Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

This Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe is one to remember! It’s cheesy, hearty, and leaves a lasting impression on anyone who digs in. The flavor is out of this world, and it doesn’t take long to make either. With just 11 ingredients and under an hour, you can have this delectable side dish that goes with pretty much anything.

Take it to potlucks or serve it on busy weeknights. Either way, it’s going to make your stomach growl as soon as the aroma hits your nose.

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Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Growing up, my mom would make scalloped potatoes from the box all the time. We always went crazy when she would pull this side dish out of the oven. They tasted great, but I never knew what I was missing until I tried homemade scalloped potatoes from scratch. Rich, creamy, and smothered with bubbling cheddar cheese, these scalloped potatoes are absolutely delicious! The best part about this recipe is that it is fast and easy enough for a busy weeknight dinner.

The potatoes are parboiled in a chicken broth, and heavy cream mixture on top of the stove then transferred to a casserole dish to finish in the oven. It’s that easy, scalloped potatoes from scratch on your table in less than 45 minutes! 😀

When you taste these scalloped potatoes, you will never want anything out of a box again. I knew when I made them that I was going to have a side dish for life, and I was completely right. We love to serve them with grilled chicken, steak, ham, or even meatloaf. You truly can’t go wrong when you add these cheesy scalloped potatoes to your life.

I can’t wait for you to taste them so you can tell us what you think of them.

What Potatoes are Best for Scalloped Potatoes? 

I find that russet potatoes are by far the best when making these cheesy potatoes. They hold up nicely and give you an amazing texture in every bite. Another fantastic option would be Yukon gold. They are lovely, and the flavor is terrific too. I would steer clear of red potatoes at all costs because they usually will not soften up when making this recipe.

I want you to have the best experience possible, so Russet or Yukon gold are my best recommendations. Feel free to try other varieties though to see what you prefer. 

Why is My Scalloped Potatoes Still Hard? 

If your potatoes are still hard, it could be because you didn’t cook them in the pan long enough. You may need to cook them a little bit longer in the dutch oven before baking them next time. Another thing to think about is that if you add sour cream to the potatoes (we don’t call for them in our recipe, but in case you are changing it a little), the potatoes tend to stay hard due to the acid.

It’s best not to add acidic ingredients such as sour cream until they have finished cooking. This will give you a much better result. 

Can You Make Scalloped Potatoes Ahead of Time and Reheat?

Yes, absolutely! We often will make a double or even triple batch of scalloped potatoes for various events or when we are meal planning. They can be placed in an airtight container and put in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. This is fantastic if you want to make them ahead of time. Just make sure you let the cheesy potatoes cool all the way down before you refrigerate them, so they don’t break down quickly.

To reheat the potatoes, you can bake them in the oven at 350 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes. Or another option is to put them on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a paper towel then microwave for 2-3 minutes or until they are hot all the way through.

Ingredients:

I can’t wait for you to try these cheesy scalloped potatoes! They are so easy, and you seriously only need 11 ingredients to make it happen. Let’s get started:

• Unsalted butter
• Medium onion, minced 
• Medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press 
• Chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Table salt
• Ground black pepper
• Russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 
• Low-sodium chicken broth
• Heavy cream
• Bay leaves
• Grated cheddar cheese

How do You Make Scalloped Potatoes from Scratch?

Making scalloped potatoes from scratch couldn’t be any easier. Plus, they taste way better than something you would buy at a buffet or out of a box. Your taste buds will be thanking you later. 

First Step: Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Second Step: Over medium heat, melt butter until foaming subsides in a large dutch oven. Then mix in the onion and stir occasionally while it cooks for about 4 minutes or until soft and lightly browned. Mix in the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper; cook about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Mix in the potatoes, cream, chicken broth, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce to medium heat, then simmer until potatoes are almost tender (a knife can be slipped in and out of potato slice with only some resistance) or about 10 minutes and discard bay leaves.

Third Step: Put mixture into an 8-inch-square baking dish and press to an even layer. Sprinkle cheese evenly on top. Bake until the cream is bubbling around the top and the edges and is golden brown or about 15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and serve.

Now, remember to save this recipe on Pinterest for later 🙂

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe is one to remember! It's cheesy, hearty, and leaves a lasting impression on anyone who digs in. The flavor is out of this world, and it doesn't take long to make either.

4.11 from 19 votes

Review Recipe

Ingredients 

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 1/4 teaspoons table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 ½ pounds russet potatoes, about 5 medium, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 ounces grated cheddar cheese, (1 cup)

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Instructions

• Heat oven to 425 degrees.
• in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt butter until foaming subsides. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add potatoes, chicken broth, cream, and bay leaves and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are almost tender (paring knife can be slipped into and out of potato slice with some resistance), about 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
• Transfer mixture to an 8-inch-square baking dish (or 1 ½-quart gratin dish) and press to an even layer; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake until cream is bubbling around edges and top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Source: Cook’s Illustrated, March 2003

Author: Laura

Some say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but I often think it’s potatoes! Okay, not really, but all these potato recipes are amazing. Take a look:

• Best Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes – I love that you can whip up a batch of mashed potatoes using your Instant Pot. Such a time-saver, and you don’t even have to turn on your stove.

• Easy Instant Pot Baked Potatoes – Another fantastic method for making potatoes in your pressure cooker. It’s a win all around, and everyone will go wild for them.

• Stuffed Sweet Potatoes – These potatoes are heavenly and are practically a dessert. They are sweet and full of so many yummy ingredients you can’t help but devour them.

• Garlic Herb Potatoes And Steak Skillet – This is an entire meal in one skillet. Don’t you love recipes like that? So tasty and makes terrific leftovers too.