If you don’t want ooey gooey cheese covering every single nook and cranny of your scalloped potatoes then look away. These Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes are perfection! If you happen to want an easy Crock-Pot Scalloped Potato, I’ve got ya covered. You may also love my Potatoes Au Gratin with Smoked Sausage.
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
For this recipe, I take a cream sauce and smother it over thick-cut potato rounds. I like to use a mandolin so that our potato slices come out the same every time. This is seriously the most amazing cheesy scalloped potato recipe that I have ever had.
Scalloped Potatoes vs. Au Gratin Potatoes
Why is there so much confusion about scalloped potatoes versus Au Gratin Potatoes? Well, they are very similar. So, we are calling our dish cheesy scalloped potatoes, and let me explain why we can do that. We are basically combining the best parts of both dishes.
A traditional scalloped potato dish consists of sliced potatoes layered in a casserole dish and baked with heavy cream and lots of herbs. A traditional Au Gratin Potato dish, on the other hand, has grated cheese sprinkled between the layers, resulting in a cheesy, more decadent dish. In both dishes, the potatoes are cut into rounds, but the potatoes used in scalloped potatoes are often cut a bit thicker than those in au gratin potatoes.
What Potatoes are Best for Scalloped Potatoes?
When choosing a potato for scalloped potatoes, I recommend a Russet potato (like I used for this recipe) or Yukon Gold potatoes. These two kinds of potatoes are starchy enough to help thicken the sauce and they will also turn out soft and tender. If you choose a more waxy potato, they may not soften up. Also, slice the potatoes as evenly as you can (which is why I recommended a mandoline earlier). Keep the thickness from 1/8 of an inch to 1/4 of an inch to ensure the potatoes are cooked evenly.
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
So many people have asked if this could be combined with Ham. Without a doubt. This would be amazing with the addition of ham! I would maybe cube it and put it in between the rows of potatoes. Really, all you need to do is add it to the ingredients list, it will incorporate with the rest of the recipe just fine. That would take this from a side dish to a knock out the main course!
No matter which way you decide to prepare this cheesy scalloped potatoes dish, you will not be disappointed! Neither will anyone at your dinner table. Seriously? What is there not to love!?
I love to pair this with other holiday favorites like the worlds WORST stuffing, roasted carrots, creamy mashed potatoes and herb butter roasted turkey!
Can You Make Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Ahead Of Time?
Yes, you can make these cheesy scalloped potatoes the day before! Simply prepare the recipe as instructed, but stop before baking it. Once you’ve assembled the dish and added the cheese sauce, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator. The next day, you can bake it directly from the refrigerator—just be sure to add a few extra minutes to the baking time if needed.
More Side Dishes
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Equipment
- Medium saucepan I like this one from Kitchenaid!
- Mandoline (optional)
- 2-Quart baking dish I use a glass baking dish like this one!
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch slices (about 2 pounds)
- 1 yellow onion, sliced into rings
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups whole milk, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray an 8×8-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Arrange the potatoes and onions in the prepared baking dish, staggering potato and then onion.
- In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Stir in milk. Cook until mixture has thickened.
- Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted and smooth, about 30-60 seconds.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes, and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 85-90 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- For a crisp topping, change the oven setting to broil after the potatoes are baked. Broil until golden brown.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
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Looks really good…
I’m trying them tonight…
Absolutely amazing!!! Probably the best scalloped potatoes I’ve ever had.
If love to post a photo.. PICTURE PERFECT! OOOHHH Soo good. It was quick and easy to make.
Can I use shredded mozzarella cheese instead
You can, its just slightly less flavorful.
I truly love these scalloped potatoes, I made them several times and my husband like them too. Thanks for the recipe
Great recipe and end product. These were a huge hit. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you for the awesome recipe. My husband loves it he always gets excited when I make the scalloped potatoes!! I love them too. So thank you again.
I am not a cook. What size onions? Are you sure that doubling to 4 lbs. of russets is enough for 16 people??? I make mashed potatoes for 16 and the recipe calls for 7 lbs of russets! (Told you I’m not a cook.) One time I tried to make scalloped potatoes and they potatoes turned grey while I was slicing them. Any hints on how to keep this from happening? Thank you if you get this in time for this Easter! I’m planning on trying this recipe on Saturday. 🙂
Annie, I’m so glad you asked this ahead of time, you’re going to be just fine!
For the onion, I use a medium yellow onion. This recipe is very forgiving, so there’s no need to be exact.
For the potatoes, I completely understand why that feels off. Mashed potatoes and scalloped potatoes serve differently, but for a holiday meal people still tend to take generous portions. If you’re feeding 16, I would feel much more comfortable using about 6 to 7 pounds of potatoes so you don’t run short.
The grey color you saw before is totally normal. Potatoes will start to darken once they’re sliced and exposed to air. The easiest way to prevent that is to either use them right away, or place them in a bowl of cold water while you’re slicing. Just be sure to drain and pat them dry before layering so you don’t add extra moisture to the dish.
And making this on Saturday is a great plan! It reheats really well and actually gives the flavors more time to come together. You’ve got this!
I’m wondering if this can be cooked in a crock pot.
I actually have a recipe! https://iamhomesteader.com/crockpot-scalloped-potatoes/
I’m making these for Easter! Could I use almond flour instead of standard flour? Some if the guests have gluten allergies.
Almond flour won’t thicken the sauce the same way and can make it a little oily. I’d recommend cornstarch or a gluten-free flour blend instead… you’ll get that same creamy texture without the gluten. 🙂