Scalloped potatoes are a traditional meal that features layers of potatoes and a luscious creamy cheese sauce. It is a simple recipe with few ingredients, but they make the perfect from-scratch side dish for Easter, Christmas, or Thanksgiving!
What are scalloped potatoes? Believed to have originated in Britain, the term ‘scallop’ simply refers to the way potatoes are cut. Thinly sliced and evenly cut potatoes are placed in a casserole dish and cooked with a flavored onion cream sauce.
Recipe ingredients
- 3 pounds white potatoes sliced about ⅛” thick
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 large diced onion
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 cups of milk
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Cooking instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sauce
- To prepare the sauce, melt the butter, onion, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook for approximately 3 minutes, or until the onion is softened. Cook for 1-2 minutes after adding the flour.
- Reduce heat to a low setting—mix milk and broth in a mixing bowl. Whisk in a tiny bit at a time to thicken. The mix will become quite thick; whisk slowly until smooth.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, constantly whisking, until all of the liquid has been added. Add salt and pepper and bring to a boil for 1 minute.
Cooking
- Grease a 9″x13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper ⅓ of the potatoes in the bottom, and distribute ⅓ of the cream sauce on top.
- Continue layering until you reach the cream sauce. Bake covered for 45 minutes.
- Remove the cover and continue baking for a further 35-45 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and soft. Broil for 3-4 minutes or until the top is browned.
- Allow 15 minutes for resting before serving.
Recipe variations
Bacon scalloped potatoes
Bacon scallops are the perfect combination of sweet and savory. Start by cooking bacon in a pan until crispy, then set aside on paper towels to drain excess fat. Add the sauce into the pan while constantly mixing until it starts to bubble up with caramelization. Then add garlic salt, onion powder, heavy whipping cream, and pepper before adding 1/2 cup of milk. Mix thoroughly so that all ingredients are combined before adding in the potatoes.
Cheese
Make a creamy cheese sauce with fresh herbs, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper to taste. Then top the potatoes with cheddar cheese before baking for 20 minutes until golden brown on top.
Paring dishes
Scalloped potatoes are a classic comfort dish, but with the addition of bacon and cheese, you can also pair them with macaroni and cheese.
Additionally, you can complement your scalloped potatoes with a side of asparagus, lamb chops, or pork loin.
Scalloped potatoes are easy to make and always satisfying when paired with one of the many types of meat mentioned above.
Storage instructions
These potatoes will store for approximately four days in the refrigerator and reheat well in the microwave, oven, or frying pan! Scalloped potatoes may be frozen for an extended period of time!
You may freeze almost any casserole dish properly with a bit of practice. When freezing scalloped potatoes for a freezer meal, the most straightforward approach is not to thoroughly cook them but to leave them slightly undercooked. Then, once they have cooled in the refrigerator, split them out as desired and wrap them tightly before freezing. Simply defrost and continue cooking until the potatoes are soft again.
While this is an excellent solution, we frequently wish to freeze leftovers. In this example, the scalloped potatoes freeze nicely, although they occasionally crumble a little when warmed, but they still taste fantastic!
Nutritional value
Calories: 286
Carbohydrates: 39g
Cholesterol: 30mg
Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Fiber: 6g
Protein: 9g
Sugar: 5g
Sodium: 484mg
Potassium: 1122mg
Vitamin C: 30.8mg
Vitamin A: 465IU
Iron: 7.7mg
Calcium: 179mg
Final thoughts
You can also make these ahead of time. Bake them partly and simply cook for 30 minutes, cool, cover, and chill to achieve the most remarkable results when making ahead.
Remove from refrigerator half an hour before baking on the day of serving. Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes, or until well heated.
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