Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Super creamy and flavorful cheesy scalloped potatoes are the ultimate side dish. Prep this casserole for your next holiday meal, dinner party, or date night-in and you won’t be disappointed!
The main dish may be the star of the meal, but more often than not in my opinion the side dishes end up stealing the show. And for me, scalloped potatoes— or au gratin potatoes, or gratin potatoes as they’re sometimes called— are unsurpassable as the most decadent and indulgent side dish.
These scalloped potatoes are rich and flavorful, with a golden cheesy layer on top of tender, paper-thin potatoes in a creamy shallot and thyme sauce. It’s a casserole that can be dressed up for a holiday meal or dinner party, or dressed down for a casual weeknight dinner. And perhaps best of all, it can be prepped and even made in advance!
Table of Contents
- Scalloped potatoes ingredients you'll need
- Step-by-step instructions
- Recipe tips
- Make it a meal
- Get the recipe
Scalloped potatoes ingredients you’ll need
Here’s everything you need to make this dish (Be sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.):
- Gold potatoes are preferred for the best flavor and texture, but you can use other potato varieties like red potatoes and russets.
- Butter, all-purpose flour, and milk provide the base for the cream sauce.
- Shallots, fresh thyme and salt and pepper help boost the delicious flavor of the sauce.
- Plenty of white sharp cheddar cheese is the final key ingredient. (Sharp yellow cheddar is also a fine option if you prefer.)
Step-by-step instructions
- Prepare potatoes. They should be uniformly sliced no thicker than 1/4-inch wide for even cooking and the creamiest layers.
- Make the sauce. Cook shallots in butter in a sauce pan or skillet until tender. Stir in the flour to make a thick roux, then slowly whisk in the milk. Season with salt, pepper and thyme and simmer until thickened, which will take a few minutes. You’ll know when it’s done when the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Stir in some of the cheese.
- Assemble in a casserole dish. Grease your dish and then spoon a little cream sauce on the bottom. Add a third of the potatoes, followed by a third of the cream sauce, spreading it to the edges. Repeat to make two more layers of potatoes and sauce, and top with remaining cheese.
- Bake. Cover with foil and bake in a 400°F oven for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 30+ minutes until potatoes are soft and the top is golden brown.
- Serve and enjoy! Let the casserole rest for at least 15 minutes, then serve. Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Recipe tips
- The best way to thinly slice potatoes: You can slice by hand with a sharp knife, with a food processor, or a mandoline slicer. A food processor fitted with a slicer blade is my preferred method (it’s the fastest and you are the least likely to slice your fingers.). For even cooking, make sure they are the same thickness, with a max of 1/4-inch wide.
- Use 2% or whole milk. You can use whatever kind of milk you want, but I recommend 2% or whole. More fat = more flavor.
- Let the potatoes rest before serving. Cover with foil if you want, and let it sit for 15 minutes before slicing. This time will set all of the layers, making for clean and stable slices. Don’t worry, it will still be hot!
- How to make these scalloped potatoes ahead of time: You can assemble the dish and refrigerate for about 8 hours before baking, or you can bake it and refrigerate for about 24 hours before serving. To reheat, cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes. Unfortunately, this dish does not freeze well.
Make it a meal
Here are a few dishes to serve with this scalloped potatoes recipe to make a completely delicious meal. These are especially great options if you’re planning for holidays like Christmas and Easter!
Get the recipe
Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (56 grams) salted butter
- 1 shallot , finely chopped
- ¼ cup (27 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (681 grams) milk , preferably 2% or whole
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme , or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 lbs (1.8 kg) Yukon gold potatoes , in ¼-inch slices
- 8 ounces (226 grams) shredded white cheddar cheese, divided
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add shallot and cook until soft, 3-4 minutes.
- Add flour and whisk until incorporated with the butter and shallots.
- Gradually add milk to the pan while whisking constantly. Once all the milk has been added, increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil, continuing to stir regularly. Add salt, pepper, and thyme.
- Cook for a few minutes until thick. Add 1 ½ cups of the cheddar cheese and stir until smooth. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat.
- Add enough of the sauce to the prepared baking dish so that it coats the bottom. Add one third of the sliced potatoes to the dish, then pour one third of the sauce over the potatoes, trying to cover as many potatoes with the sauce as possible. Repeat with remaining potatoes and sauce.
- Sprinkle remaining ½ cup of cheese on top and cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes until potatoes are cooked through and cheese has started to brown.
- Let sit for about 15 minutes to finished setting up before slicing and serving.
Notes
Disclosure: This recipe was originally published December 2018 in partnership with Challenge Dairy, Inc. Thank you for supporting partnerships with brands I love and believe in, which make Completely Delicious possible. All opinions are always 100% my own.
Cover with foil and bake in a 400°F oven for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 30+ minutes until potatoes are soft and the top is golden brown.
I love that you can make them ahead of time too—perfect for busy holiday meals or dinner parties. The tips on slicing the potatoes and letting the dish rest before serving are super helpful as well
The way you approach these discussions is very thoughtful. Most people just skim over these topics, but you dive in. Great work!
How much butter is used ? It’s not in the ingredients.
4 tablespoons or 1/4 cup. It’s the first ingredient in the ingredient list.
Best recipe out there!
Annaliese, I wanted to write and tell you I had everything in my pantry, freezer and fridge to make your entire Easter dinner without leaving the house! The only thing I didn’t make was the coconut cake, but I will. Thanks for posting it, our dinner was perfect for the two of us. It was hard to be away from family, friends and church this holiday but our meal was lovely.
Your write-up and the whole presentation are the best for now. The scalloped potatoes are just timely for our annual gathering. Both adults and children would love to try it. Keep sharing extraordinary recipes to share with the foodies out there.
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Nice post…….I am glad to be a part of your blog