Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
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These Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes are thin slices of Yukon Gold baked in a garlicky cream sauce with a full pound of sharp cheddar and 12 slices of bacon. There’s a lot of sauce in here and that’s on purpose. It thickens as it bakes and sets as it cools, so every scoop comes out creamy instead of dry.
What Makes These Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes So Good
Every holiday I’ve hosted has the same moment in it. The roast is resting, 3 things need the oven at the same time, and someone wanders into my kitchen asking if there’s anything they can do. There isn’t. It’s all been in the oven for an hour.
These potatoes went in before the roast did. You build the dish, cover it with foil, and then you don’t think about it again for 90 minutes.
There are 4 cups of sauce going into a 9 by 13 dish, which is more than most scalloped potato recipes use. It looks like way too much when you pour it in.
Then it bakes. The potatoes drink some of it up, their starch thickens the rest, and it keeps setting while it cools on the counter. You end up with potatoes that are creamy right into the bottom corner of the pan instead of just on top.
I’ve made this more times than I can count, and the only thing that’s ever gone wrong was my own impatience. So there’s one rule. It rests for 20 minutes before you cut it.
Twenty minutes. I know.
The Difference Between Scalloped Potatoes And Potatoes Au Gratin
The short version is cheese. Classic scalloped potatoes are potatoes baked in a cream sauce, and au gratin adds cheese plus usually a browned crumb or cheese top.
These days almost nobody keeps them separate, and this recipe has a pound of cheddar in it, so technically it’s standing with one foot in each camp. If you want the proper version with thyme and Parmesan on top, I have a Potatoes Au Gratin recipe for that.
The Best Potatoes For Scalloped Potatoes
Yukon Gold. Every time. They’re waxy enough to hold their shape through a long bake, so you get distinct layers instead of one soft mass. They’re also naturally buttery, which does nice things in a cream sauce.
Russets work and plenty of recipes use them, including an older version of this one. They break down more and give you a thicker, softer result. If that’s what you like, go for it. I’ll be honest, I hardly ever use Russets for anything, unless I’m making baked potatoes.
I’d also skip red potatoes, they’re too firm, too thin skinned, and they never quite soften into the sauce.
Ingredients in Scalloped Potatoes
- Butter (4 tablespoons): Unsalted, so you’re in charge of the salt instead of your butter brand.
- Garlic (3 cloves, minced): Fresh cloves. Thirty seconds in the butter is all they need before the flour goes in.
- All purpose flour (4 tablespoons): This plus the butter makes the base that holds the sauce together.
- Chicken broth (2 cups): Low sodium. It keeps the sauce from being nothing but cream and gives it an actual savory backbone.
- Heavy cream (2 cups): The other half of the sauce. Don’t swap in milk here, the sauce needs the fat to stay smooth through 90 minutes in the oven.
- Salt (1¾ teaspoons, divided): Most of it goes in the sauce and a little gets sprinkled between the layers. Potatoes need more salt than people expect.
- Black pepper (½ teaspoon): Freshly cracked if you have a grinder.
- Ground nutmeg (⅛ teaspoon): An eighth of a teaspoon sounds like nothing. It is not nothing. It’s the thing that makes a cream sauce taste finished.
- Yukon Gold potatoes (3 pounds, peeled and sliced ⅛ inch thick): Thin and even matters more than anything else in this recipe. A mandoline makes it quick and keeps them all the same.
- Sharp cheddar (4 cups, shredded): That’s a pound. Grate it from a block. The bagged kind is coated in powder that keeps it from clumping, and that powder turns a silky sauce grainy. I say this in almost every recipe I write and I’m going to keep saying it.
- Bacon (12 slices, cooked and crumbled): Cook a couple of extra slices. Some of it isn’t going to make it into the dish and we both know it.
- Chives (2 tablespoons, chopped): Half go in before baking and half go on top at the end, so they stay bright green.
How To Make Scalloped Potatoes
Heat the oven and get your dish out: Set your oven to 375°F. Get out a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. You don’t need to grease it, there’s sauce going down first.
Cook the bacon: Fry the 12 slices of bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, working in 2 batches if your pan is crowded. Drain them on paper towels, then crumble. Set it aside somewhere you won’t walk past it too often.
Peel and slice the potatoes: Peel the 3 pounds of Yukon Golds and slice them ⅛ inch thick. A mandoline is worth pulling out here, since even slices cook evenly. You can do this while the bacon cooks. If you’re not layering right away, hold the slices in cold water so they don’t brown, then dry them well before they go in the dish.
Make the cream sauce: Melt the 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the 3 minced garlic cloves and cook 30 seconds, just until you can smell it. Sprinkle in the 4 tablespoons of flour and whisk for 1 to 2 minutes. It’ll look like a thick paste at this stage, which is exactly right. Now pour in the 2 cups of chicken broth a little at a time, whisking as you go, and it’ll loosen up into a smooth sauce. Whisk in the 2 cups of heavy cream. Season with 1½ teaspoons of the salt, the ½ teaspoon pepper, and the ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg. Let it come to a simmer and cook 2 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. Take it off the heat.
Layer it up: Spread a couple of ladlefuls of sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Add a third of the potato slices in an even layer and sprinkle them with a pinch of the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt. Ladle over enough sauce to cover them, then scatter on 1⅓ cups of the cheddar and a third of the bacon. Repeat all of that 2 more times. You’ll finish with sauce, cheese, and bacon on top. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the chives over the whole thing.
Bake it covered: Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. The foil traps steam, which is what cooks the potatoes through without drying the top.
Bake it uncovered: Take the foil off and bake another 45 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender and the top is golden and bubbling at the edges. If it’s cooked through but you want more color, give it 5 to 10 minutes more.
Let it rest: Set it on a rack or a trivet and leave it alone for 20 minutes. This is where the sauce goes from loose to creamy. Cut into it hot and you’ll be serving it with a ladle. It’ll still taste great. It just won’t look like the pictures.
Finish and serve: Scatter the remaining 1 tablespoon of chives over the top and serve warm.
Tips For The Creamiest Scalloped Potatoes
- Slice them the same thickness. Thick slices and thin slices in the same dish means some are mush and some are still crunchy. A mandoline fixes this in 5 minutes.
- Grate the cheese yourself. Yes, I’ve now said it twice.
- Let it get properly golden. The top should be bubbling at the edges, not pale. That browned cheese is half the reason anyone comes back for seconds.
- Cover it if the top races ahead. Ovens run hot in different spots. If the top is browning hard before the potatoes are tender, lay the foil back over it and keep going.
- Rest it. Still 20 minutes.
Scalloped Potatoes Variations
- Loaded scalloped potatoes: This is already most of the way there with the bacon and cheddar. Finish it with sour cream and more chives when it comes out and you’re all the way.
- Leave the bacon out. It’s excellent as plain cheesy scalloped potatoes. Nothing else changes.
- Swap the cheese. Gruyère, white cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a mix. If you want to go fully in that direction I have Gruyère and Leek Scalloped Potatoes built around it.
- Add ham instead. Two cups of diced ham in place of the bacon turns this into a full dinner, and it’s the best thing to do with leftover Crockpot Ham.
- Caramelized onions. One large onion, cooked down slow and layered in with the potatoes.
What To Serve With Scalloped Potatoes
This belongs next to anything roasted. Crockpot Ham is the classic pairing and the one I make most. Prime Rib Roast for a proper holiday table, or Easy Meatloaf for a Tuesday that deserves better.
It’s rich, so put something sharp beside it. A green salad, roasted green beans, or German Red Cabbage if you want the sweet and tangy thing going on.
And if you need a second potato on the table because that’s the kind of house you run, Mashed Potatoes or Easy Oven Roasted Potatoes over on Craving Home Cooked, or Caramelized Onion and Gruyère Mashed Potatoes on All My Cravings.
How To Make Scalloped Potatoes Ahead Of Time
Assemble the whole thing, cover it tightly, and refrigerate up to 1 day. Bake it straight from the fridge and add 10 to 15 minutes to the covered time.
To freeze it, assemble and cover tightly, then freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding about 30 minutes, and pull the foil for the last 15 so the top can brown.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes. A splash of cream over the top before it goes in brings the sauce right back.
More Delicious Recipes To Try
- Parmesan Garlic Roasted Potatoes
- Italian Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
- Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
- Classic Potato Salad
- 15 Make-Ahead Holiday Side Dishes
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Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1¾ teaspoon salt (divided)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg ( )
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and sliced ⅛ inch thick)
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 12 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)
- 2 tablespoon chives (chopped)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Have a 9 by 13 inch baking dish ready. There's no need to grease it.
- Cook the 12 slices of bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, in 2 batches if needed. Drain on paper towels, crumble, and set aside.
- Peel the 3 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes and slice them ⅛ inch thick, using a mandoline if you have one. If you're not using them right away, keep the slices in cold water, then drain and dry them well before layering.
- Melt the 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the 4 tablespoons of flour over the butter and whisk for 1 to 2 minutes. It will look like a thick paste. Pour in the 2 cups of chicken broth gradually, whisking constantly until smooth.
- Whisk in the 2 cups of heavy cream.
- Season with 1½ teaspoons of the salt, the ½ teaspoon pepper, and the ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg. Bring to a simmer and cook 2 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat.
- Spread 2 ladlefuls of sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a third of the potato slices over it in an even layer and sprinkle with a pinch of the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Ladle sauce over to cover, then top with 1⅓ cups of the cheddar and a third of the bacon.
- Repeat step 8 two more times, finishing with sauce, cheddar, and bacon on top. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the chives over the surface.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 45 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender and the top is golden and bubbling. If the potatoes are tender but the top needs color, bake 5 to 10 minutes longer.
- Let the dish rest on a rack for 20 minutes before serving. This is when the sauce sets.
- Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of chives and serve warm.
Notes
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold holds its shape through the long bake and stays in distinct layers. Russets work too and give a softer, thicker result.
- Slice thickness: Keep every slice at ⅛ inch. Uneven slices are the most common reason some potatoes end up firm while others turn to mush.
- Cheese: Grate it from a block. Bagged shredded cheese is coated to stop it clumping, and that coating makes the sauce grainy.
- The rest is not optional: Twenty minutes on the counter is what turns a loose sauce into a creamy one. Cut it sooner and it’ll run.
- Make ahead: Assemble, cover, and refrigerate up to 1 day. Bake from cold and add 10 to 15 minutes to the covered time.
- Freezing: Assemble, cover tightly, and freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding about 30 minutes, and uncover for the last 15.
- Leftovers: Up to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat covered at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes with a splash of cream over the top.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do you bake scalloped potatoes?
Ninety minutes total at 375°F, 45 covered and 45 uncovered, plus 20 minutes of resting. They’re done when a knife slides through the middle with no resistance.
What temperature should scalloped potatoes be baked at?
375°F. Hotter than that and you risk the cream sauce breaking before the potatoes are tender.
Do I have to let them rest?
Yes. Still 20 minutes.
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream?
Not for all of it. The cream is what keeps the sauce smooth through a long bake. If you want a lighter version, my Potatoes Au Gratin is built on whole milk and works beautifully.
Can I make it without cheese?
You can, and then you’ve got classic scalloped potatoes. Add an extra ¼ teaspoon of salt to the sauce to make up for what the cheddar was bringing.
Why are my scalloped potatoes still hard?
Almost always thick slices. Keep them at ⅛ inch. If they’re thin and still firm, your foil wasn’t sealed tightly and the steam escaped.
What can I do with leftover scalloped potatoes?
Fry squares of cold leftovers in butter until crisp on both sides and put an egg on top. It’s the best breakfast of the week and it’s the reason I don’t mind having extra.
