Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Creating these Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Over the years we have made these Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes for the holidays (such as Easter and Christmas) and everyone always raves about it!

And, it’s hard not to love them though! Ooey-gooey cheese sauce smothered in layers of thinly sliced potatoes and baked to bubbly perfection. These Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes are a must-make! Without fail, someone is always requesting us to make these!

These potatoes are perfect side dish to pair with a Glazed ham or a Roast Chicken .

For this recipe, I made a creamy cheese sauce to layer in between each layer of the potato rounds.

If you have a mandolin , I highly recommend putting it to use for this recipe! It’s perfect for slicing the potatoes evenly.

I stocked up on my potatoes at Sprouts . I love shopping their produce department, I mean it’s hard to avoid since it’s in the middle of the store as opposed to the side or perimeter! That’s what I love about Sprouts is that they make it easy to shop for produce and always make it look so beautiful as well.

For Easter this year, hop on over to your local Sprouts to snag some potatoes to make these Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes!

Ingredients you will need

For the ingredient measurements and entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.

• Russet Potatoes: I recommend using Russet potatoes because they hold their shape well and also have a nice creamy texture when baked. Also be sure to peel the potatoes as well because their skin is tough.
• Olive Oil
• White Onion
• Garlic
• Salt, pepper, nutmeg
• Butter
• Flour
• Milk or Heavy Cream
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Fresh Chives

How to make Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the bottom of the blog post to the recipe card .

This cheesy scalloped potato recipe is made in the oven, made with Russet potatoes and you can use milk or heavy cream in the cheese sauce. These cheesy scalloped potatoes are certainly great for a crowd and makes enough for 8-10 people.

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Peel the potatoes and thinly slice each potato crosswise into rounds about 1/8 th inch thick.
3. Keep the potatoes in a bowl of water to prevent them from browning.
4. Saute the onions
5. Make the cheese sauce
6. Assemble the potatoes and sauce in a casserole dish.
7. Bake!

Can you Freeze Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes?

Yes! You can either freeze the potatoes once they’ve been baked, or freezer them without baking.

For freezing the already cooked potatoes: Cool completely. Place in an air-tight freezer friendly container. When ready to eat again, thaw in fridge overnight and place in a baking dish and bake as recipe directs.

To freezer without baking: Prep the recipe and cover with plastic wrap and then tightly wrap in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in fridge overnight and bake as recipe directs.

I would also recommend letting the potatoes sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before you bake since they will be very cold still.

Tips for making the best Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

• When making the creamy cheese sauce, add the milk or heavy cream just a little at a time (about ¼ cup at a time) as you stir the flour and butter to avoid lumps in your sauce.
• Invest in a mandolin to make even potato coins and it’s a real time saver too!
• Bake longer than you think. An hour and a half may seem like a long time, but you want tender, melt in your mouth, cheesy potatoes!
• Make it a head of time! Assemble the cheesy scalloped potatoes the day before. When ready to make, let the potatoes come to room temperature on the counter and then bake as the recipe directs.
• Add in ham or bacon! Enough said.

More potato recipes you’ll love:

• Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup
• Smashed Potatoes
• Sloppy Joe Baked Potatoes
• Instant Pot Corn and Potato Chowder
• Sriracha Potato Wedges

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Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients

• 4 large russet potatoes
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, diced small
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• Pinch nutmeg
• 4 Tbsp. butter, unsalted
• 4 Tbsp. all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk or heavy cream
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• fresh chives for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400° F. Grease the bottom an oven safe ceramic or glass casserole dish with softened butter. (Mine is 3QT in size but a standard 9x13 will work too).
• Wash and peel the potatoes and thinly slice each potato crosswise into rounds about 1/8 th inch thick. (A mandolin works wonders for this). Place potatoes in a large bowl and cover with cold water to prevent from browning. (This happens because of oxidation). 4 large russet potatoes
• In a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Then add in the onion and garlic. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg . Sweat the onions; cook for 5-7 minutes or until the onions start to glisten and look wet or “sweaty!” 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1/2 white onion, diced small, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, Pinch nutmeg
• Add in the butter and melt, stirring to combine with the onions. Then whisk in the flour for about 30 seconds. 4 Tbsp. butter, unsalted, 4 Tbsp. all purpose flour
• Gradually whisk in the milk or heavy cream. Start with about 1/4 cup and gradually add in until the entire 2 ½ cups are used up. Whisk constantly so there are no lumps. Allow to simmer so the sauce thickens. Lastly stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese. You’ve made cheese sauce! (Reserve the other cup of cheese to top on the potatoes). 2 1/2 cups milk or heavy cream, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• Drain the potatoes from the water and pat dry with paper towels.
• Ladle or pour a thin layer of cheese sauce down into the prepared casserole dish. Add 2 even layers of potatoes on top. Spoon more sauce over potatoes, and repeat sauce and potatoes until ingredients are gone.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese on top. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes with the foil on and then 15 minutes with the foil off. (Keep an eye on the potatoes so they don’t burn on top). The potatoes will be very tender and cheese will be bubbling!
• Garnish with chopped chives. Let rest for ~30 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy! fresh chives for garnish

Video

Notes

• Greasing the casserole dish with softened butter or a non-stick spray can help prevent bottom layer form browning or burning.
• It’s up for debate which to layer down first: cheese sauce or potatoes. This recipe layers the cheese sauce first, which sometimes can lightly burn. OR you can layer the potatoes down first but sometimes you run the risk of them sticking to the pan and making it more challenging to clean up. Main takeaway: b uttering the casserole dish helps to brown the edges and prevent sticking.
• If you are using cast iron, give it a quick wipe down with a paper towel before buttering the edges and bottom.

Nutrition