Scalloped potatoes are a classic side dish made with thinly sliced potatoes baked in a creamy sauce (cheese optional!). I’ve been making this recipe for as long as I can remember. Originally published in 2019, it has been loved by readers ever since.
If you’ve never made scalloped potatoes from scratch before, you’ll be amazed how easy they are to make. Simple ingredients, tried-and-true steps, and a rich homemade flavor.
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Why This Scalloped Potato Recipe Is So Amazing
- The Secret Sauce: Many recipes use only cream or milk however, when creating this recipe many years ago, I found that the addition of broth makes sauce perfectly rich and light. It’s silky delicious without being too heavy.
- Feelin’ Cheesy? This is a classic scalloped potato recipe with a white sauce however, you can add cheese (see recipe notes) .
- Kitchen tip: Scalloped potatoes will hold their heat for up to 45 minutes, so prepare them early if you need the oven space.
Ingredient Notes
- Potatoes: I use Yukon gold or red potatoes for scalloped potatoes. They have thin skins, so they don’t need to be peeled, and they will hold their shape. Russet or Idaho potatoes can be used and should be peeled; they won’t hold their shape as well but still taste great.
- Onion: Use either white or yellow onion to flavor the sauce. Soften the onion in butter to bring out the natural sweetness.
- Sauce: Milk makes the sauce creamy without being too rich or heavy while broth adds flavor and salt to the sauce. I prefer chicken broth, but vegetable broth can be used.
- Seasonings: The seasonings are simple, and it’s important to salt each layer of potatoes. You can add ½ teaspoon of dried thyme, crushed rosemary, or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley to the sauce if desired.
How To Make Scalloped Potatoes (overview)
Making scalloped potatoes from scratch takes time, but it is easy. There are four basic steps:
- Slice potatoes: Start by thinly slicing the potatoes (a mandoline is helpful).
- Prepare sauce: Next, prepare the cream sauce according to the recipe below.
- Assemble: Layer the potatoes and sauce in a baking dish.
- Bake: Finally, bake the potatoes covered so they become tender and then uncover and continue baking to create a golden brown topping.
This recipe can be prepared up to 48 hours ahead of time.
Prepare the potatoes as directed in the recipe.
Bake the dish covered for 50-60 minutes.
Cool completely on the counter (leave them covered; the steam will help finish cooking). Cover and refrigerate.
To bake, remove the potatoes the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking. Bake uncovered for about 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through.
Add Up to 2 cups of shredded cheese to the sauce or between the layers of potatoes. Remove the sauce from the heat after boiling, and whisk in the cheese. Do not boil the cheese, or it may separate.
I recommend a bold cheese such as sharp cheddar or gruyere.
Prepare the recipe as directed and bake the potatoes for 45 minutes covered and 20 minutes uncovered.
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.
Store leftover scalloped potatoes in the fridge for up to 4 days.
The main difference between scalloped potatoes and potatoes au gratin is the cheese. Scalloped potatoes don’t generally contain cheese (although you can add cheese if you’d like).
This recipe has a creamy onion sauce; cheese can be added for an au gratin version—check the recipe notes for tips.
Looking for more ways to prep potatoes? Try oven roasted potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes, or crispy smashed 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
- 1 ¼ 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 casserole 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, seasoning 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
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
i appreciate your level of quality in your recipes. I know i can depend on you to have a quick recipe that is enjoyed by others when i’m having people over. I do not question if your recipes will turn out good because they do even with myself not being the best of a cook.
Thank you and happy new year to you !
You just made my day Gina! Thank you so much for the kind words. Happy New Year!
This is my go to recipe. Always turns out fantastic. I have now started adding different seasonings depending on the entree. Today was a bit of chopped fresh rosemary and thyme. Before finding this I was always layering flour with potatoes and unhappy with the results. Making a roux and sauce and using that is the best. Thank you for this recipe. For those in the comments not having success, taste your sauce and jazz up if you want more flavor, make sure to have the sauce thickened and use the right kinds of potatoes. This has worked out for me every single time I have made it. It makes lots and we freeze half a casserole for a future meal.
Great recipe. I followed the instructions, and didn’t have any trouble…aside from it making more like ten servings. But my guests all asked for seconds, so that worked out well! If anyone is having trouble with the recipe, I’d suggest they read the instructions more carefully. The one suggestion I have for the author, is that she should add a note saying to prevent the potatoes from turning brown, put the slices into a bowl of cold water as you are cutting, and then put the bowl in the fridge until the cream sauce is ready. Then drain, and proceed as instructed.
Classic. Just like my grandmother’s!
Takes a LOT of work and time to make a so-so dish. The color was greyish. It makes about sixteen helpings, not six. I won’t make it again. I think there was waaaay too much onion.
I’m giving five stars because of the way they turned out, but I didn’t follow exactly. Made my own cream sauce like the recipe, but used some Gruyère cheese between the layers like Martha does. I also par boiled the sliced potatoes in salted water and added a Knorr chicken bouillon cube and some milk to the water.Then used some of that liquid in place of the chicken stock. I could eat these all day long.
Poor instructions, sauce did not thicken after adding milk and broth very slow, tossed it all out. Was a waste
How disappointing Beth. I have not had that problem. Did you make the sauce as in the instructions and let it boil to thicken? You could add a little extra flour if that helps thicken it.
Quit cooking ………..it was delish. and I am a Male and followed the instructions to a T !
You NEVER include the temperature. Novice mistake.
Step 1. under the instructions heading has the temperature. Enjoy the recipe.
Judi the information that you need it’s right at the beginning of this page
these people have spent their time and effort to bring something good here to our tables and we do appreciate that
Calling people names, or such statements, destroy all the purpose and that effort, and we all have to be on the lookout for cyber bullying nowadays
Rudeness won’t get you far or make you happy! I love Holly’s recipes!
It is in the directions. Novice reader.
what if you use heavy cream instead of milk in the scalloped potatoes
It will be richer, you might like to use a bit less milk (cream) and up the broth a little if using heavy cream.
Can you substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth?
Hi Christine, you could easily replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
Could you par boil the potatoes to reduce total bake time?
Hi Erin, I haven’t tried it with this recipe but I think it should work just fine. I would follow the steps in this recipe for Cheesy scalloped potatoes which does boil them first. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
Curious why you mention using the Yukon or red potatoes but state white potatoes in the ingredient list. Also, you mention slicing the onion very thinly, but the ingredient list says to dice. Are the comments above a different recipe than the recipe below? I was hoping to find the recipe of your info above, along with the info for cooking it ahead of time.
White, red, or Yukon gold are all potatoes with thin skins and similar textures; they can be used interchangeably in this recipe as they will all hold their shape well. You’ll want to avoid starchy potatoes like Russets or baking potatoes as they tend to fall apart.
Sorry for the confusion; the potatoes are thinly sliced, while the onions are diced and added to the sauce.
To make these ahead of time (and keep cooking fast on the day of serving) we have tested partially baking them with great results.
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 to finish cooking).
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.
Very little flavor.
Stu, scalloped potatoes are a subtle-taste. Not everything is a taste explosion in your mouth like all the prepackaged junk out there. SMH
I made this last night for a Bunco Christmas party. I used shallots and bit of leftover onion. I also added a layer of Guyre cheese between potato layers. This was exceptionally good. Everybody loved it. Will be a go to recipe.
If you double the recipe, does the cook time in the oven change at all?
If doubling the recipe, I would suggest two 9×13 pans to ensure the potatoes cook through in the center. You may need to add extra cooking time depending on the pans and how full your oven is so allow for extra time. If they’re done a bit early, they’ll stay warm for quite a while.
Would you be able to sub milk for oat milk and butter for non dairy butter?
Yes, that will work just fine, it may change the flavor slightly.
It is important to follow directions, which is not always the case with me but did with this recipe. It came out perfecto. Second time, I added my garden green onions, shallots & kale; some ham cubes, more broth/less milk (3 cups total); topped with some shaved parmesan and a little paprika. SO MANY variations to adapt. Excellent!
Easy and tastywill be on repeat in my home.
I made this recipe exactly as is; absolutely delicious …I’m wondering if this recipe can be converted to a crockpot recipe?
For a Crock Pot version, we use this recipe here. Enjoy Maureen!
Hi Maureen, I made this using a lg Crockpot, the brand with the removable ceramic pot that is oven safe to 400° temp.
I made the recipe as written (except I increased the amount of sauce by about 20% and added 2 Tbs dried rosemary). I baked it in the top 1/2 of the oven, uncovered, at 385° for 25 mins (for a more browned surface). Then covered it with foil and reduced the oven temp to 350° for 35 mins. I let it cool, still covered, for about an hr before putting it in the fridge overnight.
The next day I took it out of the fridge an hr before putting it in the crockpot on High. Three & half hrs later it was hot, cooked through and delicious. It was a big hit at potluck. Hope this helps.
Thank you for sharing Winona!
I used yukon gold potatoes, sliced on a mandolin, made all of the sauce as the recipe instructed (i doubled it) and it was SOOOOOOO liquidy- i had to pour off liquid twice until it started looking like it was helping and starting to reduce- but I checked it this morning after it was chilled completely and its still wet looking. Ive wasted 10 pounds of potatoes now, and i have to try again. Any suggestions? I cant keep wasting money :(
How disappointing Kathleen. I have not had that problem, but you’ll want to make sure the sauce is thickened before adding it to the potatoes. It should be quite thick, just a bit thinner than yogurt. Ensure that the potatoes are uncovered during the last part of baking. The sauce will definitely set up as the potatoes rest as well.
You can find more tips on making a roux here. I hope that helps!
Why would you waste 10 lbs of potatoes? I used 5 large potatoes as I usually do and they fill the entire casserole dish. It’s enough for at least 12-16 servings. Did you put your potatoes in water and soak them first? If so you need to drain and dry before layering. I have not had one issue making a white sauce and using this recipe. I note you doubled the sauce? That’s a lot to make your roux or white sauce correctly. Explains the excess liquid. The sauce does not need doubling for a 9×13 casserole.