Make ahead. Assemble up to 1 day ahead, cover tightly and refrigerate. Take it out 30 minutes before baking and allow a few extra minutes in the oven.
- Fridge. Keep cooled leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat. Warm portions in a 350°F oven, or in the microwave with a splash of milk.
- Freezer. Not recommended; the cream sauce can separate and turn grainy.
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Common Questions
Can I make scalloped potatoes in a crockpot?
Yes. Layer the potatoes, onion and sauce in a greased slow cooker, add the cheese near the end, and use heavy cream, which curdles less than milk over a long cook. Tested slow cooker versions take 4 to 5 hours on high or 7 to 8 hours on low in a 6-quart cooker.
What is the difference between scalloped and au gratin potatoes?
Scalloped potatoes are baked in a cream or milk sauce, and cheese is optional. Au gratin potatoes always have cheese, often with breadcrumbs, layered through and browned on top, so this cheddar version sits between the two.
Can I bake scalloped potatoes at 350°F?
Yes, but plan on a longer bake; most 350°F versions take about 1 1/2 hours in total. Keep the dish covered until a knife slides easily through the center, then uncover to brown the top.
Made these for dinner and everyone went back for seconds. So good!
My family loves this!