Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped potatoes baked with the perfect creamy cheddar cheese sauce is the perfect easy side dish for any meal. A must at any family gathering and so perfect for holidays like Easter or Christmas, it’s the side dish everyone loves.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Potatoes, cream and cheese. My three favourite food groups. I like using a good baking potato for this as I want them to cook soft and not be too waxy. A creamy sauce made with a simple butter and flour roux and milk flavoured with cheese (ALL the cheese) and some seasonings ensures the creamiest scalloped potatoes.
- Potatoes. Any potatoes used for roasting will work. Yukon Gold potatoes, russet potatoes, Maris Pipier, etc.
- Butter. I used salted butter but unsalted butter can be used too.
- Flour.
- Cream. Heavy cream/Whipping cream.
- Milk.
- Grated cheese. Cheddar/Gruyere/Jack cheese/Colby/Raclette/Havarti are all good cheeses to use for this recipe.
- Seasoning: Nutmeg, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Other spices like garlic powder and onion powder or herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage and oregano will all be delicious too.
- Parmesan cheese.
How to make scalloped potatoes
- Make the cream sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk in the flour then cook for a minute or two until lightly golden. Slowly whisk in the cream and milk until the sauce is smooth. Add the nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper then reduce the heat and cook, stirring regularly, until the sauce is silky and thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheese.
- Assemble: Peel and thinly slice potatoes (½cm/¼inch thick) with a sharp knife or a mandolin slicer. Place a layer of potatoes into an oven-proof baking dish/casserole dish then season with salt and pepper. Pour over some of the cheese sauce. Repeat until all the potatoes and sauce has been used, covering the last layer of the potatoes with the remaining sauce.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish tightly with foil then place in the oven and allow to bake for 45-60 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Test by inserting a knife, it it goes in easily, the potatoes are cooked. Remove from the oven, sprinkle over the grated Parmesan and place under the broiler for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes then serve garnished with fresh chives or parsley.
Can you make scalloped potatoes ahead of time?
Yes, absolutely. The potatoes can be prepped and assembled up to 2 days in advanced. Cover well and keep in the fridge until ready to bake. Leftover potatoes can be kept covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave oven or oven.
Serving suggestions
This scalloped potato recipe is the perfect side dish for any protein. It’s especially delicious with roasted lamb, chicken or pork belly. It’s also perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas with roast turkey or glazed ham.
Potato recipes
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2lbs) potatoes
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- 1 cup cream
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup grated cheese
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan set over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour then cook for a minute or two until lightly golden.
- Slowly whisk in the cream and milk until the sauce is smooth.
- Add the nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper then reduce the heat and cook, stirring regularly, until the sauce is silky and thick.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheese.
- Peel and thinly slice the potatoes (½cm/¼inch thick).
- Place a layer of potatoes into an oven-proof baking dish (approximately 30cmx20cm / 9x13in) then season with salt and pepper.
- Pour over some of the cheese sauce. Repeat until all the potatoes and sauce has been used, covering the last layer of the potatoes with the remaining sauce.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil then place in the oven and allow to bake for 45-60 minutes or until a knife can easily be inserted.
- Remove from the oven, scatter over the grated Parmesan and place under the broiler for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes then serve.
The best!!! I LOVED the nutmeg/cayenne mixture!!
So glad you loved it Diane.
Shouldn’t the baking dish be buttered/sprayed before adding the potatoes? What size baking dish? — I’m assuming 9×13, but shouldn’t that be specified? For the final broil, melt some butter, add some minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, then add some panko and stir to coat with the butter, letting it brown a little. Put that in a bowl, let it cool, then add the Parmesan. You won’t regret it.
I’ve added the dish dimensions into the post but I often use braisers or deep pans/skillets for potato dishes like this one so really, as long as the potatoes fit, use any dish you prefer. I don’t grease the dish before but you definitely could if you wanted to.