I make scalloped potatoes when the day feels long and the kitchen begs for something warm and kind. This pan builds soft layers of potato, a light cream sauce, and a cap of tender cheese. It tastes like the best kind of home. I blink and half the dish is gone. Here I keep things simple. I slice the potatoes thin. I whisk butter, flour, milk, and a pinch of salt and pepper. I pour, I stack, I bake. The top turns golden and the edges go a little crisp. You get that spoonful that slides clean and still holds a shape. It is calm food with a little glow. Yes I say scalloped potatoes and I mean it. This is my best scalloped potatoes recipe and my forever recipe scalloped potatoes plan. You want a cheesy scalloped potatoes recipe that works on a sleepy weeknight or a Sunday table. File it under potatoes recipe ideas you will reach for again. Add it to your list of scalloped potato recipes and your stack of easy recipes for potatoes. We eat, we talk, we scrape the corners of the pan and smile.
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 Dish recipes next
- 9) Scalloped Potatoes
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
- The dish uses thin potato slices, a light cream sauce, and a gentle bake for soft layers that hold a clean slice.
- The flavor sits in a calm space with cheddar and a hint of onion and garlic that lift the sauce without crowding it.
- Prep stays simple with pantry items and a steady flow that works on a weeknight or a holiday table.
- Elena from Elena Cooks keeps the steps short so the pan goes from counter to oven with little fuss.
2) Easy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
I reach for scalloped potatoes when the house wants comfort. The name alone feels soft, and scalloped potatoes deliver that kind of quiet comfort we crave at the end of a long day. I like the way each slice leans on the next, like a tidy stack that rests in a warm dish. The top turns a mellow gold. The inside stays tender and creamy. Plates come back clean, and yes, I always wish I had made more.
I keep this recipe simple on purpose. Simple cooks well. Thin slices, gentle heat, a silky sauce that clings without weight. I whisk butter and flour, then milk and a small splash of cream. I season with salt, pepper, and a whisper of nutmeg. Cheddar melts through the layers and lends that cozy pull. It reads easy, tastes rich, and fits a family table with room for seconds.
Here you will also spot the short and long phrases cooks type when they hunt for a good method. You might search for best scalloped potatoes recipe or recipe scalloped potatoes or cheesy scalloped potatoes recipe. Maybe you type potatoes recipe or scalloped potato recipes or even recipes for potatoes. All of that leads here, to a pan that behaves and a flavor that lands in the sweet spot. Elena at Elena Cooks stands by it with a steady hand and a tidy kitchen.
3) Ingredients for Scalloped Potatoes
Russet or Yukon Gold Potatoes I choose firm, evenly sized potatoes that slice clean and bake into soft layers. Russet brings starch that thickens the sauce on its own. Yukon holds its shape and gives a buttery bite. I peel for a smooth look, then slice thin for even cooking and tidy stacks.
Unsalted Butter I melt it low and slow. It coats the flour and keeps the sauce smooth. Butter lifts the flavor without a heavy note. It also helps the top turn that gentle golden finish that makes the first spoonful feel special.
All Purpose Flour A small spoonful thickens the milk and cream. I whisk until the paste turns glossy. No clumps, no grit. The sauce should fall in a thin ribbon and then settle into a soft pool. That look tells me the texture will land right in the pan.
Whole Milk and Light Cream Warm milk blends into the roux and builds a base that feels light yet full. I add a bit of light cream for body. The sauce coats each slice and bakes into a creamy potato casserole feel without weight. Warm dairy prevents lumps and keeps the sauce smooth.
Onion and Garlic I cook the onion until it softens and turns sweet. I add garlic near the end so it stays soft and fragrant. The goal is balance. You taste potato first, then a gentle lift from these two. Nothing sharp, nothing pushy.
Cheddar and Parmesan Sharp cheddar melts into the layers and gives that mild stretch. Parmesan on top adds a savory edge and a tidy crust. These two bring depth without crowding the mild potato flavor that we love in a layered potato bake.
Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Nutmeg, Fresh Thyme Small pinches make big shifts. Salt wakes up the potatoes. Pepper adds a warm note. Nutmeg stays in the background and ties dairy and potato together. Thyme feels fresh and green. Use a light hand and taste as you go.
Nonstick Spray or Soft Butter I coat the dish so the first slice lifts clean. The edges then bake with a light crisp. You get that neat corner that everyone fights for. A simple step, big payoff.
4) How to Make Scalloped Potatoes
Step One Heat the oven to a steady medium setting near 180 C or 350 F. Grease a baking dish so nothing sticks. Slice the potatoes thin and set them in a bowl. Pat them dry so the sauce clings. Keep the slices close in size for even cooking and smooth layers.
Step Two Warm a saucepan. Melt butter. Add chopped onion and let it soften. Stir in garlic for one short minute. Sprinkle flour and whisk into a smooth paste. Pour in warm milk with a slow hand and whisk until the sauce turns glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
Step Three Season the sauce with salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and a pinch of thyme. Taste. It should feel balanced and calm. Spoon a thin layer of sauce in the dish. Lay down a neat shingle of potatoes. Add sauce again. Scatter cheddar. Repeat in soft stacks until you reach the top. Finish with sauce and parmesan.
Step Four Cover the dish with foil that has a small vent. Bake until the slices feel tender when pierced. Remove the cover and bake again until the top turns golden and the edges look a little crisp. Rest the pan on the counter for ten minutes. The layers set and the slice holds. The look says cheesy potato gratin even though we built it the simple way.
5) Tips for Making Scalloped Potatoes
Use even slices. A mandoline helps, or a steady hand and a sharp knife. Thin slices cook at the same pace. The texture stays steady from edge to center. The sauce hugs each slice and you get that tidy cross section that looks neat on the plate.
Warm the dairy. Cold milk fights the roux and makes lumps. Warm milk slides in clean and forms a smooth base. Taste the sauce before you pour. Adjust salt and pepper so the flavor feels bright but calm. That small pause pays off in every bite.
Pick your cheese with care. Sharp cheddar gives a friendly bite. Gruyere leans nutty. Parmesan on top sets a savory crust. Mix small amounts to suit your mood. The dish stays classic either way. At the table this reads as a layered potato bake that brings comfort without fuss.
6) Making Scalloped Potatoes Ahead of Time
I often prep this in the morning. I build the layers, cover the pan, and chill it. Near dinner I bake it straight from the fridge with extra time to heat through. The top turns gold and the kitchen smells like home. This plan frees your hands for the rest of the meal and keeps the mood easy.
You can also bake the dish, cool it, and chill it for a day. Reheat covered until hot. The sauce relaxes again and the slices settle back into neat stacks. If you want a fresh crust, pull the cover near the end and let the cheese brown. It tastes new again, which feels like a small win.
When I cook ahead for guests, I label the pan and jot the oven plan. That way anyone can slide it in and hit the timer. The method stays foolproof. The flavor stays steady. The feel lands like a creamy potato casserole that waited patiently for the crew to gather.
7) Storing Leftover Scalloped Potatoes
Cool the dish to room temp. Pack slices in a tight container. Press a piece of parchment against the surface to slow moisture loss. The texture holds for a few days. Reheat in the oven so the top wakes up again and the edges turn a little crisp. Microwaves warm fast, but the oven brings back the best bite.
I like to tuck a small splash of milk into the container before I reheat. It loosens the sauce and brings the silky feel back to the layers. A quick stir on the plate blends it in. The fork finds that same easy slide as day one. No waste, just comfort on repeat.
Leftovers pair well with eggs in the morning or a green salad at lunch. The mild flavor plays nice with many plates. The texture stands up to a quick warm through and still slices clean. That is the charm of this quiet dish and a big reason it ranks high in my weeknight plan.
8) Try these Side Dish recipes next
9) Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped Potatoes Elena Style Creamy Cozy And Extra Cheesy
Ingredients
- 2 kilograms russet potatoes peeled and sliced thin
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small onion finely chopped optional
- 2 cups whole milk warmed
- 1 cup light cream warmed
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves optional
- 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar
- 0.5 cup grated parmesan
- Nonstick spray or soft butter for the dish
Instructions
- Heat oven to 180 C. Grease a 23 by 33 centimeter baking dish.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft. Stir in garlic for one minute.
- Whisk in flour and cook one minute to make a smooth paste.
- Slowly whisk in warm milk and cream. Cook and whisk until the sauce thickens and looks glossy. Season with salt pepper nutmeg and thyme.
- Layer one third of the potatoes in the dish. Pour over one third of the sauce and scatter one third of the cheddar and a little parmesan.
- Repeat two more layers ending with sauce and the rest of the cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 to 30 minutes more until the top is golden and the potatoes feel tender when pierced.
- Rest 10 minutes before serving so the layers set. Spoon from the edge for that first perfect slice.
10) Nutrition
One generous square lands near three hundred fifteen calories with a balance that fits a normal plate. Carbs sit near thirty eight grams and fiber lands near three. Protein rests around eleven. Fat measures near fourteen with a smaller share of saturated fat. Sodium holds near five hundred twenty milligrams. I always frame nutrition as part of a varied day. A crisp salad or bright greens round out the plate and amplify color and crunch. Measure portions with the pan cut into even squares and the numbers stay steady.
Elena at Elena Cooks cooks with balance in mind and leans on simple methods that keep flavor front and center. This pan earns a spot beside roasted chicken or a skillet of green beans. The fork meets tender layers and a calm sauce. You breathe, you taste, you smile. That is dinner done right.
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