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Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Cheesy scalloped potatoes are one of those overlooked recipes that is so delicious and surprisingly easy. Some links in this article are affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them.

Pan of freshly baked cheesy scalloped potatoes

One of these days, I’ll put up a holiday recipe before the holiday so people can take advantage. Then again, there are some recipes that are good anytime and should be pulled from your repertoire more often. This is one of those.

While we make these cheesy scalloped potatoes for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, they also make an appearance throughout the year for various meals.

They are the perfect comfort food, and they go equally well with ham or turkey, chicken or a roast. My other similar favorite? Smoked brie poato gratin, which is slightly less kid friendly.

This is the easiest cheesy scalloped potatoes recipe I know of, and it’s my go to when I need to toss something together at the last minute.

Alert: I don’t make a cream sauce for this and instead let the potatoes cook in the cream and cheese then sit. As it cools just a little from the oven, it thickens from the starch in the potatoes.

Are scalloped potatoes gluten free?

Many scalloped potatoes are not gluten free because they use four to make the cream sauce. This recipe, however, does not have any flour and is completely gluten free.

Yes, you can have gluten free scalloped potatoes.

What is the difference between scalloped potatoes and au gratin potatoes?

Scalloped potatoes are thinly sliced potatoes that get baked in a cream sauce while au gratin potatoes have cheese sprinkled between layers of potatoes.

So technically this is kind of a cheesy potatoes au gratin. Except that au gratin potatoes also have a breadcrumb topping that gets baked with the potatoes, and this has no crunchy topping.

So it really isn’t potatoes au gratin either but rather a combination of my favorite parts of the two recipes and instead a cheesy scalloped potatoes recipe.

What cheese should I use in scalloped potatoes?

This recipe calls for sharp cheddar and parmesan cheeses, but you can certainly use other favorites in addition or in place of these two. Gruyere would be a fantastic addition, and you could even try some gouda or fontina.

The key, however, is to use quality cheeses that you grate yourself. This is not the time to pull out the green can, although really, there never is a time in my house!

Cheeses that come pregrated have many fillers in them that keep them from melting properly, which is what ensures they don’t stick together in the package. However, this makes for a less successful cheesy scalloped potatoes for the same reason.

If you can, grate your cheese yourself. A food processor makes really quick work of this task. If you don’t own one, a box grater works really well, too.

Pro tip: put your cheddar in the freezer for 10 to 20 minutes so it hardens up some. This makes it much easier to grate, regardless of what method you choose.

Do I need to use heavy cream?

This scalloped potato recipe uses half and half. That said, it would work well with heavy cream, as well, though it would be richer with the cheese, too.

You can make it with whole milk, but it doesn’t turn out quite as well. Do not try it with skim or 2% milk, however.

What potatoes do you use for scalloped potatoes?

For this dish, you want to use a Yukon Gold potato if you can. They are a waxy potato, so they hold their shape well.

Additionally, they have a very thin skin, which means you don’t have to go through the extra step to peel them.

If you don’t have Yukon Gold potatoes, you can use your traditional russet potato, but they will break apart a little more. Both are starchy potatoes that help thicken the sauce, however.

If you use a russet, you will want to peel the potato. If you haven’t ever tried an automatic potato peeler, this may be the time to buy one (they work really well for apples and pears and more, too).

What is the best way to cut potatoes for scalloped potatoes?

The key to good scalloped potatoes is thin and even slices. You don’t want some thick and others thinner, as they won’t bake well.

The thinner slices cook through more quickly and thoroughly, which ensures you don’t have a crunchy potato.

I use one of two tools to cut my potatoes.

If you have a food processor with a slicing attachment, that works well. However, you often have the ends that don’t cut as evenly, so plan for some extra.

Usually I use my mandoline, which lets me set the thickness of my cuts and goes really quickly. They are sharp, so make sure you follow the safety precautions.

Mandolin with thinly sliced potatoes

Can I make scalloped potatoes in advance?

You certainly can. While potatoes will brown when exposed to air, these potatoes get covered with cream and cheese and generally last well overnight covered in the fridge.

However, I usually will bake my cheesy scalloped potatoes, then let them cool fully. Once they’re room temperature, cover the potatoes and place them covered in the fridge for up to two days.

To reheat the potatoes (this works for any leftovers, too), place them in a 250 degree oven with tin foil covering them for 20 minutes until they’re reheated.

I do not recommend reheating them in the microwave, however, as cheese will separate if it gets too hot. It’s too easy to accidentally get your leftovers too warm and break the cheese sauce in the microwave.

Can I freeze cheesy scalloped potatoes?

No, this dish is not meant for the freezer. Dairy changes texture when frozen, and potatoes often do, as well.

It may still taste good if you let it thaw in the fridge then reheat it as directed, but you won’t have the texture you started with. Make these fresh and only refrigerate them if you can.

How to Make Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Butter the bottom of your 9×13 casserole dish and preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Slice your potatoes super thin. You want them 1/8 to 1/4″ thick.

Perfectly sliced thin potatoes

Mince your garlic. Feel free to add extra cloves if you want a stronger taste.

Place layer of potatoes in the dish. Over this, drizzle your half and half just enough to lightly douse the potatoes (you want to save enough for each layer).

Potatoes layered in a casserole dish

Cut your butter into tiny cubes. I find it easiest to dip the butter into a bit of garlic so that both the butter and garlic are distributed across the casserole dish with neither garlic nor butter sticking to my hands.

Whatever your method, dot the potatoes with bits of butter and sprinkle some of the garlic atop that.

Butter and garlic dotting sliced potatoes

Atop this, sprinkle some of the sharp cheddar cheese, then salt and pepper the layer.

Grating pepper onto unbaked tray of cheesy scalloped potatoes

Continue this layering until your potatoes are gone – mine is generally about four layers. On the top layer, sprinkle the grated Parmesan.

Cover the casserole dish with tin foil, and bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and turn up the heat to 375 degrees baking for an additional 15 minutes to get the cheese completely melted and the top nice and crispy.

Let your cheesy scalloped potatoes sit for five to ten minutes to cool a bit and let the sauce thicken. Serve while still warm.

Don’t forget to bookmark this to make again!

Close up of baked cheesy scalloped potatoes in the pan

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

This simple recipe for cheesy scalloped potatoes tastes amazing with just few tricks to ensure creamy potatoes and a delicious cheesy sauce.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
  • 1 pint half and half 
  • 2 T butter 
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 c shredded cheddar cheese 
  • 1 c Parmesan, fresh grated
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Butter bottom of 9x13 casserole dish and preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Slice potatoes 1/8 to 1/4" thick. Mince garlic, and shred cheeses.
  3. Place a layer of potatoes in the dish. Over this, drizzle a little half and half.
  4. Cut butter into tiny cubes. Mix butter with garlic so neither sticks, then sprinkle a third over potatoes.
  5. Add 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, then salt and pepper.
  6. Continue layering until potatoes are gone – generally about four layers.
  7. On the top layer, sprinkle grated Parmesan.
  8. Cover dish with tin foil, then bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Remove foil and increase heat to 375 degrees for an additional 15 minutes.
  9. Let cool 5-10 minutes, then serve.

Notes

  • Feel free to substitute gruyere, fontina, or gouda for some or all of the other cheeses.
  • To reheat, place in a 250 degree oven for 30 minutes, covered in foil.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 368Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 496mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 14g

This site uses an outside source to provide nutrition as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.

Did you make this recipe?

Please rate the recipe above and save it on Pinterest so you can find it to make again and again. Leave me a comment to let me know what you think about it, too!

Closeup of scalloped potatoes in a dish

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  1. septembermom says:

    once you write potatoes in the the recipe title – I'm there. Looks good!

  2. Michelle says:

    Pat – It is good. Be careful with the cheese and butter or it'll get greasy, but mine turned out just fine. And the leftovers are awesome, too 😉

    Sherry – So good, so yummy, and so little fuss!

    Miz Helen – They really do. I'm having my leftover ham into bunsteads and eating them with my leftover scalloped potatoes 🙂

    shopannies – So much better (and healthier!) than the stuff from the box. I bet he'd love the surprise!

    blueviolet – Me, too. Much as I love meat sometimes, there are l lot of really great vegetarian recipes I adore, too!

    Tara – So awesome. And oddly, I decided I liked the longer slices of potatoes that I got being lazy with my mandoline. Go fig.

    Laura – Thanks 🙂 You do know the tip of rubbing your fingers (or whole hands, as the case may be) on a stainless steel spoon to get rid of the garlic smell, too, right?

  3. Laura says:

    awesome tip to dip the butter in the garlic, I hate smelling my hands after using garlic–well I like it at first but them I'm over it…

  4. Tara R. says:

    These sound awesome. I will be making this very soon.

  5. blueviolet says:

    It sounds absolutely fantastic! I love vegetarian dishes. Thank you.

  6. shopannies says:

    delicious my brother in law loves them yet he makes them from the box I am going to make these for him as a suprise thanks for sharing

    come see my blog at http://shopannies.blogspot.com

  7. Miz Helen says:

    Hi Michelle,
    Your Scalloped Potatoes look very good. We just love Scalloped Potatoes, they pair up with so many dishes. Thank you for sharing and have a great week!

  8. Sherry @ Lamp Unto My Feet says:

    Oh, my goodness! I LOVE scalloped potatoes! THese look absolutely divine! 🙂

  9. Pat says:

    This looks heavenly! Another must save…everything my husband loves–potatoes, garlic, cheeses, half&half, butter. He'll be very happy when I make this for him!

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