Homemade scalloped potatoes are a no-fail decadent side dish that will be the star of any meal. The perfect Thanksgiving side that only takes 30 minutes in the oven and you’ll have a potato dish that will be filling and memorable.
Need a make-ahead dish for the holidays or your next dinner party, this popular Thanksgiving dish is calling your name.
Need a wonderful creamy cheesy side dish for your next holiday meal and don’t feel like making mashed potatoes, or pineapple casserole, then this cheesy scalloped potato recipe is just what you’re looking for.
An old fashioned side dish that’s been around forever for good reason. It’s so creamy and cheesy that it will melt in your mouth. Most people think about homemade scalloped potatoes around the holidays because they’re so easy to make but still deliver that “wow” factor.
While they are fabulous with turkey and ham, you can also pair them with a simple rotisserie chicken and transform a boring dinner.
Why you’ll love this potato recipe
- You get the ‘wow’ factor with this creamy potato dish
- It’s prepared and ready to serve in just 30 minutes
- I consider this a no fail dish – there’s no good way to screw it up; they’ll taste great!
- They can share the oven with another dish
- They need to rest for 15 minutes before serving freeing up the oven for another side
Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas or just having friends for dinner, I want at least one side dish that I can make ahead and don’t have to worry about. You can assemble this a day or two in advance and then bake it before serving.
But what’s really great about homemade scalloped potatoes are that the sliced potatoes are partially cooked before they go in the oven which reduces the baking time. Typically scalloped or au gratin potatoes need to bake for an hour and a half while these will be done in just 30-40 minutes.
Do you struggle with making sure that everything is done and ready to serve at the same time. This popular Thanksgiving dish is ideal for a meal where you have multiple dishes and you’re having to juggle which to put in the oven first. They can cook in any temperature, just adjust the time. Since it needs to sit for a minimum of 15 minutes before serving this will free up your oven for yeast rolls!
What you’ll need
- Yukon Gold potatoes – I find that they will more readily absorb the cream and milk and will not take as long to cook as a russet.
- Cream and milk – to make these decadent, you need to use whole milk and cream. You could get by with half-and-half.
- Garlic and Nutmeg – for flavor.
- Gruyere – an aged gruyere is even better. You can use another variety such as cheddar but I like the subtle flavor gruyere adds.
How do you make homemade scalloped potatoes
Step 1 – slice the potatoes
Peel and then slice the potatoes with a mandolin or food processor. You want the slices to be thin.
Step 2 – boil in cream
Add the sliced potatoes to a large pot with cream, milk and garlic and bring it to a boil.
Step 3– layer
Add the slightly cooked potatoes to a baking dish, sprinkle with nutmeg,
Cover with cheese.
Bake for about 30 minutes until it’s bubbly, the cheese is toasty brown and the potatoes are soft.
Step 4 – let rest
Make sure you let them rest for at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes before serving. They’ll be soupy at first and need time to thicken.
Pro Tip: Place a baking sheet under the casserole dish in case it bubbles over. This will save you plenty of clean up time!
FAQs and tips
I think these terms are used interchangeably. Officially au gratin potatoes are covered in cheese and breadcrumbs while scalloped potatoes just have cream. However, growing up we called these scalloped potatoes and they always were made with cheese.
The type of cheese depends on your preference. You will see many recipes with cheddar, but I prefer an aged gruyere.
Yukon Golds will provide a creamier texture than a russet.
The nice thing about this recipe is that you can bake it at any temperature and just adjust the time. So if you have multiple dishes to bake, this dish can share the oven with something else. At 350º it will take about 30 minutes. If cooking at a higher temperature remove when the top is golden and bubbly.
Once the potatoes have been placed in the baking dish let them come to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 days. Let them come to room temperature before baking.
A mandolin or food processor is the easiest way to get thin potatoes. If one is not available, then slice as thin as you can with a sharp knife.
More fabulous potato recipes
Adapted from My Kitchen Year
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Cheesy Scalloped Potato Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cream
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 ½ lbs Yukon Gold potatoes sliced thin
- salt and pepper
- nutmeg just a sprinkle over the dish
- 8 ounces gruyere grated (2 cups)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish or 2 quart baking dish.
- Add cream and milk to a large pot. Peel potatoes and slice very thin. Place in the pot with the milk. Add garlic and salt and pepper and bring slowly to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, remove from heat and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into the prepared dish. Grate nutmeg on top and cover with cheese.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- Used an aged gruyere cheese if you can find it for my flavor.
- Make sure you taste the sauce before adding to the baking dish and add more salt if needed.
- Place a baking sheet under the casserole dish in case it bubbles over.
- You can slice the potatoes with a mandolin or food processor. If using a knife, try to get the potatoes as thin as possible.
- Let this dish rest for 15-30 minutes before serving so the sauce can thicken.
Nutrition
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