This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This easy scalloped potatoes recipe is incredibly comforting, creamy, cheesy, and rich! It’s a simple side dish that feeds a crowd and has very few ingredients.
You may also like my Funeral Potatoes or this Cheesy Potato Casserole.
Why you’ll love them
Scalloped potatoes are the best holiday side dish, but they’re a great weeknight side dish as well. It’s thinly sliced potatoes that are cooked in a garlicky cream mixture, which thickens in the oven for irresistible layers of potato and cheese heaven.
Layering the slices might seem tricky, but this step-by-step guide will show you just how hassle free yet impressive this side dish is to assemble. You’ll even have time left over to make these Deviled Eggs too for your next feast or gathering!
Is this potatoes au gratin?
- Sort of! If you want to get a little technical, this dish borrows a technique from au gratin potatoes. There’s cheese not only on top but also in between each potato layer, which just adds to the deliciousness. Lots of sources use the terms interchangeably, but mine is kind of a hybrid of au gratin and scalloped potatoes. Whatever you call it, it’s delicious.
What you’ll need
- Potatoes – use either Russet or Yukon gold. Either will work.
- Butter – for the base of the cream sauce
- Garlic – if you’re a garlic lover, go ahead and add more
- Heavy cream – for ultimate creaminess. I wouldn’t recommend using anything else
- Cheese – we’re using both cheddar and parmesan for extra cheesiness!
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I highly recommend using a mandoline slicer to get even slices fast. It takes me less than 5 minutes to cut the entire 3 pounds of potatoes up. I also always use a protective glove so it’s a worry-free experience.
- Definitely grate your own cheeses. They will taste and melt a lot better, so it’s worth the bit of extra effort. I use this grater for the cheddar and this grater for the parmesan.
- Here is the 9×13 baking dish pictured.
How to make scalloped potatoes
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven. Grate the cheese, and slice the potatoes with a mandoline. In a small saucepan, add the butter and garlic. Fry until fragrant, then stir in the cream and salt & pepper. Let it warm, and remove from the heat.
Arrange half of the potato slices to the bottom of a baking dish. It’s ok if you don’t do this perfectly evenly! Pour half the cream mixture over top.
Sprinkle on half the cheddar and parmesan cheese. Arrange remaining potato slices over top of the first cheese layer. Pour in the other half of the cream mixture.
Top with the rest of the cheese, and bake until golden.
Make ahead tip
- Assemble the potatoes up until the step prior to baking. Cover them tightly with foil, and refrigerate up to a day ahead.
- It may take a bit longer to cook them than suggested since they’ll be cold coming straight from the fridge. I’d let them warm up on the counter for an hour or so prior to baking!
Substitutions and variations
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream for something lower fat. It may curdle/separate and it won’t thicken the same since there’s no roux in this recipe.
- You could change the cheeses up if you wish. For example, any nicely melting cheese like Gruyère will work instead of cheddar for a twist.
- You’re welcome to throw in some herbs if you like such as rosemary or thyme!
What to serve with scalloped potatoes
- They go with any main course. Try my Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs and Garlic Butter Steak Bites.
- If you’re making these for Christmas or Easter or Thanksgiving, try pairing with this Easy Roast Turkey, my Easy Roast Chicken (Lemon & Herb), or baked ham.
- For more crowd-pleasing side dishes, serve along with this Jiffy Corn Casserole, Baked Mac and Cheese, or my Green Bean Casserole.
Leftovers and storage
- They will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge in a covered container.
- Reheat these potatoes in a covered saucepan on the stove at a low heat vs. in the microwave unless you put it on a lower setting. The cream is likely to separate if you warm the potatoes up at too high of a heat. You could also warm them up in the oven if you’ve got a lot left still in the casserole dish. Cover with foil.
- I wouldn’t recommend freezing leftovers because of the cheese and cream.
If you made these cheesy scalloped potatoes, please leave a star rating and review below! I love hearing from readers. I’m also on Instagram.
Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 cups freshly grated cheddar cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 3 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups heavy/whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F and move the rack to the middle position.
- Meanwhile, grate the cheeses and prepare the potatoes by peeling them and using a mandoline slicer to cut them into 1/8" (3 mm) slices.
- Add the butter to a small saucepan over medium-high heat, and once it's melted, add the garlic and cook it for about 30 seconds. Add in the cream, salt, and some pepper. Let it warm through, stirring occasionally. As it reaches a boil, take it off the heat.
- Arrange half of the potatoes on the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking dish (overlap the potatoes but don't worry about arranging them perfectly). Pour half the cream mixture over top, and then add half of each cheese. Repeat the process for the second layer, finishing up with a layer of cheese on top.
- Bake, covered with foil, for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick slides into the potatoes without much resistance. Ovens vary, so check for doneness earlier than suggested if your oven runs hot.
- Let the potatoes sit for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.
Notes
- Serves anywhere from 6-10 depending on serving size/what else you serve these with.
- I highly recommend using a mandoline slicer to cut the potatoes into uniform slices quickly and without hassle. I always use a protective glove with my mandoline.
- You may want to place the baking dish on a baking sheet just so any splatter/spills don’t end up in your oven (especially if your baking dish is a bit shallow).
- See blog post for more tips including how to make these ahead and step-by-step photos that show how to layer them.
- This recipe is also in chapter 8 of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
Made these for Christmas Eve dinner and they were wonderful!
Rave reviews from all!
Thanks for the simple and delicious recipe..
Carol
You’re very welcome, Carol!! 😀
I made these for Christmas this year and my family absolutely loved them. They said they were the best scalloped potatoes they ever had. My sister who says she hates scalloped potatoes raved as well. I I needed servings for 15 so I increased the ingredients 1 and 1 half times and they fit in a 9 x 13 perfectly. Thanks so much, I believe I will bringing these every year.
I love that!! 😀 Thank you for letting me know!!
If you double this recipe will it all still fit in the 9×13 dish?
Hi! I don’t think so – the pics are in a fairly tall 9×13 to give you an idea how full it is – I think you might be cutting it close.
I made t his last night. I had no cream and Mrs Google said milk and melted butter same thing, but is not, heavy cream is needed. It could use more flavour, so other spices would be good.
Hi! Yes, I definitely don’t recommend subbing the cream. Sorry it didn’t work out, though… that is never fun. You can definitely dress it up quite easily next time if you prefer more spices etc., but this is a pretty basic/classic recipe.
Perfect for our Christmas dinner!!
Wonderful!! Thank you! Merry Christmas!
Would this recipe work in a crock pot? They need to travel 1 hour after baking and when we get there oven space will be limited? Other than the top not being browned any else?
Hi Shera! I am reluctant to make any suggestions as I haven’t tested it in the slow cooker, and I would feel bad to steer you wrong.
Turned out very greasy. I substituted parm with grueyer cheese. I guess that’s the reason
Can I use shredded cheddar?
Hi! You mean the stuff in a bag? I prefer to grate my own as the bagged stuff has anti-caking ingredients that makes it melt less well, but if that’s all you have then sure.
Can I use more potatoes, instead of 3 lb increasing it to the 5 lb bag I have?
Will they fit in your baking dish? Also, the sauce is meant to be enough for 3 lbs., so you may want to increase it.
Can I put them in the fridge overnight and bake the next morning? Or will they be soggy.
Hi! There’s a make ahead tip in the blog post. You should be fine.