Everyone needs a recipe for scalloped potatoes in their repertoire; it’s an indispensable side dish. It goes with almost any main dish you can imagine, is welcome at any potluck, appeals even to unadventurous or picky eaters, and is perfect for making ahead. What more could you ask?
This scalloped potato recipe is smaller than most, calling for an 8×8-inch baking dish, so it’s perfect for today’s smaller families. If you need to make a larger batch, you can double or triple it and then check our pan size conversion guide to decide how large a pan you need (spoiler: to double this recipe, a 13×9-inch pan is just about right.
Ingredients for Scalloped Potatoes
- Butter: The butter in the recipe keeps the flour thickener from clumping as it heats and also adds richness and flavor to the sauce.
- Flour: The flour provides the initial thickening for the potatoes’ sauce. The potatoes’ starch and evaporation in the oven provide much rest.
- Milk: The milk in the recipe adds protein, but it’s mostly the main ingredient in the smooth, rich sauce.
- Cheddar: Some scalloped potatoes include cheese and others don’t. The cheese adds richness and flavor to the sauce and gives the finished dish a beautiful golden crust.
- Potatoes: Potatoes are the core ingredient of this rich and comforting side dish. They provide an understated base flavor and a pleasant texture.
- Onions: The onions in the recipe bring an assertive, savory note to what’s otherwise a low-key dish. Scalloped potatoes are a side dish, and the onion helps make them a better complement to your meal’s main dish.
Directions
Step 1: Make the sauce
Heat your oven to 350°F. While it’s coming to temperature, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Combine the flour, salt and pepper, and stir the flour mixture into the butter to make a smooth, lump-free roux. Gradually whisk in the cold milk. Bring the sauce to a boil and stir until it thickens which should take about two minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cheese until it’s melted.
Step 2: Assemble the dish
Spray or grease an 8 inch square baking dish. Arrange half of the potatoes evenly in the bottom of the dish, then layer it with half of the onions and half of the cheese sauce. Repeat the same layers to fill the baking dish.
Step 3: Bake the scalloped potatoes
Bake the potatoes covered for 50 minutes. Remove the cover and bake until the sauce is bubbly and the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes longer.
Scalloped Potato Recipe Variations
- Lose the cheese: Cheese is a popular add in but not a canonical ingredient in traditional scalloped potatoes. Old-fashioned scalloped potatoes get their flavor purely from the potatoes, milk, onions and salt and pepper.
- Double down on the cheese: If you’re not a purist, or just really love cheese, you can amp up the flavor by doubling down on cheese instead. Parmesan or any other strong-flavored hard grating cheese is a good choice, because of its concentrated flavor, but you also can’t go wrong with a melty cheese that’s got a bold flavor. Our ultimate scalloped potatoes recipe, for example, uses Parmesan and Swiss, but Gruyere would also be great.
- Make it a full meal: A scalloped potato recipe is usually a side dish, but you can easily turn it into a full course meal if you wish. Use a deeper casserole dish and add layers of vegetables and ham or chicken between the potatoes. You can also top the version of this recipe with vegetables and hamburger gravy.
How to Store Scalloped Potatoes
Your leftover scalloped potatoes can be refrigerated right in their baking dish, with a lid or a sheet of foil to cover it and protect them from drying out. Alternatively you could transfer your leftovers to a food-safe storage container with a tight-fitting lid.
Can I make scalloped potatoes ahead of time?
You bet! Just pop the finished potatoes into your fridge when you’re done. The flavors will only improve after sitting overnight. You can reheat the entire dish at once, or you divide it into serving-sized portions and package them for later meals. You can even do funky things like cut the potatoes into shapes for an attractive presentation or fry or bake them to create a crisp shell.
How long will scalloped potatoes keep?
They’ll last up to five days in the refrigerator as long as you’ve taken care to get them into the fridge as soon as possible after cooking.
Can I freeze scalloped potatoes?
Scalloped potatoes freeze and reheat well. You can freeze them right in a freezer-to-oven baking dish to make reheating easy. Alternatively, you can cut the scalloped potatoes into meal-sized portions and pack them into freezer-safe containers with tight-fitting lids. On weeknights, just pull one or two portions from your freezer and reheat them in your microwave.
Scalloped Potato Recipe Tips
What kind of potatoes are best for scalloped potatoes?
Russet potatoes are usually the go-to, partly because they’ll become meltingly tender as they bake and their natural starch helps thicken the sauce. There are many other potatoes to choose from and you can make most of them work. Yukon Golds are a solid choice, holding their shape better than russets and still contributing some starch. Waxy potato types, like fingerlings and red potatoes, are less ideal but they can still work (and some cooks prefer them, because they hold their shape so well). They don’t thicken the sauce, so you may need to use slightly more flour if you go this route.
How can I slice my potatoes more evenly?
Well, practicing your knife skills is one answer, but it does take time. A food processor with a good slicing disc will do the job, but their are limitations to size. Your best bet is a hand-operated mandoline slicer, which gives your potatoes a uniform thickness once you get used to it. We’ve recently reviewed several of the best mandolines. If you don’t already own one but would like to (and if you’re worried about your fingers) cut-proof gloves are an inexpensive way to soothe your nerves.
Do I need to peel my potatoes?
No, that just comes down to personal preference. Taking them off makes for a neater, more professional appearance, but leaving them on saves work and adds additional nutrients and fiber.
How can I stop the potatoes from browning?
Browning happens when enzymes in the newly-sliced potato make contact with oxygen in the air. Dropping the potatoes into cold water until you’re ready to assemble the dish slows that process, so you don’t have to worry about it. If you’re using a mandoline slicer, many of them can be mounted right over a bowl of cold water so your slices drop in directly. Drain the potatoes well before you use them, and blot them dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel, otherwise the excess water will thin your sauce.
