Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped Potatoes are a classic dish with layers of potatoes and rich creamy cheese sauce on repeat! The ingredients are simple in these Scalloped Potatoes recipe but they are the perfect from scratch side dish to Easter, Christmas dinner, or Thanksgiving!
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CHEESY SCALLOPED POTATOES
Being the owner of this food blog since 2008, I’ve found that around Thanksgiving and Christmas I’m on call for everyone – friends, bloggers, family, neighbors for recipe questions that might arise.
Not even necessarily about recipes on my blog, just cooking in general. I absolutely don’t mind at all. I love to help when I can. But my phone is literally blowing up with texts and emails.
That’s not even counting all of the comments on my blog. I respond to every single question in the comments on my blog and sometimes that can be up to 100 a day. Phew.
I have other blogger friends that tell me that they always tackle comments in the morning when they’re fresh and ready for the day. Not me.
We all know by now that mornings don’t like me and vice versa. My husband and I don’t talk until at least 10AM to keep things tranquil.
He’s not a morning person either. We’re quite the combo.
So you could imagine what kind of response I would write to the person asking me if they can replace the cup of sugar in the cookies with a cup of salt if I responded in the morning.
No bueno. I decided a long time ago that nighttime is the best time. I’m a lot nicer.
This potato recipe with cheese, ask me whatever you want about it. They’re fabulous by the way. And that’s coming from someone who loves her mashed potatoes.
The most important thing in this scalloped potato recipe is to make sure you slice potatoes thin. No one wants to bite into a thick potato. Do they? I sure don’t.
SCALLOPED POTATOES INGREDIENTS
The ingredients in scalloped potatoes are very simple and traditional.
- Potatoes – Yukon Gold potatoes or Russet potatoes are best for this dish.
- Butter, flour, and milk – For your roux, these ingredients make the base of a cream sauce. If you really want it rich use heavy cream instead of milk.
- Salt and Pepper – are essential to flavor this dish.
- Cheddar cheese – I like a sharp cheddar cheese because it gives the dish a lot of flavor. You could definitely use any shredded cheese you like.
- Paprika – mostly use for color but adds a little flavor.
WHAT ARE THE BEST POTATOES FOR SCALLOPED POTATOES?
I prefer Yukon gold or Russet potatoes for this dish. Yukon potatoes tend to hold their shape better and don’t need to be peeled but Russets work well too.
HOW TO SLICE POTATOES
Slicing potatoes is the most time consuming part of making scalloped potatoes. While you can cut them evenly with a knife, you can save a ton of time and effort by using a mandoline to slice them.
This V-shaped one from OXO creates nice, even slices—just be sure to use the finger guard while using it.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCALLOPED POTATOES AND POTATOES AU GRATIN?
Scalloped potatoes are traditionally in a creamy sauce whereas au gratin potatoes have a crunchy breadcrumb topping.
Do you see how thin I sliced these?
Here’s the secret sauce. Well, actually it’s called a roux with some milk and cheese whisked in.
Two layers of potatoes and sauce in the casserole dish so no potato is left behind.
Then you bake it until you think the cheese is burning. It’s not. It’s just toasting until perfect.
Enjoy! If you’re doubling this cook it in a 9×13 pan!
HOW TO MAKE SCALLOPED POTATOES
Instructions:
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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In a small sauce pan, melt butter and stir in flour.
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whisk in the milk and season with salt and cayenne.
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Cook sauce on low until smooth and boiling, stirring occasionally with a whisk.
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Reduce heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese.
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Place a half of the sliced potatoes in a lightly greased 1.5 quart baking dish (8×8 or 9×9 will work)
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Pour half of cheese sauce over potatoes.
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Repeat with second layer of potatoes and cheese sauce.
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Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese on top.
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Top with some paprika for color.
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Bake uncovered for about 1 hour at 350°F and when cheese is golden brown.
WHAT CAN I MAKE WITH SCALLOPED POTATOES?
Scalloped potatoes are great with ham or turkey, served with a green salad or side such as asparagus or broccoli.
CAN I MAKE THESE AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes. Although it’s not ideal. Potatoes can oxidize when exposed to air. To reduce the chances of this, soak the cut potatoes in cold water for 30 minutes before assembling. Yukon potatoes do not oxidize as fast as Russet potatoes will.
For best results when making ahead, partially bake them. Just bake for 30 minutes, let cool, cover, and refrigerate.
On the day of serving, remove from fridge and let sit on the counter for 30 minutes before baking. Bake for 30-40 minutes uncovered until heated through.
OTHER POTATO RECIPES:
- The Best Mashed Potatoes
- Ruth’s Chris Sweet Potato Casserole
- Ultimate Twice Baked Potatoes
- Jalapeno Popper Mashed Potato Bake
- Creamy Potato Soup
- Crispy Roasted Potatoes
- Funeral Cheesy Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
- Ranch Roasted Red Potatoes
- Buffalo Chicken and Potato Casserole
Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 cups thinly sliced potatoes, (Yukon Gold or Russet; about 2 pounds give or take)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 dash cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- paprika
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 1.5 quart baking dish (8x8 or 9x9 inch baking dish will work).
- In a small sauce pan, melt butter and stir in flour.
- Whisk in the milk very slowly and season with salt and cayenne.
- Cook sauce on low until smooth and boiling, stirring occasionally with a whisk.
- Reduce heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese.
- Place a half of the sliced potatoes in the baking dish. Pour half of cheese sauce over potatoes. Repeat with second layer of potatoes and cheese sauce.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese on top. Top with some paprika for color.
- Bake uncovered for about 1 hour at 350°F or longer until the potatoes are fork tender.
Can I TOP WITH PORK CHOPS AND GET SAMR RESULTS
Great version. I used truffle Gouda and half and half for Xmas dinner.
So glad you liked it!
Very good recipe! I mixed heavy whipping cream and 2% milk, as well as mild and sharp cheddar. For each layer of potatoes, I sprinkled salt before pouring the cheese sauce atop. I also sprinkled smoked paprika over the top – chef’s kiss!! I’ll be making this in the future.
So good!
I made these for Christmas dinner and they were amazing! I made some alterations:
Parboiled the potatoes (without shocking at the end).
Added garlic powder and onion powder and more cayenne.
More cheese! I added a handful of Gruyère cheese to the sauce mix on top of all the cheese it says to use.
1/3 of my milk was actually heavy whipping cream.
With these changes, bake time took about 25 minutes at 375 and they were perfect!
I cook this dish all the time to go along with my chicken cordon bleu. The differences I do are: I use Cayenne Pepper and I boil the potatoes after slicing them.
Can you please tell me how long to boil them? Whenever I make scallop potatoes, the potatoes still seem hard, even after an hour of baking. Thanks
I zap them in the microwave for 3-5 minutes to get them started cooking before I put them in the casserole. I too have long suffered from crunchy potatoes in my scalloped potatoes. Not good! Zapping them really helps.
First time I’m making these potatoes is today, I’m automatically giving it five stars! The question I have is this: can I convert this recipe to a crockpot cooking method? if the answer is yes how long do I need to allow for a 5:45 pm potluck dinner? I can still go old school and bake in the oven per your directions. Thank you so much. this sounds so good! angie😎
I haven’t tested these in the crockpot so I can’t be sure.
Used this recipe for Thanksgiving. Thanks for making it so easy to follow. They look great!
Thank you!
How thick to slice potatoes?
Can I make it the day before
The potatoes can’t be exposed to the air. If making ahead, cook all the way through
Very tasty but one part of the directions doesn’t make sense. #4 says to have it on low until it boils, then #5 says to turn the heat down low.
TO DIE FOR!! Holy yum!!
Thanks Dani!
Omg YUM!! I don’t care what you call these, they’re delicious. I will definitely be making them again. I made two minor adjustments – I seasoned the roux with two teaspoons of Italian Herb Better Than Bouillon and I did a mix of gruyere and sharp cheddar.
Hi, I wanted to say this is a vague Au Gratin potatoes recipe. It is a nice recipe however Scalloped potatoes have no cheese, it has a type of white sauce from milk and cream. It is a nice recipe though!
This is my favorite recipe! I usually cut up a ham steak and add it to the layers. My husband loves it!
Hi Christy,
I made this for today’s church potluck. I intentionally followed your recipe exactly and made it without any added spices or ingredients to allow for a wider range of tastes. Many compliments!
I used a 9×13 dish but I didn’t see your suggestion to double the amounts so I only used 1.5 times the amounts. I should have doubled; it was a little skinny but still came out OK.
Thanks for a great recipe!
You’re welcome!
This was absolutely phenomenal! I used 1 1/2 habaneros diced with seeds and rind removed in place of the cayenne and paprika. Would have been amazing as written as well.
Hubby and I love this recipe. I add fresh garlic and jalapeños to the rue before I add the milk it soo yummy!
Thanks Melissa!
It’s a tasty recipe but takes way longer than an hour and
Added broccoli and topped with buttered bread crumbs for a nice casserole!
ooh yummy
This is so good and easy, thanks!
You’re welcome!
Hubby complimented me on the potatoes. My mandolin wasnt cut out for 5 potatoes though lolol
Thats hilarious I need one of those 🤙
haha shoot
These were very yummy!! My 89 year old mother complimented them (she rarely compliments) 3 times the last time I made them. Making them again tonight for her. Perfect dish for a late snowfall
Aw awesome!
A lot of work for no flavor. No seasoning. Cook time, way longer than stated. My oven is calibrated correctly & I weighed the potatoes. I used a mandolin so slices were uniform is size. I wished I just made mashed and added a load of cheese; would have taken much less effort & time.
An instant winner in our house. This recipe is super easy, super delicious and a new staple at family gatherings.
Aw thank you
This is my favorite scalloped potatoes recipe! I’ve never doubled it though – how long do you need to bake if you double the recipe in a 9×13 dish?
You might need to add 10-20 minutes but it depends on your dish
Hi, I love this recipe and have made it several times, and everyone loves them! Thank you for this recipe! I was wondering, is there a way you could adapt it for the crock pot? I’d love to try it that way, but if not, they always turn out great in the oven! Thanks!
I haven’t tried them in the crock pot but I don’t see why not
First time making them homemade! Came out delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
You’re welcome
Scalloped potatoes do not have cheese. Au Gratin do
You never made scalloped potatoes if you didn’t put cheese in it. Your talking to an 84 year old here.
Delicious
Thank you!
Simply delicious! What I love most about this recipe is that it doesn’t call for anything special. It’s simple ingredients that you always have in your fridge and spice cabinet.
Thanks Victoria!
I love this recipe and make it often, thanks. They have plenty of flavor. I like to use new york sharp cheddar, too.
Used this recipe more than 10 times. It’s a must for ease and taste. I usually shake on a bit of seasoning after my first layer. Great recipe. Easy to follow. Makes me look good.
Thank you!
These scalloped potatoes are so delicious! They are quick and easy to prepare. Highly recommend!
Lots of narrative about husbands morning routine. Where’s the fucking recipes
Wow, on a recipe site, really!
At the top of every recipe is a “jump to the recipe”. You click on it and the recipe comes up without other info. No anger necessary.
Can these be made in a toaster oven? I have a 9×13 pan. Thank you!
I don’t see why not!
Best Scalloped potatoes recipe!
Thank you!
This looks awesome, but aren’t these potatoes au gratin? I thought Au gratin potatoes had cheese And scalloped potatoes did not.
Correct.
That’s how I learned it too. But younger cooks seem to call them by different names now. I don’t know what they now call what we used to call scalloped potatoes; that is without cheese.
Yummy. I did add black pepper and cumin, based on looking at other recipes, but otherwise I followed the recipe. (Well, except the “cook sauce on low” followed by “reduce heat”. On my stove, low is a specific mark on the dial, and the only thing below it is off.)
I forgot to rate it.
Great recipe! I made it for our families Christmas dinner and got good reviews.
I am making a double batch for a New Year’s Eve party.
I am wondering if I can make these ahead of time and bake later?
I don’t know about making ahead and baking later, however, due to a football game, I make it ahead and then went it was done, left in in the oven on low for like an hour and a half more and it came out fine.
Hello! I would love to eat this recipe as is, but I am gluten free. Could you please suggest a substitute for the flour? Have you tried the GF option? Thank you in advance! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Gluten-free flour should work
You left out the onions
I doubled this recipe for Christmas dinner and had never made scalloped potatoes before. This recipe is not a 10 minute prep. My potatoes were sliced ahead of time and in the fridge well before I started assembling. It took me a full hour to make the cheese sauce and assemble, so it was a good thing I started early (it never boiled on low, next time I will warm the milk before blending). I was afraid doubling the salt and cheese would make it too salty but it wasn’t. Everyone loved the flavor and creamy texture. I will make this again
I love hearing that
How long did you cook the potatoes for when doubling the recipe? Thanks!
This has been my go to for many years on Christmas. I doubled the recipe and it comes out perfect every time I use cheddar and sometimes add just a bit of smoked Gouda. It’s delicious. Thank you for your recipe so simple and easy.
Hi can I make this ahead of time?
CAN I MAKE THESE AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes. Although it’s not ideal. Potatoes can oxidize when exposed to air. To reduce the chances of this, soak the cut potatoes in cold water for 30 minutes before assembling. Yukon potatoes do not oxidize as fast as Russet potatoes will.
For best results when making ahead, partially bake them. Just bake for 30 minutes, let cool, cover, and refrigerate
I’ve got to say. This is about the easiest recipe for scallop potatoes. I cook for a lot of family during the holidays and this was requested by a family member. The sauce is what makes it! You can tweak it a bit to your own liking, like more cheese!
Thank you
I took this to a lunch today. None of it came home and one discerning lady said it was the best she had ever had. It’s a winner!
Thank you!
When your 18 year old son texts you from the other room, after serving these for dinner—
“These potatoes are so f**king good. It’s not even funny.”
He nailed it.
Perfect, delicious recipe.
Oh boy! I guess that’s good
I know and I did add 1/4 cup of milk extra, and I knew and I did cover with foil for the 1 st 30 minutes or it would had burned. I’ll do this recipe for sure again with alterations
Thanks
I made these potatoes tonight, and the results were excellent! I doubled the recipe and used an oblong baking dish. I did not feel a need to alter any part of the recipe, which is highly unusual for me! I did not have any russets or Yukon Golds on hand, so I used white potatoes, and they worked fine.
The first time I used my new mandoline, many years ago, I cut myself pretty badly and hadn’t used it since. I was a bit hesitant about trying it again, but with a little practice and a lot of care, I achieved great results.
As far as ten minutes for prep time–good luck with that! More like 30 minutes+. I supposed I would get a bit faster the next time. Baking does take a full hour to make sure the potatoes are tender.
Anyway, yum! And lots left over for more enjoyment. Thank you!
Really liked this recipe. Followed it completely since it was my first time making it. I feel like the only part I would change would be the amount of salt in the cheese mixture. I would probably reduce to a 1/2 or even 1/4 teaspoon of salt. I thought the dish was a little salty for my taste.
Can you remake this and freeze it or keep it in the fridge? We are camping with a large group for thanksgiving and I am doing the potatoes but just want to throw them on the smoker the day of the dinner so I don’t have to do prep in our tiny trailer.
I Would recommend freezing. The potatoes can sometimes brown if left in the fridge.
Can I add ham if so do I have to increase other ingredients
You can definitely add ham and you don’t have to increase the ingredients.
Au gratin literally means with cheese!! I get so tired of folks posting scalloped potato recipes with CHEESE! Get it right folks. Cheese is optional!! Shouldn’t be required to taste good. Scalloped potatoes are with roux only!!
The semantics of a name is really not a valid reason to deduct stars for a delicious recipe. Did you even bother to make this?
I get it. I keep looking for recipes for scalloped potatoes, and they all have cheese in them. I mean, I love scalloped potatoes, and I love potatoes au gratin, but it’s frustrating to search and search for scalloped potatoes recipes only to find recipes for potatoes au gratin. It’s not semantics, it’s two different recipes.
Wow, lighten up, it’s just a recipe. SMH.
YES. It’s not a
“minor” word thing. They are 2 different dishes. I make my scalloped with caramelized onions in lot of butter, GF flour as I have Celiac and dry mustard, worchestershire sauce, pepper And half and Half. Making them right now. The key is the caramelized onions – lots! And baking until done. And adding more liquid as needed.
Thank you, your recipe sounds great. Making candied ham this weekend.
Please, how thin are you suggesting to slice the potatoes?
Thank you
Made this for Sundays dinner and was disappointed, I cut small sliced
potatoes but when cooked (a hour) the potatoes never got tender enough to really enjoy, I recommend par boiling them before putting in the oven, the sauce was fabulous, I will be cooking again but knowing now. Thanks for this recipe it opened my mind up to try other things.
One more thing I did use half and half and I did slice them very thin
Very easy and delicious I didn’t change a thing.
Thank you!
The flavor is awesome. But my Russet potatoes never got soft.I see others had the same problem. Next time I will Parboil my potatoes before slicing.
For recipes like this, I microwave the potatoes until they are half-baked. Par boiling is more work & I’ve found the potatoes can become water logged.
Can you make these ahead and freeze them?
We added a little BBQ seasoning (Meat Church Holy Gospel to be exact). Wonderful, yummy recipe!
Yum!
I used 2 cups buttermilk instead of 1.5 milk. I also added 1 med. sliced yellow onion to the middle layer was amazing. 9 x 13 dish was perfect and aged white cheddar 2 cups.
Nice recipe
Thank you
Thank you
I made these scalloped potatoes last Christmas Eve at our annual party and everyone loved them, not a bite was left. I hand sliced Very thin potatoes (much thinner than shown) which was time consuming but so worth it. I also used pre shredded sharp cheese. This year, I’m using a slicer for both the potatoes and shredding my own cheese. I double the recipe and add in a little heavy cream. Delicious!
I’m making this recipe for Easter. I have limited oven space so I’m asking if I can make this in a crockpot? I also have to double the recipe.
Sorry. I haven’t tried this in a crockpot.
Minor correction: “au gratin” in French literally means, “with cheese”, not “with topping”. Traditional scalloped potatoes have no cheese.
Your recipe looks great, though, and very straightforward. I look forward to trying it sometime!
Cheers!
If I use about 10 lbs potatoes, do I also double ingredients for the roux? Or is this too much liquid? I plan on cooking in crock pot. TIA.
I’m making this recipe for Easter. I have limited oven space so I’m asking if I can make this in a crockpot? I also have to double the recipe.
If you double the potatoes you should double all of the ingredients.
I have not made this yet, but I plan to make it for Easter dinner. I have a question about what to use to thicken the sauce if I want to make it wheat-free. I was wondering if I could use Velveeta and thin it with heavy cream. I could add the other ingredients shown, including the cheddar.
Use a gluten free flour. That’s what I do. I use Bobs Red Mill free 1 – 1 baking flour.
Sure! I haven’t tried it but don’t see why it wouldn’t work
I always use cornstarch when making a roux instead of flour. It’s gluten free.
Hi, I really want to try your recipe for Easter but I didn’t see the amounts used for the sauce.. Please email me how much flour, butter and milk you use.
Thanks
Sorry! It’s probably too late. The quantities are listed on the recipe
I sliced my potatoes and par boiled them for 4 -5 minutes. Then I drained and put them in cold water to shock them, and let them sit in the water for a few. I followed the recipe for the cheese sauce, but I also put Velveeta cheese sauce packets in it along with one cup of broth; beef, chicken, tomato, whatever you want to use. Tomato Polo broth. Whatever you want to use that adds a little bit extra liquid. Since I par cooked the potatoes till they were a little bit soft I only had to cook for 45 minutes. Turned out great just the right consistency the Velveeta sauce packets that I put in it added so much cheesy intensity. You can buy the Velveeta packets 3 to a box for $3.28 at Walmart
I have some left over buttermilk from some butter I made a couple days ago. Do you think I could add that into the milk or would it throw off the flavor?
I think it would be great.
I love the simplicity of this recipe. I did make a few modifications to suite my taste-buds. I added a tsp each of onion powder, garlic powder and fine ground pepper and strips of bacon on each layer.
Thank you Lilli!
Still the best
Hi. I assembled these potatoes this afternoon. It seemed that 1.5 cups of liquid wasn’t enough. Has anyone else had this issue?
For the cheese sauce roux I generally double everything, but I am also using a larger size casserole dish
Sorry that was meant for the previous post
The flavor is very good, but – I sliced 2 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes and ended up with 8 cups of potatoes so had to adjust the rest of my ingredients.
For the cheese sauce roux I generally double everything, but I am also using a larger size casserole dish
Can you use red potatoes?
Karen
I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not.
Can you use heavy whipping cream
Yes!
can you please tell me is it 1/2 cup per person 1/4 cup etc
It’s about 3/4 cup per person.
LOL – this recipe is for a single serving. Nom nom nom
THE BEST scalloped potatoes!!!
Quick and easy to make, tastes great. I added a bit more cheese.
We love that recipe, we just switch the cheese for gruyère!
These were so easy to assemble and delicious to eat! My son declared them “best potatoes ever”!
How much paprika would you use?
You just give it a light dusting for some some color, a few shakes here and there, I use smoked paprika myself, I also add fresh chopped chives before I bake, some extra color and taste