I make scalloped potatoes when the day feels long and I want soft edges and slow comfort. This pan gives tender layers, a gentle onion glow, and cheddar that melts into little pools. It smells like home and it tastes like a warm hug that you can eat with a spoon. This is my best scalloped potatoes recipe and it stays simple on purpose. We stack thin potatoes, we pour a light cream sauce, and we slide the dish into a hot oven. You hear a quiet sizzle and you know dinner will be good. My kids sneak the brown corners. I pretend not to see. If you want a cheesy scalloped potatoes recipe, this one hits that sweet spot where each slice holds together yet still feels silky. It works as a recipe scalloped potatoes for holidays or for a Tuesday that asks for a little glow. Do you ever crave a classic potatoes recipe that behaves every time. Same. We keep the seasonings clear and the steps calm. If you love a sweet potatoes recipe, you can swap a few slices for color and a touch of sweetness. We keep cleanup easy too, so this becomes an easy potatoes recipe that you can set and forget while you gather the table.
Table of Contents
- 1 Key Takeaways
- 2 Easy Creamy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
- 3 Ingredients for Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
- 4 How to Make Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
- 5 Tips for Making Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
- 6 Making Creamy Scalloped Potatoes Ahead of Time
- 7 Storing Leftover Scalloped Potatoes
- 8 Try these Side Dish next
- 9 Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
- 10 Nutrition
1 Key Takeaways
I write this as Camila from Camila Cooks and I keep it real. The dish brings soft layers and a slow melt that feels calm. We slice thin and we bake gentle. Scalloped potatoes win hearts. Scalloped potatoes fit busy nights and big holidays.
The method stays clear and short. We cook onions in butter then whisk a simple cream sauce that holds to every slice. The top turns golden and the edges crisp just a little. The inside stays creamy and warm and that contrast makes each bite sing.
Use pantry basics and a steady oven. The recipe loves cheddar yet welcomes Gruyere or a mix. The pan rests before serving so the stack stays neat. Serve with roast chicken or a leafy salad and a squeeze of lemon. Kids steal the corners and we let them.
2 Easy Creamy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
I reach for this pan when I need comfort fast and I want it to taste like care. Scalloped potatoes give me a sure win and scalloped potatoes make the house smell like a warm sweater fresh from the line. The prep uses a few moves and the oven does the rest.
We start with thin potatoes and a small pot where butter meets onion. The onion softens and sweetens. Flour goes in and forms a smooth paste. Milk and cream follow and turn silky. Salt and pepper keep it honest. This stays creamy scalloped potatoes at heart with no fuss.
Cheese waits in a bowl. I use sharp cheddar for bite. The slices stack in a greased dish. We pour sauce between layers and drop in cheese so it melts into pockets. The bake turns the top golden. The smell pulls people to the kitchen. That is an easy potatoes recipe you can love.
3 Ingredients for Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
Russet potatoes I peel the potatoes and slice them thin. Thin slices cook tender and stack clean. Starch from russets gives body so the sauce clings. If you like a touch of color try a few sweet potato slices for a gentle twist from your favorite sweet potatoes recipe.
Unsalted butter Butter meets onion in the pan and brings a mellow base. It coats flour and helps the sauce stay smooth. The flavor reads warm not loud and it plays nice with cheese.
Onion and garlic Thin onion turns soft and sweet in minutes and garlic adds a round note. Both sit close to the potatoes and make every bite feel cozy. The kitchen smells great and you feel that hug before the first forkful.
All purpose flour A small spoonful thickens the sauce. It binds milk and cream and keeps the layers from sliding. The texture stays satin not gluey when you whisk with care.
Whole milk and heavy cream Milk brings light body. Cream brings richness. Together they form that classic scalloped potatoes feel. The sauce naps each slice without drowning the pan.
Sharp cheddar cheese Cheddar melts into tiny pools and gives bright flavor. If you crave a deeper pull swap half for Gruyere. That turns this into a cheesy scalloped potatoes recipe lovers cheer for.
Kosher salt and black pepper Simple seasoning keeps balance. We season the sauce and we taste again after the bake. Cheese adds salt so go steady at first.
Dried thyme and a whisper of nutmeg Thyme adds an earthy line. Nutmeg stays faint yet it rounds the cream. These small notes make the pan feel cared for not fussy.
Fresh chives A sprinkle at the end gives color and a mild bite. The plate looks bright and the taste lifts. Little touches matter and this one does real work.
4 How to Make Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
Step one Heat the oven to three seven five F. Grease a two quart baking dish. Slice the potatoes thin with a sharp knife or a mandoline if you have one. Keep the slices in cold water while you prep the sauce so they stay fresh.
Step two Place a saucepan over medium heat. Melt butter then add onion. Cook until soft. Stir in garlic for one minute. Sprinkle flour and whisk to make a smooth paste. Pour in milk then cream while you whisk. Let it simmer until it coats a spoon.
Step three Season the sauce with salt pepper thyme and a touch of nutmeg. Layer one third of the potatoes in the dish. Spoon over one third of the sauce. Scatter one third of the cheese. Repeat the layers two more times so the stack looks even and neat.
Step four Cover the dish with foil and bake for thirty minutes. Remove foil and bake twenty five to thirty minutes more until the top turns golden and the potatoes feel tender when pierced. Let the dish rest for ten minutes so the layers set.
Step five Sprinkle with chives. Serve warm. This method gives recipe scalloped potatoes that slice clean and taste rich. Pair with roast chicken or share with friends at a potluck and smile when the pan comes back empty.
5 Tips for Making Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
Use even slices so the pan cooks at the same pace. I like a two millimeter slice for a neat stack. Rinse slices then pat dry so the sauce stays silky. Starch balance matters and this small step helps.
Warm the sauce until it coats a spoon and then stop. A thick sauce can turn pasty in the oven. A thin sauce can run. Hit that middle and you get creamy slices that hold their shape. That is how a potatoes recipe feels dialed in.
Use a mix of cheeses if you like. Cheddar gives sharp notes. Gruyere gives nutty depth. A little Parmesan on top brings a crisp cap. For classic scalloped potatoes keep it simple with cheddar and a light dust of Parmesan.
6 Making Creamy Scalloped Potatoes Ahead of Time
I often bake this in the morning when guests come later. Cook it under by five minutes then cool. Cover and chill. Reheat at three fifty F until hot in the center. The top refreshes quickly and the edges come back to life.
If you plan to hold it unbaked you can stack the dish and keep it chilled for six hours. Press parchment on the surface so air does not dry the top layer. Bake a little longer since the dish starts cold. The texture stays gentle.
Short on time. Par cook the sliced potatoes in salted water for five minutes. Drain well. This cuts total oven time and keeps dinner on track. I use this move on weeknights when the doorbell rings and everyone smells cheesy scalloped potatoes in the oven.
7 Storing Leftover Scalloped Potatoes
Cool leftovers then pack into airtight containers. Chill for up to four days. The slices keep their shape and the sauce stays smooth. Reheat covered at three twenty five F or warm single portions in a skillet with a splash of milk.
Freezing works for small portions. Wrap tight and freeze for one month. Thaw in the fridge then warm slowly. The edges may look a bit rustic after freezing yet the flavor lands just right and the comfort stays.
I like leftovers for breakfast with a fried egg on top. The runny yolk meets the creamy potatoes and the plate goes silent. That is the magic of classic scalloped potatoes served at the wrong time of day that somehow feels very right.
8 Try these Side Dish next
9 Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped Potatoes with Cozy Cheddar Layers
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion very thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
- 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
- Chopped chives for garnish optional
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 F. Grease a two quart baking dish.
- Warm a saucepan over medium heat. Melt butter and cook onion until soft. Add garlic and cook one minute.
- Sprinkle in flour. Whisk one minute to make a paste.
- Slowly whisk in milk and then cream until smooth. Simmer until slightly thick. Season with salt pepper thyme and nutmeg.
- Layer one third of the potato slices in the dish. Pour one third of the sauce over. Sprinkle one third of the cheese.
- Repeat for two more layers. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.
- Remove foil. Bake 25 to 30 minutes more until potatoes are tender and top is golden and bubbling.
- Rest 10 minutes so the layers set. Finish with chives and serve.
10 Nutrition
A typical serving lands around three hundred thirty calories with a steady split of carbs fat and protein. Sodium sits moderate when you season with a light hand. Fiber rises a touch if you leave some peel on the slices and that adds a rustic look that many enjoy.
For lighter plates use half whole milk and skip cream. Swap in part skim cheese and keep the same bake time. You still get creamy bites with less richness. The texture stays kind and the taste reads clean.
For a boost of color add a few sweet potato slices to each layer. That brings vitamin A and a warm hue. Keep the rest the same and the pan still counts as easy and friendly. Share this with your crew and tell them Camila from Camila Cooks sent you.
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