I make scalloped potatoes when I want comfort that feels kind and steady. This scalloped potatoes dish bakes into soft layers with a golden crust. The kitchen smells like butter and garlic and a little cheddar. I call that a good day. Our table laughs when the pan lands hot and ready. We pass plates. We sneak tastes. I test one slice for salt and then I steal another. The sauce clings to the edges and pools in the corners. You get tender bites and a gentle pull from the cheese. It feels homey and simple in the best way. You can make this cheesy scalloped potatoes recipe when guests drop by or when a quiet night asks for a warm side. It is a recipe scalloped potatoes fans trust. I reach for it when I want the best scalloped potatoes recipe. File it with your go to potatoes recipe folder and your favorite scalloped potato recipes. For busy nights I love potatoes recipes easy that still taste rich and clean.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Scalloped Potatoes
- 4) How to Make Scalloped Potatoes
- 5) Tips for Making Scalloped Potatoes
- 6) Making Scalloped Potatoes Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Scalloped Potatoes
- 8) Try these side dishes next
- 9) Scalloped Potatoes
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
From my stove to your table, this pan holds love and patience. I slice thin, I layer neat, and I pour a calm sauce that keeps the potatoes soft. The result tastes rich yet light enough to share with grilled chicken or a crisp salad. Friends ask for seconds and I do not blame them.
The sauce starts with butter, flour, and milk. I fold in a touch of broth for balance and a mix of cheddar and gruyere for depth. Paprika and thyme keep it warm and kind. The top turns golden and the sides bubble. That scent pulls everyone to the kitchen.
I write this on Lila Cooks and I test it often at home. You can find more ideas at https://www.lilacooks.com where I share notes that help real weeknights. This dish meets busy days and still feels special. The steps stay simple and the payoff feels big.
2) Easy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
I call this my calm recipe for a reason. I start with the main words I crave on a long day. Scalloped potatoes show up twice here because I want that comfort set right away. Scalloped potatoes make the room smell cozy and bring everyone close. I like that kind of pull.
Each layer rests flat in the dish. The sauce seeps down and hugs the slices. I learned this from Sunday dinners that ran late. We ate slow and told stories while the corners browned. When the spoon hits the crust, you hear a soft crack and then a tender slide.
On Lila Cooks, I promise ease and steady flavor. This cheesy scalloped potatoes recipe meets that promise. It plays nice with roasted pork, baked salmon, or green beans with lemon. I keep the steps short and the tools simple so the process feels kind, not fussy.
3) Ingredients for Scalloped Potatoes
Russet potatoes Firm texture holds the slices. I peel and cut thin so each layer cooks even and soft without falling apart.
Unsalted butter This starts the sauce and builds a mellow base. The flavor stays clean and lets the cheese shine.
Olive oil A spoon in the pan keeps the butter from browning too fast and adds a round note that tastes full.
Yellow onion I slice fine. It softens and turns sweet in the heat so the sauce tastes friendly, not sharp.
Garlic Two cloves, minced. The hint comes through in each bite and lifts the dairy.
All purpose flour The thickener that gives the sauce a soft coat without turning heavy or pasty.
Whole milk Warm body and smooth texture. It carries the cheese and lets the layers stay tender.
Low sodium broth Chicken or vegetable. It loosens the sauce and keeps the finish bright.
Kosher salt and black pepper Season in the pot and taste again before baking for steady flavor.
Paprika A pinch lends color and a faint warmth that pairs well with dairy.
Dried thyme Just enough to add a woodsy note that stays in the background.
Cheddar Shredded for easy melt and a clean tang that most folks love.
Gruyere Nutty depth that rounds the cheddar and gives the top a gentle pull.
Parmesan A light sprinkle before the final bake builds a crisp, savory top.
Fresh parsley A quick chop for color and a fresh note at the end.
4) How to Make Scalloped Potatoes
Step 1 Set the oven to three seventy five F. Grease a large baking dish. I use a nine by thirteen pan when I feed eight.
Step 2 Warm a saucepan. Melt butter with olive oil. Add onion and cook until soft. Stir in garlic for one minute to wake the scent.
Step 3 Whisk in flour and cook one minute until smooth. Pour in milk slow while whisking. Add broth. Keep stirring until the sauce coats a spoon.
Step 4 Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme. Pull the pan off the heat. Fold in cheddar and gruyere until melted and even.
Step 5 Layer the potato slices in neat rows. Spoon over half the sauce. Add the rest of the potatoes. Pour the remaining sauce across the top.
Step 6 Cover with foil and bake thirty five minutes. Uncover, add parmesan, and bake twenty five minutes more until golden and tender.
Step 7 Rest ten minutes. Sprinkle parsley and serve. The layers settle and slice clean.
5) Tips for Making Scalloped Potatoes
Cut even. Thin slices cook at the same pace. I reach for a mandoline when I need speed and steady results for this oven baked scalloped potatoes plan.
Season smart. Taste the sauce before it hits the dish. Salt should feel present but not loud. Pepper should warm without a bite.
Watch the top. If color builds fast, tent with foil. If you crave more pull, add a small handful of gruyere near the end to finish the creamy scalloped potatoes with a richer cap.
6) Making Scalloped Potatoes Ahead of Time
I prep the dish in the morning. I cover and chill. Near dinner, I bake from cold and add a few minutes to reach tender. The method helps when guests run late and I want calm.
For homemade scalloped potatoes that stay neat, keep the sauce a touch thicker on day one. The rest in the fridge firms the layers so slices hold shape when reheated.
If you plan to travel with the pan, bake covered until just shy of tender. Finish at your friend’s oven. The kitchen will still smell great and the top will brown at the table.
7) Storing Leftover Scalloped Potatoes
Cool the pan until warm. Pack slices in shallow containers. I keep them in the fridge for three days. The flavor deepens and the texture stays kind.
Reheat in a warm oven on a foil lined tray. A splash of milk loosens the sauce. Skip the microwave when you can, since the edges heat fast and the center lags.
If you freeze portions, wrap tight. Thaw overnight and warm slow. The sauce will still taste smooth, and dinner lands with little work.
8) Try these side dishes next
9) Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped Potatoes Lila Cooks Cheesy Family Favorite
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese
- 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and sliced thin about 1/8 inch
- Nonstick spray for the baking dish
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan for topping
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat then melt the butter with the olive oil.
- Add the onion and cook until soft and sweet then stir in the garlic for one minute.
- Whisk in the flour and cook until it looks glossy about one minute.
- Slowly whisk in the milk then the broth. Stir until the sauce thickens and coats a spoon. Season with salt pepper paprika and thyme.
- Off the heat stir in cheddar and gruyere. Taste and adjust salt.
- Coat a nine by thirteen baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Shingle the potato slices in even rows. Pour half the sauce over the potatoes. Repeat with the rest of the potatoes and sauce.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake at 375 F for thirty five minutes.
- Remove the foil. Sprinkle parmesan over the top. Bake until the top browns and the potatoes feel tender when pierced about twenty five minutes more.
- Rest for ten minutes so the sauce sets. Garnish with parsley. Serve warm.
10) Nutrition
Serving size one cup. About three hundred ten calories. Four grams sugar. Five hundred twenty milligrams sodium. Fourteen grams fat. Eight grams saturated fat. Thirty six grams carbohydrates. Three grams fiber. Eleven grams protein. Thirty eight milligrams cholesterol. Numbers give a guide and help with planning, not rules.
Written by Lila for Lila Cooks. Find more recipes and calm kitchen notes at https://www.lilacooks.com. I test, I taste, and I share so weeknight cooking feels light.
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