Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Our Scalloped Potatoes recipe is the perfect side dish for just about every kind of meal. Made using heavy cream, onions, and potatoes make this a creamy potato side dish perfect for a holiday or weeknight meal.

This recipe for easy scalloped potatoes can be served during the holidays or year-round as a crowd-pleaser for all.

Scalloped Potatoes

Throughout my years of cooking, there are a handful of recipes that are always my go-to favorites. They tend to vary depending on the time of year or the seasonality of the food, but nonetheless, they’re always delicious no matter what.

For me, this scalloped potato recipe with cream is one of my favorites. It’s an easy dish that packs quite the flavorful punch. I’ve whipped this up for family dinners, holiday celebrations, BBQs, and even just a quiet Sunday dinner at home.

The texture of the potatoes with the creamy sauce make this one flavorful duo that I just can’t say “no” to. (and when it tastes this good, I shouldn’t have to!)

Be certain to check out my Sweet Potato Casserole recipe as well for another stellar flavor and taste.

Ingredients Needed To Make Scalloped Potatoes

The list of ingredients is short but that doesn’t mean that the flavor of these potatoes aren’t HUGE!

• Potatoes 
• Butter
• Onion
• Flour
• Milk
• Heavy cream
• Garlic powder
• Salt and pepper

Potatoes – I like to use yukon golds or russet potatoes

Butter – If you use salted butter, cut down on the salt ingredient later on in the recipe.

Onion – My preference is to use a sweet onion for this dish but you can tailor it to whatever type of onion you love best.

Milk – use whole milk if you have it

Fresh thyme (optional) – I say optional because it will certainly taste good without it, but scalloped potatoes can take a lot of seasonings and thyme adds another flavor layer

How To Make Scalloped Potatoes

Prepping this potato recipe is a breeze! You’ll be amazed at how fast and easy this simple side dish comes together!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. 

Peel and slice potatoes into large coins, about an ⅛ inch thick.

In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter and add in onion and cook until translucent. Next, add in the flour and whisk to combine. Then add the milk and cream and heat to a low boil and stir for one minute. Finally, add garlic powder, salt, and pepper. 

Layer potato slices in the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping as necessary. Add a second layer of potatoes, and a third until you’re out of potatoes.

Pour cream sauce on top of the potatoes. Dot with 1 Tablespoon of butter, cut into pieces. 

Bake covered with aluminum foil or baking dish cover for 30 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake another 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown, and the potatoes in the center are tender. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

WHAT DOES SCALLOPED POTATOES MEAN?

It’s basically just a way to say that the potatoes are sliced thin and that they’re being cooked up with heavy cream. It’s just a fancy way of saying layers of potatoes with a white sauce.

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCALLOPED AND AU GRATIN POTATOES?

People will often get them confused but there is a difference! The biggest being that au gratin potatoes have cheese while scalloped don’t. Au gratin potatoes are sometimes referred to as cheesy scalloped potatoes.

What Types of Potatoes are Best to Use?

It’s important to choose the right kind of potatoes for the best scalloped potatoes recipe. Yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes are best because they are starchy potatoes that will work well with the cream sauce.

WHY DID MY SCALLOPED POTATOES TURN GRAY?

This is because once you sliced the potatoes, the air caused them to change color. They might look a little strange, but they’re fine to eat.

If you’re meal prepping, I’d wait to cut the potatoes until just before you’re ready to use them.

WHY SOAK POTATOES BEFORE COOKING?

A lot of people soak their potatoes before cooking them to remove the starch but this isn’t a requirement to do so.

VARIETIES FOR MAKING SCALLOPED POTATOES

The great thing about this simple potato dish is that you can easily change up the way that it looks and tastes. A few simple additions can make this classic dish taste new over and over again.

One of the easiest changes to make can be to add cheese on top of the dish. This might change it into the au gratin category of potatoes but that’s up for your tastebuds to decide!

I also love to add a bit of hot sauce or diced jalapeños in my dish as it’s a super fun way to add in some heat. Just be careful to only add a small amount unless you are certain your guest will love it.

DO YOU ADD ANY TOPPINGS TO THIS POTATO RECIPE?

I like to add a garnish of parsley but besides that, I don’t.

I do know that some people add on extra onions and even a few cracker crumbs to give it a bit more crunchy texture.

Have fun making this delicious potato side dish. It’s really a simple way to get an awesome and flavorful dish on the table fast!

What main dish goes well with scalloped potatoes?

This easy scalloped potatoes recipe is great to serve with Easter dinner and is also popular for Christmas dinner. It’s a great side dish for a main course of ham, pork, chicken, roast beef, or a pot roast.

How long does it last?

Scalloped potatoes will last several days in the refrigerator if stored in an airtight container.

Looking for more delicious side dishes? Check these out!

• Scalloped Pineapple Casserole
• Funeral Potatoes
• Green Bean Casserole
• Jiffy Corn Casserole
• Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
• Best Baked Beans