Easy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Scalloped potatoes a classic comfort dish. Perfect for potlucks, family gatherings and a favorite holiday recipe. Made with simple ingredients, comes together quickly and layers of cheesy goodness!

After lots of testing and tweaking – I’m sharing my favorite scalloped potatoes recipe, baked until golden brown. Easy to make cream sauce, thickened with a roux that is poured over layers of potatoes. Everyone will be asking you for this recipe!

Whether you call them scalloped potatoes or Au Gratin potatoes, they are hearty, flavorful, tender potatoes in a cream sauce. We found mixture of different cheeses gives you the perfect cream sauce. Call them what you like, just remember to invite me to dinner.

You might also like some of my favorite holiday dishes deviled eggs, Southern potato salad, Grandma’s holiday punch and baked beans.

Why this recipe works

• The best holiday side dish – Perfect for Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving.
• Nostalgia – Reminds me of dishes Mom and grandma made.
• Easy to make – Simple ingredients, readily available at your grocery store – most you probably have on hand.
• Prep ahead – Prep ahead, refrigerate and bake the next morning. Also delicious reheated.
• Crowd pleaser – It’s the perfect side dish to feed a crowd and everyone will be pleased.

What you’ll need

• Potatoes – Yukon gold or white potatoes that have a thin skin, so they don’t need to be peeled.
• Butter and flour – Together, they create a roux that thickens the sauce.
• Onion – Adds a depth of flavor. You can add minced garlic if you want.
• Whole milk & heavy cream – This combination makes the creamiest sauce.
• Mustard – Grandma always added this to her cheese sauce, so do I. Adds a unique flavor. We prefer using Dijon, but any prepared mustard will work.
• Cheese – For the best cheese sauce, use a combination of Gruyere, Havarti, Gouda, and cheddar. They melt perfectly. Find the blend that you love.
• Salt & pepper – Season in layers for the most flavor.

How to make scalloped potatoes

• Gather all of your ingredients– This will help you get organized and prepare the dish quickly.
• Prep your baking pan – Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
• Shred the cheese – Buy bricks of cheese and grate yourself. Here’s my favorite cheese grater. It will melt better!
• Slice the potatoes – I prefer to use a sharp serrated knife, but you can use a mandoline too.
• Cook the onions – In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Make the sauce – Make a roux by adding the flour, stir with a spoon for one minute, then whisk continuously as you gradually add in the milk and heavy cream.
• Assemble the casserole – Layer thinly sliced potatoes in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Spoon with cheese sauce. You’ll have three layers of potatoes.
• Cover with aluminum foil & bake – Cover baking pan with aluminum foil and bake for 90 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.
• Uncover & let rest – Remove foil and continue bake additional 20 minutes to brown the top. Add a handful of shredded cheese on top if desired. Let rest 10-15 minutes before serving.

What to serve scalloped potatoes with

• Grandma’s Meatloaf
• Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
• Orange Glazed Chicken
• Chicken Marinade
• Sweet Chili Chicken
• Cedar Plank Salmon

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Scalloped Potatoes

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Resting time15 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Scalloped potatoes are a classic comfort dish. Perfect for potlucks, picnics and favorite holiday side dish recipe. Easy to make and uses simple ingredients.

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 people

Calories: 366kcal

Author: Jessica Robinson

Ingredients

• ▢ 3-4 pounds white or Yukon gold potatoes (sliced ⅛” or thinner)
• ▢ 6 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 1 small/medium yellow or white onion diced small
• ▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 cups whole milk
• ▢ ½ cup heavy cream
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (or another prepared mustard)
• ▢ 2 ½ cups freshly shredded cheese (combination of Gruyere, Havarti, Gouda, and cheddar)
• ▢ Salt and black pepper to taste
• ▢ fresh parsley garnish (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the baking dish

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish by brushing with butter or spraying with cooking spray. Set aside.

Slice the potatoes

• Slice the potatoes to about ⅛-inch thickness with a sharp serrated knife or use a mandoline. Be very careful not to slice your fingers!

Cook the onions

• In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally so they don’t burn.

Make the cheese sauce

• Make a roux by adding the flour and stirring with a spoon or whisk for one minute. Whisk continuously as you gradually add in the milk. Add the heavy cream. Stir with a spoon and cook over low to medium heat until it has slightly thickened.
• Add the mustard, season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir in the cheese all at once, over low heat, continue stirring until melted and smooth. About one minute. Remove from the heat, cover the saucepan to keep warm.

Assemble the casserole

• Arrange one layer of potatoes in the prepared baking dish by slightly overlapping potato slices. Season each layer of potatoes with salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour over some of the cheese sauce. Repeat the layers with remaining potatoes and cheese sauce, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Top last layer of potatoes with cheese sauce. (You’ll have three layers of potatoes)

Cover with foil & bake

• Cover baking pan with aluminum foil, place on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 90 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.

Remove foil & bake uncovered to brown

• Remove the aluminum foil and continue baking 20 minutes to brown the top and cheese sauce is bubbling. Add a handful of shredded cheese on top if desired.

Let rest

• Remove from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes prior to serving. This will let the potatoes thicken.
• Store leftovers in a covered container for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or warm up in the oven.

Recipe Notes

Cheese sauce- if your sauce thickens too much, simply add a few tablespoons of milk, heavy cream or chicken broth to thin out a bit. Keep in mind, it will thicken as it cooks with the potatoes.

The thinner your potatoes are and more evenly sliced, the better they will cook.

Buy bricks of cheese and grate yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has additives and preservatives. Find the perfect blend of different cheeses that you love.

Place the entire baking dish on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper to catch any juices that might bubble over.

Nutrition

Calories: 366kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 360mg | Potassium: 595mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 742IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 371mg | Iron: 1mg

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