In this scalloped potatoes recipe, I layer tender potatoes with a creamy sauce and cheddar cheese. It's a comforting, delicious holiday side dish!
This scalloped potatoes recipe features tender layers of potatoes baked in a creamy sauce. Onions and fresh thyme add savory depth, and melty cheddar cheese takes it over the top!
When I was growing up, my family always had homemade scalloped potatoes at Easter. Cheesy and comforting, they were my favorite part of our holiday dinner.
A few years back, I set out to develop my own version of this classic dish. It took lots of testing and tweaking to get just right, but I couldn’t be happier with the results. The sauce is creamy, but not overly rich, and the herbs and onions add delicious flavor.
Hearty and flavorful, this scalloped potatoes recipe is a show-stopping side dish. Try it for a holiday like Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, or serve it as a part of a regular dinner. So many readers have loved this recipe—it now has over 150 5-star reviews. I think you’ll love it too!
Scalloped Potatoes Ingredients
This scalloped potato recipe calls for these simple ingredients:
- Potatoes, of course! I love using russet potatoes for baked potatoes and French fries, but they’re not my #1 pick for this recipe. Instead, I recommend Yukon Gold or other yellow potatoes. Their thin skins, creamy texture, and buttery flavor are so delicious here!
- Butter and flour – They create a roux that thickens the sauce.
- Vegetable broth and whole milk – The sauce’s base! When I was developing this recipe, I tested a version with all milk and no broth, and I found that it felt too rich in the final dish. The combination of broth and milk makes the sauce lightly creamy and more flavorful.
- Garlic and onion – For savory depth of flavor.
- Fresh thyme – It adds fresh, unexpected notes to this comforting casserole. In a pinch, dried thyme works too.
- Cheddar cheese – For tangy, nutty flavor.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Scalloped potatoes vs au gratin
I know some readers will point out that because this dish includes cheese, it’s technically potatoes au gratin. Traditional scalloped potatoes are baked in a milk or cream sauce without cheese.
However, the dish I grew up calling “scalloped potatoes” always contained cheese, so I chose to include it in this recipe. You can call these au gratin potatoes, potatoes au gratin, or cheesy scalloped potatoes if you prefer. They’re delicious any way you cut it!
How to Make Scalloped Potatoes
You can find the complete scalloped potatoes recipe at the bottom of this post, but for now, here’s an overview of how it goes:
Start by slicing the potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick slices. You could use a mandoline slicer for this step, but I actually prefer to do it with a knife. Just be careful to slice the potatoes thinly and evenly so that they cook through at the same rate.
Next, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a medium skillet, and then sprinkle in the flour and whisk to make a roux. Whisk continuously as you slowly add the milk followed by the broth.
Add the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook until the sauce lightly coats the back of the spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir often and reduce the heat as needed—you don’t want the sauce to come to a boil, or it could split.
Then, assemble the casserole. Layer half the potatoes and onions in an oiled 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with half of the sauce and 1 cup of cheddar cheese.
Repeat with another layer of potatoes, onions, sauce, and cheese.
Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes at 400°F. Remove the foil, then bake uncovered until the potatoes are tender and the cheese on top is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before slicing and serving. Finally, dig in!
How to Make Scalloped Potatoes Ahead of Time
As delicious as this recipe is freshly made, I secretly think it’s better leftover! When I prepare it for holidays and gatherings, I often make it ahead.
Here’s how to do it:
- Fully assemble and bake the scalloped potatoes according to the recipe.
- Let them cool to room temperature.
- Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- When you’re ready to serve, let the potatoes stand at room temperature while you preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake them, covered, for 30 minutes, or until heated through.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them in a 350°F oven or the microwave.
More Delicious Potato Recipes
If you love these cheesy scalloped potatoes, try one of these tasty potato recipes next:
- Best Mashed Potatoes
- Perfect Baked Potato
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Potatoes
- Hasselback Potatoes
Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced ⅛-inch thick
- ½ medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1½ cups grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute, then slowly add the milk followed by the vegetable broth, whisking continuously. Add the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook, whisking often, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat.
- Layer half of the potatoes at the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half the onion, then half the sauce and 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers with the remaining potatoes, onion, sauce, and ½ cup cheese.
- Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the cheese on top is browned. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
Happy Easter.
I made the scallops potatoes and followed the recipe exactly. Sadly the potatoes were very undercooked. What did I do wrong ?
I bet I need to cook it at least another 30 minutes.
Penny
Hi Penny, it could vary depending on how thin your potato slices were. Thanks for letting us know, we could adjust the range.
Delicious. As a British chef I was not familiar with scalloped potatoes as a kid but my Canadian husband loves them so I found this recipe and gave it a go. I modified a couple of things slightly – I used a whole onion and caramelised it before adding it into the layers, and I finely grated about an extra 1/3 cup aged Parmigiano Reggiano into the cheddar mix. Otherwise made it pretty much as the recipe said. Top marks!
I’m so glad you loved them!
Great recipe. Turned out very well
My scalloped potatoes did not thicken, the sauce looks curdled. I did not boil the sauce, but maybe I didn’t cook it long enough before assembling?
These were a hit when I decided to make them outta the blue in February. They’ve now been requested as part of our Easter dinner. No tweaks were necessary recipe stands perfect and simple as is! I rinse my Yukon gold potato slices with cold water to remove the cloudy starchness and air dry them a little beforehand so they can soak up all the sauce whilst they bake.
I’m glad these have been such a hit!
Has anyone cooked it halfway the day before? I want it for Easter but don’t have that much time before guests come.
There are instructions on how to in the beginning of the post
I made these a couple of weeks ago and they were great! This dish is on my Easter menu.
I’m glad you loved them!
Can I make in advance?
Yes, there are make ahead instructions written in the post. Hope that helps!
Are you supposed to peel the potatoes? And can I use the small Yukon Gold potatoes?
We don’t peel the potatoes – yes you can use small yukon golds.
Making for Easter! Was looking for the reviews🤔
They’re at the bottom of the post below the recipe!
Any thoughts on milk substitutions to make it dairy free?
I’ve always had good luck with unsweetened, no vanilla, almond milk when I make potato soup.
Almond milk or coconut milk
What is the best alternative flour to make this dish gluten-free?
I love potato for for dishes like this.
Gluten free flour
Love this recipe. Replaced the yellow onion with sautéed shallots and fried shallots on top.
oh yum! I’m glad you enjoyed it.