Tested and perfected, this recipe has thousands of five-star reviews and is loved by everyone.
Classic Scalloped Potatoes with thinly sliced potatoes and onions are layered in an easy homemade cream sauce and baked until tender, golden, and bubbly.
These Scalloped Potatoes are perfect for Easter dinner, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or even Sunday dinner.
A 5-Star Favorite
- This scalloped potato recipe has been tested and perfected— and has thousands of rave reviews!
- It’s easy to prepare comfort food with simple ingredients.
- This recipe is homemade from scratch for the best flavor and is easy to make.
What You’ll Need For Scalloped Potatoes
- Potatoes – The best potatoes for scalloped potatoes are Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes. They are thin-skinned, so they don’t require peeling, and they hold their shape well. Russet potatoes or Idaho potatoes can be used and taste great; however, they are more starchy and can break apart.
For the Sauce
- Onions – Use either white or yellow onion to flavor the sauce. Soften the onion in butter to bring out the natural sweetness.
- Flour and Butter – Flour and butter create a roux to thicken the sauce.
- Milk – Milk makes a creamy sauce without being too rich.
- Broth – Broth adds flavor and salt to the sauce.
- Seasonings – Since this is a classic scalloped potato recipe, the seasonings are simple. Salt, pepper, onion, and garlic—be sure to salt each layer of potatoes, too.
Variation: Add ½ teaspoon of dried thyme, crushed rosemary, or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley or chives to the sauce with the flour.
Cheese in Scalloped Potatoes
The word ‘scallop’ refers to how the potato is sliced, and generally, scalloped potatoes do not contain cheese. The difference between au gratin potatoes and scalloped potatoes is the cheese.
This recipe has a creamy onion sauce, while my Potatoes au Gratin have a cheese sauce. Of course, you can add cheese to this recipe (in the sauce or on top)—check the recipe notes for tips.
How to Make Scalloped Potatoes (overview)
Making scalloped potatoes from scratch takes time, but it is easy. There are four basic steps:
- Slice potatoes: Thinly slice the potatoes (a mandoline is helpful).
- Prepare sauce: Make the homemade sauce (recipe below).
- Assemble: Layer the potatoes and sauce in a baking dish.
- Bake: Cover and bake to make the potatoes tender. Uncover and bake to create a golden brown topping.
Busy Day Prep Tip
Scalloped potatoes will hold their heat for a long time, so they can be prepared up to 45 minutes early if needed as they retain heat well. Be sure to let them cool for at least 20 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to thicken.
Holly’s Tips for The Best Scalloped Potatoes
- Slice the potatoes thinly with a mandoline—about ⅛-inch thick.
- Season each layer of potatoes with salt and pepper.
- Cheese can be added to the sauce or the layers. Check the recipe notes.
- Cover with aluminum foil for the first 45 minutes so they steam and cook faster. Uncover towards the end for a golden brown top.
- Allow resting time for the sauce to thicken.
How To Prepare Scalloped Potatoes Ahead of Time
To make this scalloped potato recipe ahead, partially bake them and then finish baking on the day of serving. Partially baking ensures the potatoes don’t rust or turn grey.
- Prepare the recipe as directed below and bake covered for 50-60 minutes.
- Leave them covered and cool completely on the counter. Refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
- On the day of serving, remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking. Bake uncovered for about 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through.
To freeze scalloped potatoes, cook them part way (about 25 minutes less than the recipe requires). Cool completely, then cover tightly and freeze. To cook, thaw the potatoes in the fridge overnight and follow the directions below, adding 20 minutes to the covered cooking time.
Leftovers, Storage & Freezing
Store leftover scalloped potatoes in the fridge for up to 4 days. They can be reheated in the microwave or oven. Chopped scalloped potatoes make great breakfast potatoes cooked until crisp in a nonstick skillet.
Did your family love these Scalloped Potatoes? Leave us a rating and a comment below.
Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1¼ teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper divided
- 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes, *see notes, sliced about ⅛-inch thick
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
To Make the Sauce
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion begins to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Combine the milk and broth. Gradually add it to the flour mixture, whisking until smooth after each addition. It will be very thick at first; continue adding a little bit of liquid at a time while whisking.
- Once all of the liquid has been added, increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil while whisking. Stir in ½ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper and let the sauce boil for 1 minute.
To Assemble the Potatoes
- Layer ⅓ of the potatoes in the prepared dish and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Pour ⅓ of the cream sauce over top.
- Repeat the layers, including salt and pepper, ending with sauce. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for an additional 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and potatoes are tender. Broil for 3-4 minutes if desired.
- Allow the potatoes to rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Prepare the potatoes as directed in the recipe.
- Bake the dish covered for 50-60 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely on the counter (leave them covered; the steam will help finish cooking). Cover and refrigerate.
- On the day of serving, remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking. Bake uncovered for about 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Side Dish
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So so good! Very easy to make and taste delicious, I as well added cheese on the top at the very end. No need to half the recipe. Leftovers are absolutely amazing!
Haven’t tried this yet but I’m so happy to find a real scalloped potato recipe, one that doesn’t have cheese.
Okay, I was not expecting this to take this long lol That was my bad on not reading everything fully before starting this recipe. Aside from that, this was delicious! I made an amateur move and forgot to salt my potatoes in between each layer. *forehead smack* It tasted good nonetheless and will keep this bookmarked for future use. I used heavy cream in place of milk because I didn’t have regular milk. I just added 1 cup of water to 1 cup of heavy cream. Honestly just such a great base recipe. I feel like you could add ham bits and cheese for spin on it or just cheese for au gratin potatoes. Great recipe, highly reccommend :)
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Mari!
This is a really tasty recipe. I use a little chicken in a mug in place of plain salt but other than that, I made it as posted.
Burnt mushy mess.
Oh no! I’m so sorry you had this issue, we’ve made this many times and never had it burn or get mushy. Did you bake it covered for the first 45 minutes? Did you slowly add the milk and broth and allow to come to a proper boil? This will help the sauce thicken properly.
Can I make this ahead and bake the next day?
Hi Megan, you will find the make ahead information in the post.
Bake the dish covered for 50-60 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely on the counter. Cover well and refrigerate. On the day of serving, remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking. Bake uncovered about 35 minutes or until heated through.
Enjoy the potatoes!
A perfect recipe!
I need to feed at least 20 adults. Would I have to triple the recipe?
Each dish serves approximately 6 people. To serve 20 adults you would likely be okay to triple the recipe, or if you want extra to be safe (and have leftovers!) you could quadruple!
Has anyone made this using GF flour? I’m curious how it turned out. Am wanting to make this for Thanksgiving for GF guest. Thanks in advance.
Some readers have had great success with using gluten free flour in this recipe. I have also tried a cornstarch slurry. To make a cornstarch slurry, bring the mixture to a boil (without flour), and in small bowl, combine equal parts cornstarch and water. Add to the boiling mixture while whisking until it thickens to the thickness desired. Let us know how it works out for you!
Used gf flour today and you can’t tell the difference.
Hi Penny,
I am from Australia and all our measurements are metric. Is it possible for you to put a conversion option key at the top of your receipes? I absolutely love your receipes … the simplicity of your instructions and the flavour you incorporate into your receipes gets me every time. Also I am a big fan of Thanksgiving… I love the meaning and the food tradition .
For your information Once Upon A Chef has a conversion key on their receipes. I am a regular user of receipes from both your sites and and have learnt so much from you both.
Hi Colin, unfortunately I am unable to provide metric conversions. There are many conversion tools available online. I hope that helps.
I have used this recipe a number of times and everyone loves it. The only change I make to the recipe is to sprinkle on some shredded cheddar when I remove it from the oven. Leftovers are just as good the next day.
I used yellow potatoes, replaced half the onion with shallots and put cheese on top instead of mixing it in to get that perfect golden topping. We thought it was top notch!
I made these last night to go with my partner’s favourite recipe of mine, air fryer pork chops, and he couldn’t decide if these were better than or equally as good as the pork chops! That’s saying something since he’s addicted to my pork chop recipe.
I halved this recipe since there are only 2 of us and it came out great. It was the perfect amount for 2 servings for dinner and 2 servings for next-day lunches. Prepping the onions and potatoes was quick and easy using a mandolin. Making the sauce is a bit time-consuming. I highly recommend following the instructions by adding a little bit of liquid at a time. I started off that way and then got impatient and added too much, but luckily I saved it by adding in a little more flour. Next time I definitely will be prepping this on a Sunday so I can just pop it in the oven during the week when I need a side!
please share your pork chop air fryer recipe.
We love this air fryer pork chop recipe Jessica!
Made this a few weeks ago and again tonight for family. Was very good with a smooth sauce. I added cheese this time and it tasted good too.
Spend with Pennies has evolved to be my fast answer to really great recipies. Despite having a good sized shelf unit full of cookbooks, I often find myself online for the fast reference. SwP recipies has ended up my choice virtually every time. In fact, if they published a hard cover, I would buy it and then continue to access their online resources in a pinch. Their recipies are an outstanding launch to an amazing meal!
Thank you so much for your kind words David, I’m so glad you’ve found some great recipes to enjoy! I really hope to have a cookbook soon.
I’m so excited to announce that my cookbook Everday Comfort is available for purchase! Thank you so much for your support ♥️
good recipe. I added sharp cheddar at end baking it for 3 minutes until bubbly slightly brown.
Excellent recipe. I substituted 1 cup sweet cream for milk and, added an 8oz brick of sharp white cheddar cheese to the roué. Delicious.
I made this recipe for dinner tonight. Delicious!!
The calories, cholesterol, salt, etc. Is that per serving? It sounds delicious and easy, but the info on those categories is probably not a healthy option for me. I’d feel better if that was for total of 6 servings!
Hi Linda, the nutritional values are for each serving.
Is there anyway I can halve this recipe? What size pan and cook time would I use? It’s just my husband and I so we don’t need a whole casserole dish!
I haven’t tried it but other readers have halved the recipe with great success. I would use an 8×8 pan and the cook time should remain the same. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!