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Scalloped Potatoes

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My favorite cheesy, creamy, garlicky, always-delicious scalloped potatoes recipe.

Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Anyone else out there still have yet to plan your menu for Easter Sunday this coming weekend?

Well, good news: 1) you’re not alone and 2) I’ve gotcha covered!

We have all sorts of delicious recipes here on our Easter section of the blog that are sure to please a crowd. If you’re feeling those brunch vibes, there’s everything from my favorite 1-hour cinnamon rolls, to the world’s best sour cream coffee cake, to a classic breakfast casserole, to nearly every way to prepare eggs, to mimosas and more. Or, if you’re going more of the Easter dinner route, our family’s favorite salad, classic deviled eggs, these perfectly roasted Brussels sprouts, an easy fruit salad, these quick 1-hour soft and buttery dinner rolls might be calling your name. Of course, carrot cake (or this vegan, gluten-free carrot cake) is also a must around here every Easter.

But the other non-negotiable for me each Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving and — let’s be real — any night of the year that I’m craving some creamy, garlicky, cheesy comfort food?

Scalloped potatoes. ♡

Specifically, these scalloped potatoes (which are technically potatoes au gratin). In my humble opinion, they are simply the best. And in the years since I originally posted this recipe here on the blog, thousands of you have also tried them and agreed! So today, I thought I’d bump this recipe back to the top of the stack for those of you who might be new to the blog and looking for a tried and true recipe to make this weekend. As someone who has made these dozens and dozens of times, I can vouch — they won’t let you down.

Scalloped Potatoes Recipe | 1-Minute Video

Scalloped Potatoes Ingredients:

The ingredients to make this classic scalloped potatoes recipe are pretty simple. You’ll need:

  • Yukon gold potatoes: I prefer these to Russets because of their nice creamy texture and buttery flavor. Be sure to slice them uniformly — about 1/4-inch thick — so that they will cook evenly.
  • Shredded cheese: It’s important to have a good melty cheese for these. I have always preferred a nice sharp cheddar (not one that has been aged, since those don’t melt as well). But I have also made these with mozzarella, gouda, fontina and gruyere, and all have been delicious. So feel free to pick your favorite, or use a mix! Plus, some freshly-grated Parmesan is also a must.
  • Sliced onion: For extra flavor. I always cook the onion in the sauce, and then strain it out and add it to the middle layer of the potatoes, so that there aren’t a bunch of onion slices sitting on the top layer.
  • Garlic: If you ask me, the more the merrier. The recipe calls for 4 cloves, but I’ve used up to 8 before. :)
  • Fresh thyme: I’ve always used fresh thyme as my main seasoning for scalloped potatoes, but you could also use a teaspoon of dried thyme instead. Or any other favorite fresh herbs or dried seasoning blends! (I occasionally love adding a teaspoon of Cajun seasoning to my sauce — it’s delicious.)
  • Cream sauce: In lieu of heavy cream, my sauce for this recipe calls for a roux with butter and flour, whole milk and chicken stock (or vegetable stock).

Yukon Gold Potatoes for Scalloped Potatoes

How To Make Scalloped Potatoes:

To make this scalloped potatoes recipe, simply…

  1. Make the cream sauce. Sauté onion and garlic in butter until softened. Then stir in the flour to form a roux and help to thicken the sauce, followed by the stock, milk, salt, pepper and thyme. You want to cook the sauce until it just reaches a simmer. (Don’t let it boil, otherwise it can “break” and become watery once baked.)  Then remove it from the heat until you’re ready to put it to use.
  2. 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.
  3. Bake: Cover the pan lightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce is all bubbly around the edges. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and the cheese on top is nice and golden. (If the cheese starts to get too brown on top, just lightly cover the top with a sheet of foil again until the potatoes are ready to go.)
  4. Cool. Transfer the pan to a wire cooling rack and sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of thyme and extra Parmesan.
  5. Serve. This casserole is definitely best fresh out of the oven, so dive in while it’s nice and warm!

How To Make Scalloped Potatoes

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.

Scalloped Potatoes

Make-Ahead Instructions:

Over the years, I’ve had lots of you ask if you can prep this recipe in advance — and the answer is yes! For make-ahead scalloped potatoes, just bake the scalloped potatoes and let them cool completely to room temperature. Then cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days. And on the day you are ready to serve them, bake the pan covered (with foil) at 350° for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are warmed through.

Scalloped Potatoes

More Potato Recipes:

If you love this recipe, be sure to check out some of my other potato faves including:

Enjoy, everyone!

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Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Scalloped Potatoes

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.7 from 389 reviews
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 55 minutes
  • Total Time: 80 minutes
  • Yield: 10 -12 servings 1x

Description

My favorite recipe for garlicky, cheesy, perfect scalloped potatoes.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small white or yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
  • 2 cups whole milk (or half and half)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
  • 4 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
  • 2 cups freshly-grated sharp cheddar cheese*, divided (feel free to add more cheese if you’d like)
  • 1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Instructions

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Cool. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack, and sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of thyme and extra Parmesan.
  7. 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.

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952 comments on “Scalloped Potatoes”

  1. I’m gonna start by saying that I want to put that cream sauce on everything ? I’m not wild about that much sharp cheddar, so I did a mix of medium cheddar, mozzarella and about 1/4 cup of sharp just to get a little extra zing without the full force of it, and it was just enough. Definitely will be making again!!!!!

    Question: if I was to modify that cream sauce for say a pasta dish and wanted to bring in some white wine, would I use it in the chicken broth step?






  2. If you only want to make half of the recipe, is the cooking time cut in half? Thanks.

    • I halved the recipe, still baked for an hour

    • I wouldn’t think so. The potato still have to cook, right? You can always check it at the 30 min mark for the firmness of the potatoes. The sauce is already cooked before you pour it on the raw potatoes so you are just cooking the potatoes in the sauce.

  3. These were great! I used Gruyere cheese instead of the cheddar. Definitely going into the keeper recipes!






  4. Made this recipe on Valentine’s Day for my daughter and I. I added bacon and then added the butter to the bacon grease to sauté the onions in. It makes quite a bit and was very good. I only had russet potatoes but the next time I will use the recommended yukon as the russets remained a bit firm. Also I prefer a bit more of a liquid sauce so next time I will add more broth and milk by 1/4 cup each. All in all it was very tasty and there are lots left over for tonight’s dinner.






  5. I come from a family of very good cooks. This recipe got raves! I used 3 parts gruyere to 1 part mozzarella cheese and then the parmesan. And yes, the onions are divine. Thank you for this recipe!






  6. Can I make this recipe ahead and freeze it raw? or does it need to be prepared the day its to be served?

  7. I made this recipe and it was absolutely delicious! So glad you mentioned if you shred the cheese yourself it is smoother. I used store bought shredded but next time will do it myself. Great recipe!






  8. Delicious! Tasted better than expected!






  9. This is my go-to scalloped potato recipe. It’s amazing!!!!






    • Terrible. In what world is this enough sauce to “cover” anything ? I barely had enough to spoon a few ladles over each half.

  10. Could you make this using gluten free flour? We have a relative with a gluten allergy but I’d love to make it for our family Easter gathering. The original version is amazing!

  11. This turned out beautifully…so toasty and cheesy…it tastes as good as it looks!






  12. This is by far the best scalloped potatoes recipe alive ever tried. I made it with sharp cheddar and whole milk. The fresh thyme really helps make this recipe special. It will go into my permanent recipe collection!






  13. Can you cook the potatoes partially before baking for quicker cooking.

    • I cooked the potatoes for ten minutes in the instant pot. That made them fully cooked. Then later I just had to assemble the layers and it took about 20 minutes in the oven. Turned out pretty good. Also, I used half and half instead of milk….fattening and good!

  14. Thank you for posting this on Instagram for Easter. I’m all on board to give it a go as you describe. What do you think about this in a crockpot? I’m thinking of my meal “planning” for the day and if I can free up oven space and time. Thoughts?

    • I hope this turned out good for you today (Easter!). I did the potatoes in the instant pot for 20 min before assembling the layers. I think it would have taken much longer than50 minutes if the potatoes were raw going in. This way, it took about 20 min in the oven, and then a few more minutes under broiler to get brown on top. We loved it.

    • Ack…TEN minutes in instant pot

  15. Was delicious






  16. Can I use Cornstarch instead of flour? We have family with wheat and gluten allergies. Thanks!

  17. These were awful and I had to remake using another recipe last minute. Avoid.






  18. I made this for Christmas this year. Soooo good. Plan on making this again for Easter.






  19. Would this be four hours on high in a slow cooker?

  20. HOW MUCH CHEESE????? Preface ingredient list says 6 cups, BUT Step by step instructions only calls for 3.
    Mine never firmed in the 9 X 13 pan. More liquid than the dish could hold.
    Maybe it needed more reducing and thickening on the stove before pouring into the 9 X 13 dish or something I missed in the process. Could have used half of the liquid.
    Flavor was great though.






  21. Absolutely wonderful results , used red potatoes
    best scalloped potatoes I have ever made , threw in some chives too, délucieux?‍?

  22. After so many years of so so scalloped potatoes, my family loved these!, recipe easy and delicious. Thx for this!

  23. Definitely use fresh thyme and grate the cheese yourself, it made a difference!






  24. Wow. Great hit at dinner yesterday, Easter Sunday. I have a habit of using what I have if possible. I used my mandolin to slice onion and potatoes. Sure makes life easier. 4 years ago I did not know wat a mandolin was other than a musical instrument. I used russet potatoes waffle sliced. I used Almond Milk. I used a Mexican Blend shredded cheese and an Italian blend cheese. Amounts in the recipe were used. All came out excellent. I made and put together the night before , covered with foil and refrigerated till ready to cook an hour before meal.






  25. Delicious. Added the pesto and used gruyere.






  26. I’ve been trying to make a recipe like this for years and finally I found yours thank you. My kids gobbled them up and you know my kids will eat scalloped potatoes for breakfast lunch or dinner? So hail the thermos for school lunches, and the microwave for quick morning breakfast of heating up last night scalloped potatoes! This recipe is going down at my favorite for scalloped potatoes…. after 10 years of searching and experimenting on my own. Thank you thank you thank you for the perfect delightful dish that everybody loves.






  27. I made your recipe for scallop potatoes and they were a hit with the family. will be making again. Did not change a thing. Thanks so much Beth

  28. Delicious recipe! I made it a couple months ago and I’ll be making it again tonight, this time adding diced ham and bacon. Absolutely loved the cheese with fresh thyme, I ended up adding the top layer of Parmesan and thyme when there were 5 minutes left to cook because I like a bit of crispy cheese topping.






  29. I made this for my family for Easter dinner. It was a hit especially with the teens. I’m making it again tonight. I used white sharp cheddar for the dinner, but tonight I will use regular sharp cheddar. It’s very quick and easy to put it all together. This is definitely on our favorites list.

  30. These are delicious. We kept going back to the pan for more. The cream sauce is a delight as others have mentioned. I look forward to my leftovers for lunch today.






  31. These are potatoes Au gratin. Scalloped potatoes do not have cheese in them.

  32. This was amazing! Full of flavour and easy to make. Love it!!






  33. Made Gluten Free.: Made a thin paste with gluten free flour (I use Bob Mills 1 to 1) and broth and /or milk (heated or room temp) — gradually add to the heating milk, giving it time to thicken.
    Also, I added the cheese to the sauce to melt (packaged Mexican cheese because I had it on hand), as well as Parmesan in the sauce, and extra of both on top.
    Used fresh basil instead of thyme. I reheat leftovers for breakfast as a side to bacon and eggs. We loved it!






  34. I’ve made this several times and it always turns out great. Even substituted half the milk with heavy cream a couple times. The leftovers are actually pretty good microwaved at work as well however best right out of the oven.






  35. These potatoes are delicious. I like the idea of using a simple roux rather than a lot of heavy cream. It’s a very good idea to make them that way. One variation that is not listed is to substitute leeks for the onions. I will definitely see that I make these again. The recipe makes a lot of potatoes and we were snacking and lunching on them for three days. We didn’t get tired of them, in fact, they tasted better each time I warmed small portions up.






  36. This is my go to recipe for potatoes when feeding a group or just us. Always a hit at potlucks.
    Question: Could you do this in a crockpot and how long would you cook it?

  37. Best scalloped potatoes I have ever had! Thanks for a great keeper recipe.






  38. Instructions were well written and it came out delicious!






  39. I have never left a comment about a recipe ever, but OMG. These were ah-mazing.

  40. I’ve tried many scalloped potato recipes, but this is the last one! I’ve sent it to all of my daughters. It’s simple and it’s fun to change up with whatever different cheeses you have on hand. Leftovers are just as tasty. Thank you!






  41. This turned out terrible. It was greasy and had a very strong onion taste. I had to throw it out






  42. Well I tried this and the cheese curdled, sauce was greasy and did not thicken. I was disappointed and had to toss the entire dish out. What a waste I have been searching for a cheesy potato recipe such as this. What suppose went wrong? Would like to try on a smaller scale if I could figure out the error.

  43. Great tasting dish. Just like to note however that this recipe is actually Potatoes Au Gratin. Scalloped potatoes are cooked in just a cream sauce whereas Au Gratin are more decandent with the addition of the cheese. Just an FYI.






  44. Scallop potatoes do not use a cheese sauce; they are baked in a cream sauce . Au Gratin potatoes use cheese sauce. It’s frustrating to see this error made over and over.






  45. So yummy! My family and I can’t get enough!!






  46. So good! Everyone loved them. My go to fro now on :)

  47. A bit of work, but so worth it. It was really, really good. I ended up cooking it a bit longer covered to get the right texture on the potatoes. I would definitely make it again






  48. mmmmm, my guide line for making my first. I not one for following because sometimes it’s not in the pantry. Loved this keep it coming, so easy.






  49. This is the fourth time I have used this recipe and it is the bomb! Originally, I made it for our church Thanksgiving potluck dinner a couple years ago and it turned out so amazing, I had to make it for my family. I prefer a thick sauce, so I add a bit of Wondra flour, if I think the sauce needs further thickening. I love the peppery kick in this recipe and my father prefers it made with the addition of a small jalapeno pepper minced very fine for a bit of heat. Try this recipe, you won’t be disappointed!






  50. Amazing! This is the first time I’ve ever made scalloped potatoes and o.m.g. it was awesome. I did make some small adjustments, personal touches. I added an extra garlic clove, garlic powder and a dash of parsley to the sauce. I also added a bit of shredded cheddar cheese to the sauce right before I added the broth so it was more cheesy (then whisked it very well and didn’t bring to a boil). I also used 2% milk and vegetable broth (not stalk), but other then that I followed the recipe and cooked it for 30 minutes with tin foil, then 25 without and it was cooked perfectly! I didn’t sprinkle any thyme on top but I sprinkled some parsley. Anyways, thank you so much for sharing this recipe, I love it and I will definitely use it again . I highly recommend this!