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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”

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  1. I made this recipe and wowwed my family. They loved it. I did freeze the leftovers, that was before I read that you shouldn’t freeze it, and it heated up fine. Very yummy! Thanx for the great recipe.
    Sue – Ottawa, Canada






  2. I have made this recipe before and has turned out so well! I’m planning on bringing it to a potluck. Can I make it ahead and refrigerate overnight?






    • I am making these today and was wondering the same thing…

    • She mentions this in her post:
      “Over the years, I’ve had lots of you ask if you can prep this scalloped potatoes recipe in advance, and the answer is yes! Just bake the scalloped potatoes and let them cool completely to room temperature. Then cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Then bake covered (with foil) at 350° for 30 minutes, or until warmed through.”

  3. Delicious ?






  4. It was different, but delicious.
    Very easy to make






  5. Amazing!! Burning their mouths cause they couldn’t stop tasting as soon as they came out of the oven!!






  6. This recipe looks delicious but as I’m actively making it having to scroll through your post to watch the video and back down to get the amounts is really difficult while simultaneously cooking!

    • I clicked on the button for the printer-friendly version and it laid the ingredients and instructions without the extra video or narratives. Recommended if you don’t want to scroll up and down.






  7. Seriously the best scalloped potatoes I have ever made! My hubby’s eyes light up when I make them, so I know it’s good! Thanks so much for this great recipe!






  8. The Best I’ve ever made !!!






    • Super yummy and easy! Trust the reviews when I say this is the best scalloped potato’s I’ve ever tasted every flavor fits in perfectly ?

  9. It was quite delicious although I felt it needed a little more juice. Maybe because I used a mandoline to slice the potatoes, they may have absorbed more of the sauce? Anyway, everyone loved it. Thanks!






  10. Sounds wonderful, howeverr, these sound like potatoes au gratin, with the cheese. Scalleped potatoes are cream sauce, no cheese.

    • Yes Linda, my thoughts exactly. These are not scalloped potatoes………….

    • Actually, the “scallop” part of scalloped potatoes, scalloped anything, refers to the cut. A thin round slice. Which is reference back to the look of scalloping. Has nothing to do with sauce, just refers to the cut. Hence why there are scalloped tomatoes, potatoes, steak, chicken, sweet potatoes, the list goes on and on. But this recipe is amazing!

  11. I made this for dinner with friends on Saturday. Because it was so dang hot outside and didn’t want to use the oven used my crockpot instead. The potatoes were tasty. The only drawback with crockpot was that cheese didn’t get that crispy look.






  12. I have made this countless times for BBQs, family get togethers, etc. and it is always a hit! It’s the first thing gone. Everyone loves it and raves about it. Thank you for this great recipe!






  13. Can you cut the recipe in half?

  14. I made this and it was amazing! I added way more cheese than the recipe called for:))






  15. #GIMMESOMEOVEN
    This was incredible! So tasty and easy to make. Really glad to have found this lighter version without the heavy cream.
    Will definitely make again.






  16. Excellent recipe thanks for sharing. I never buy pre shredded cheese as it contains a powder to keep it from sticking together. Maybe that’s why it doesn’t melt? Also I’ve tried several of your recipes and enjoy them as well.






  17. Delicious! I only made 1/4 of the recipe since it’s just me and the husband, and there were plenty of leftovers. It was also a delicious reheat. I will definitely be making this again in the near future.






  18. Family didn’t care for it.






  19. Made this recipe for my sisiter’s birthday sunday dinner 8/18. Everyone loved it!!1 I got a 9 out of 10 from my family rating the taste and a 10 for appearance. Will surely do it again. This was my first time making this.

  20. Great garlicky cheesy taste as stated but waaaaay more than 15 minutes to prepare with the grating, chopping, slicing, making a roux, lots more than 15 minutes but worth it. Just plan on more time.






  21. I used the milk instead of cream and did not let it boil, just simmer on edge. Then baked. Took off foil and there was the broken sauce. I’ve tried to make this same recipe for years and rarely luck out and have unbroken sauce. I don’t get it!!! I rated this 5 since I can only blame me for the broken sauce “curse”.






    • I think the higher fat content your milk has, the less likely it will break. Same goes for making a paralyzer and preventing it from curdling when alcohol is added :)

    • My sauce broke, too. The potatoes although cut thinner than 1/4″ did not seem done, Because the sauce broke, the cheese seemed to get tough and kind of stringy. I guess I may have let the sauce get a little too hot because everyone else loves this recipe. From now on, it’s Costco’s Main Street Bistro Scalloped potatoes for
      me which I really like better and I don’t have to slice 4 pounds of potatoes!






    • Hi Elaine – A few things that should help…. Use Cream or Half and Half instead of Milk (the higher fat helps), and baking this low and slow. 350 degrees F for about 2 hours, covered for all but the last 15 minutes.

    • Same thing happened to me. The taste was really good, but the sauce separated so the appearance and texture left alot to be desired. Where did I go wrong?!






  22. I made this for the first time last night and everyone had seconds! My husband literally LICKED his plate clean! Thank you! I did sprinkle bacon on top and had a dab of sour cream to mine. It was excellent.






  23. So good! I will certainly be making this regularly. The sauce turned out perfect. I was leary because I didn’t have cream and that’s what I’ve used in the past, but 2% milk worked perfectly.

  24. I just made this, it was a tad more runny than I wanted but it tasted delicious!

    I would say next time I’m going to cut the milk down by like 25% and maybe increase the cheese by about the same, should make it about 50% thicker in theory, lol. Either way, good recipe, definitely saving this one…






  25. Loved these potatoes; definitely a new favourite. I used some thyme (only had a little on hand) and some chopped fresh oregano. For the cheese, I used a mixture of cheddar, gruyere and parm. And garlic, definitely garlic (about 5 cloves). We loved them, thanks! (PS I have also frozen the leftovers which I’ve done before and they seemed fine when reheated low and slow while still wrapped in the foil I froze them in).

  26. Delish delish delish! Following recipe EXACTLY and it was perfect! Husband has told me many times over. Kids devoured it too!

  27. Great. But not enough sauce for the large baking dish.






  28. If these are SCALLOPED POTATOES, then what is your recipe for AU GRATIN POTATOES?

    Not to be a prick, but as an Irish American I’ve always heard cheese on sliced baked potatoes makes them Au Gratin and white roux or Bechemel pototoes are the scalloped recipe.

    A pretty good Au Gratin recipe if my Grandmother, the old 19th century woman who taught me of my Irish heritage, would say. A pretty good recipe for Au Gratin!






  29. I bet these are wonderful Au gratin potatoes, but I was looking for a recipe for scalloped potatoess.

  30. I made these potatoes last night EXACTLY as written (which is unusual for me…except I chopped the onion and left it in the sauce) and they were the best I’ve ever had. When I made the white sauce, it was pretty thick and didn’t look like it would be enough to sufficiently cover the potatoes, but I didn’t alter it. I did use a little extra cheese since Ali said it was okay! My Sweetheart said they were the best he’d ever had as well. I asked him what about them he loved so much and he said that they were creamy and delicious, but not soupy like I normally make them. So, that sauce I was worried about – exactly as it was supposed to be. I used a rubber spatula and spread it around each of the two layers as best I could. They were perfect!
    Thank you for such a great recipe!






  31. If I bake this at 350 with my stuffing for thanksgiving how long do you think it would take?

  32. I found this recipe online with a quick search of scalloped potatoes. They looked good in the pictures.
    Sure enough, I made them and my husband goes did you make these scalloped potatoes?? Me… yes, why??
    His response “I have no idea what you put in them but they are the best scalloped potatoes yet”

    – I didn’t have enough potatoes and only had a cup of milk and it still tasted amazing!!

    Thanks for sharing this recipe.






  33. I made this for Thanksgiving. It was a HUGE hit! My daughter, who doesn’t like potatoes, ate like a champion! It is such a yummy dish. Thank you so much!!






  34. Made this today and since I didn’t notice your note beforehand, I used pre-shredded Italian blend cheese (provolone, parmesan, mozzarella), and pre-shredded parmesan (not the dry, grated type). These cheeses melted beautifully and added a wonderful flavour to the dish. I also used less milk than recommended because I prefer a thicker sauce in my scalloped potatoes and this made a perfect roux. It all worked out wonderfully and made a delicious meal with baked ham, brussels sprouts and asparagus (we like our green veggies!).






  35. This was a great recipe! I used convection baking at 380 degrees – 26 minutes with foil and 25 without. Loved it!

  36. Taste is great, but, need to adjust wet ingredients as my potatoes were still hard after an extra hour of cooking.






  37. Can you prepare it a day in advance then bake it the next?

  38. I love this recipe! This has become my family’s favourite, comfort food, pairs up with anything, or even by itself. So easy to make. Delicious.?






  39. Can I put this recipe together and leave it in the fridge for a couple hours, until ready to throw in oven

  40. These were so good, and easy to do.






  41. Made these as a side for Christmas dinner. Great- everyone loved them. I used whole milk, all the freshly grated parmesan
    and doubled the garlic. YUM. also the cooking time was perfect for potatoes that weren’t mushy. Amazing.






  42. I make these potatoes every year for Christmas and for some other family events. This is by far my favorite recipe to use. In the past, they have often times come out a little underdone. This time I cooked them for 30 mins. at 350 degrees and the last 30 mins at 425 (because I happened to be cooking something else at that temp) and they were PERFECT!






  43. Very good






  44. One of the best scalloped potato recipes ever! Fab!

  45. This was DELICIOUS!!! I made it exactly as the recipe stated, except I used bagged cheddar and “green can” parm. It was the perfect side to New Years pork roast. It’s a keeper!






  46. So delicious. My family also loved. Will never make any other scalloped but these! Decadent but with every bite!






  47. Awesome! Each time I make these potatoes I always think we are never going to eat all of this… I’m proven wrong EVERY time! Thanks for such an easy and yummy recipe.






  48. My daughter made this recipe tonight-OMG! It was delicious. In our version we used half and half because we had so much extra in the fridge.






  49. Made this recipe today for supper, to go with a superb steak on the barbie, i have to say this recipe is delishhhh, you won’t regret making this dish, everyone enjoyed it.






  50. Made tonight. Big hit. Literally only changes I made was using a cup of cream with the cup of milk just because I needed to use it up and I didn’t have fresh thyme. Very delicious. Easy. Worst part is prep. Recipe was on point. Definitely will remake and recipe is now bookmarked.