Dreamy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe: Comfort on a Plate!
Scalloped potatoes dance between rustic comfort and elegant cuisine, transforming ordinary spuds into a luxurious culinary canvas.
These creamy, golden layers whisper promises of indulgence with every slice.
Tender potato rounds nestle between velvety cheese and delicate seasonings, creating a mouthwatering masterpiece.
Generations of home cooks have perfected this soul-warming dish that turns simple ingredients into pure magic.
Each forkful carries a symphony of textures – crisp edges giving way to luscious, melted interior.
The aroma alone tells a story of warmth and connection around the dinner table.
This recipe will transport you straight to comfort food heaven and make your taste buds sing with pure delight.
Quick Recipe Overview
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Calories: 300 kcal
Servings: 5
What You Need to Make Scalloped Potatoes
For Potato Base:For Creamy Sauce Components:For Liquid and Seasoning:For Optional Topping:Tools That Make Scalloped Potatoes Easier
Cooking Directions for Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
Fire up your oven to a cozy 350°F and grab a spacious baking dish. Give it a quick spray or butter rub to keep everything from sticking.
Melt butter in a pan over gentle heat. Toss in diced onions and garlic, letting them dance and soften for a few minutes. Dust with flour and stir until everything blends beautifully.
Pour chicken broth and milk into the pan slowly, whisking like a pro. Keep stirring until the sauce transforms into a smooth, creamy texture that hugs your ingredients.
Spread most of your potato slices across the baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then drizzle a third of your dreamy sauce all over.
Add the remaining potato slices and blanket them with the rest of the sauce. Make sure every potato gets some love and coverage.
Shield the dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Then uncover and let it continue cooking until the potatoes turn tender and the top becomes a gorgeous golden brown.
Want extra crispiness? Pop it under the broiler for a quick 3-4 minutes. Keep a watchful eye to prevent burning.
Give your creation a 15-minute break before serving. This helps the sauce settle and makes slicing a breeze.
Scalloped Potato Tips You’ll Want to Try
Explore exciting ways to make this classic dish uniquely yours!
Sprinkle sharp cheddar, gruyère, or parmesan between potato layers for an extra melty, flavor-packed experience.
Fold fresh thyme, rosemary, or chives into the cream sauce to add bright, aromatic notes that complement the rich potatoes.
Incorporate diced ham, crispy bacon bits, or shredded chicken between layers to transform this side dish into a hearty main course.
Add a pinch of cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, or red pepper flakes for a subtle kick that elevates the creamy texture.
Delicious Pairing Ideas for Scalloped Potatoes
Best Way to Store Scalloped Potatoes
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Heavenly Joy Of Cooking Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
Description
Creamy scalloped potatoes deliver comfort through layers of sliced potatoes bathed in rich cheese sauce. Hearty side dishes from French cuisine bring warmth and satisfaction to family meals you’ll savor with each delicious bite.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs (1.36 kg) white potatoes, sliced about 1/8 inch thick
- 2 cups (473 ml) milk
- 1 cup (237 ml) chicken broth
- ¼ cup (57 g) butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup (30 g) flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preparation: Heat oven to 350°F, ensuring rack is positioned in the center for even cooking.
- Aromatic Base: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter and sauté onions and garlic until softened and translucent. Dust with flour, stirring constantly to create a smooth roux and eliminate raw flour taste.
- Sauce Creation: Gradually whisk broth and milk into the roux, maintaining constant motion to prevent lumping. Simmer until sauce thickens to a velvety consistency, coating the back of a spoon.
- Layering Foundation: Lightly grease baking dish, creating an initial potato layer seasoned with salt and pepper. Pour one-third of cream sauce across the potatoes, ensuring even distribution.
- Assembling Layers: Continue building potato and sauce layers, finishing with a luxurious cream sauce topping that will create a golden, bubbling surface during baking.
- Baking Process: Cover dish and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until potatoes become tender and surface turns a rich, caramelized golden-brown. Optional: Broil briefly for additional crispy texture.
- Resting and Serving: Allow dish to rest for 15 minutes, enabling sauce to set and making portioning more manageable. Serve hot as a decadent side dish.
Notes
- Potato Prep Tip: Slice potatoes uniformly to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the dish.
- Sauce Smoothness Strategy: Whisk continuously while adding liquid to prevent lumpy sauce and achieve a silky, creamy consistency.
- Seasoning Secret: Layer salt and pepper between potato layers for more balanced and deeper flavor distribution.
- Resting Recommendation: Letting the dish rest after baking allows sauce to thicken and settle, improving overall taste and serving ease.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
Michael Thompson
Founder & Culinary Director
Expertise
Classical & Contemporary Cooking Techniques, Global Cuisine Appreciation, Nutrition & Menu Engineering, Sustainable Cooking Practices, Farm-to-Table Cuisine
Education
Southwestern Oregon Community College
Michael grew up in Oregon, where he learned early that food tastes better when it’s fresh, local, and made with care.
After earning his degree from the Southwestern Oregon Community College, he focused his career on teaching others how to cook with the seasons, reduce food waste, and reconnect with what’s on their plate.
Michael keeps his cooking simple, sustainable, and full of flavor. His favorite part of the process? Watching people realize how easy and satisfying it can be to cook a single great meal from scratch.