Scalloped potatoes are thin slices of potato baked in a creamy cheese sauce until the top is golden and the edges bubble. They look like a special-occasion side, but the ingredient list is short: potatoes, milk, butter, flour and a little cheese.
That makes them one of the least expensive ways to fill out a holiday table. Two pounds of potatoes serve four generously, and the sauce is made from scratch in about five minutes, with no canned soup and no heavy cream.
Serve them next to Pineapple-Honey Glazed Ham, Simple Roast Chicken or Top Round Roast Beef.
Ingredients and Easy Swaps
- Potatoes: Yukon Golds hold their shape and turn creamy. Russets work too and give a softer, starchier result. Skip waxy red potatoes, which stay firm.
- Milk: Whole milk makes the creamiest sauce. 2% works. For a richer dish, swap ½ cup of the milk for half-and-half.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar gives the most flavor for the money. Gruyère is the classic choice if it’s on sale, and a half-and-half mix of cheddar and Parmesan is very good.
- Garlic: Two cloves cook into the sauce. Use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder if that’s what you have.
Tips for Tender, Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
- Slice thin and even. Aim for ⅛ inch. Thick or uneven slices are the main reason scalloped potatoes come out crunchy in the middle.
- Shred your own cheese. Bagged shredded cheese is coated to prevent clumping, and that coating can make a sauce grainy.
- Cover first, then uncover. Foil traps steam so the potatoes cook through. Taking it off for the last half hour browns the top.
- Let it rest. The sauce thickens as it sits, so give the dish 10 minutes before serving.
Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter an 8×8-inch or 2-quart baking dish.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking the whole time. Simmer for 3–4 minutes, whisking often, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the salt, pepper and 1 cup of the cheese until melted.
- Layer half of the potatoes in the dish and pour half of the sauce over them. Repeat with the remaining potatoes and sauce.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover, sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of cheese and bake for 25–30 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and the top is golden.
- Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- A sharp knife works fine for slicing. Cut a thin strip off one side of each potato so it sits flat and steady on the board.
- Doubling for a crowd? Use a 9×13-inch dish and add about 15 minutes to the covered baking time.
- For extra flavor, add a pinch of nutmeg or ½ teaspoon of dried thyme to the sauce.
Make-Ahead, Storage and Reheating
- Make ahead: Assemble the dish up to 1 day ahead, cover and refrigerate. Add 10–15 minutes to the covered baking time, since it’s going into the oven cold.
- Refrigerate: Keep leftovers covered for 3–4 days.
- Reheat: Cover with foil and warm at 350°F for 15–20 minutes, or microwave single portions.
- Freeze: Not the best choice. Milk-based sauces tend to separate and the potatoes turn grainy after thawing.
Scalloped Potatoes Questions
What’s the difference between scalloped and au gratin potatoes?
Traditionally, scalloped potatoes bake in a plain cream sauce and au gratin potatoes have cheese and often a crumb topping. Most home recipes, including this one, land in the middle with a little cheese in the sauce.
Why are my scalloped potatoes still hard?
The slices were probably too thick, or the dish wasn’t covered for the first part of baking. Cover it again and bake until a knife slides through the center with no resistance.
Do I have to peel the potatoes?
No. Yukon Gold skins are thin and soften in the oven. Peel russets, since their skins are tougher.
