Scalloped potatoes are easier to make than you might think, and they taste infinitely better than store-bought alternatives, so the effort is well worth it. You might think it's easy to get your scalloped potatoes from a box, but trust us, this recipe can do just that! These scalloped potatoes are delicious, cheesy, and hearty, making a great side dish for almost any dinner. They are so delicious that you might be tempted to eat them as a meal on their own!
Spice things up with some flavoring Jalapeño Scalloped Potatoes Or try our convenience Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes.
Why our recipe?
- As if they weren't comfort food enough, we add two different cheeses to add creamy goodness.
- A little garlic and a hint of nutmeg add flavor.
- Tips for making and scaling recipes for large meals.
When it comes to creamy potato dishes, “scalloped potatoes” and “au gratin potatoes” are often used interchangeably, although there are differences between the two. Traditional scalloped potatoes are usually baked in a creamy sauce without cheese, although modern recipes often include Parmesan. Potatoes au gratin, or “gratin dauphinois” in French cuisine, are baked with Gruyere cheese. This recipe is somewhere in between, hence the name Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes.
Material notes
- Russet Potatoes: Russet potatoes are a classic potato alternative, and they are starchy potatoes that are perfect for this type of dish because they won't be mushy and can keep their shape even after hours of cooking. Make sure to slice them evenly for best results.
- Heavy Cream: This makes the sauce creamy and rich! You can substitute half and half, but the sauce won't be as thick or luscious.
- Parmesan cheese: We like to recommend freshly grated parmesan whenever possible to melt well.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: If you don't like sharp cheddar, you can use other types of cheese, but we love how well the sharp flavor of the cheddar complements the creamy sauce, or you can leave out the cheese altogether for a more classic scalloped potato.
Potato slicing
Actually cutting the potatoes may seem like the hardest part of this recipe. This can definitely be time consuming, so we prefer to make a recommendation food processor With a slicing blade attachment! This is a way safer option and greatly reduces the time of preparing the potatoes.
If you don't have a food processor, you can too Use a mandolinBut be careful of your fingers when you slice! If you only have a knife, this still works – cut your potatoes in half lengthwise before you start the thin slices. This will give you a flat, stable surface to slice on. We recommend making sure your knife is extremely sharp to make the process even easier!
Baking time
The baking time for your scalloped potatoes will depend on how thinly you cut the potatoes. Our recipe tells you to bake the potatoes for an hour, but that's just an estimate. If your potatoes are thick, it may take 15-30 minutes longer than that. If your potatoes are paper-thin, this may only take 40 minutes. Adjust the cooking time as needed, and you can definitely test the potato before removing it from the skin by poking a fork in it or trying a piece to make sure it's nice and soft.
Scaling for a crowd
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes are perfect for large dinners, potlucks and holidays and can easily be scaled up to serve a crowd. Thankfully, it doesn't add a ton of extra work to making a double or triple batch.
To double the recipe: To serve about 12 people, double all the ingredients and use a large baking dish, such as a 9×13-inch pan or a 3-quart baking dish. Baking time may increase slightly, so start checking to work around the 1-hour mark, but allow up to 1 hour 20 minutes if necessary.
To triple the recipe: For about 18-20 servings, triple the ingredients. Use two 9×13-inch pans or a large casserole dish if available. Plan for a longer baking time, as the increased volume of potatoes can take up to 1 hour and 30 minutes to fully bake.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Scalloped Potatoes are a great recipe to make ahead of time! Just slice your potatoes, combine with the other ingredients and place in your prepared baking dish. But instead of baking them, you simply cover the dish and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you're ready to bake the potatoes, just remove the cover and give the potatoes a quick stir. Top the potatoes with cheddar cheese and then bake according to the recipe.
Storage and reheating instructions
Keep in fridge Leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Reheat Microwave small portions in 30-second increments until warm. For larger portions, place the dish in the oven at 350 until heated through.
For more amazing potato dishes. . .
Watch the video below Where Rachel walks you through each step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we've always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes YouTubeour Facebook pageOr here on our website with their respective recipes.
