potato recipes sides

These are the dreamiest scalloped potato recipes you will ever make.

Scalloped potatoes make a great accompaniment to large-format meats. They are creamy and rich.

They are a classic side dish but rich enough to be a main course. I’d happily eat scalloped potatoes as my main course. They are tender, well-seasoned potatoes with a creamy cream sauce and a touch of golden brown cheese—pure potato heaven.

What is a scalloped potato?

Scalloped potatoes can be described as a gratin-style casserole made of thinly sliced potatoes baked in a creamy sauce. The potatoes become tender, soft, decadent, and full of flavor. Because they resemble scalloped potatoes, they are called scalloped potatoes.

The best thing about scalloped potatoes is their unique stack texture. It’s like a potato lasagna but with layers of potatoes instead.

How to make scalloped potatoes

Making scalloped potatoes is an easy way to make a rich, flavorful dish.

1. Cut and peel your potatoes. Slice the potatoes in rounds or “scallops.”
2. Let the potatoes simmer. Now, we’re going to warm up some milk and cream on top of them.
3. Arrange. Place the warm potato slices (alongside the cream mixture) in a buttered casserole dish and layer with a little shredded Gruyere.
4. Bake. Cover the potatoes with foil until they are tender.
5. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Let the potatoes cool on a wire rack.
6. Allow the potatoes to rest so that the cream thickens and soaks in the potatoes.

Enjoy!

Scalloped potato ingredients

• Potatoes. Make sure you get potatoes of the same size to make your casserole look uniform and beautiful. More on potato choices are below!
• Cream and milk. To make a light but rich cream sauce for the potatoes to bake in, we’re going to mix cream and milk.
• Garlic, thyme, and rosemary. These scalloped potatoes have a pure potato-y taste.
• Gruyere. Gruyere gives potatoes a little bit of structure and cheesiness without overpowering them.

What are the best potato varieties for scalloped potatoes?

Only two types of potatoes are suitable for scalloped potatoes: Russets and Yukon golds, which are my absolute favorites.

Yukon Golds make great scalloping ingredients. They are slightly starchy and beautifully yellow. These potatoes are dense and have thin skin. They make a luxurious casserole.

Russets or Idaho potatoes are the large potatoes with the dusty skin most people use to bake potatoes. When cooked correctly, these potatoes are great for scalloping: they’re dry, fluffy, and not too starchy. Russets are my preferred potato. If you prefer lighter potatoes with a soft texture, they can be used to make scalloped potatoes.

• Yukon Golds: rich, dense, buttery, rich with more potato flavor. The sauce will thicken less, but the potatoes will keep their shape.
• Russets – delicate, mild, mild potato flavor. It will thicken the sauce but not fall apart.

You can have the best of both, or you can mix them!

How thick should you slice your potatoes?

Don’t slice potatoes too thin or too thick. It is best to cut your potatoes uniformly, which should be between 1/8 and 1/4 inches. The mandoline is your friend, as it makes scalloping potatoes quick and straightforward. The potatoes will cook faster, and the slices will look great. I love this mandoline.

Cheesy scalloped potatoes

There is a lot of debate about whether scalloped potatoes should contain cheese. Purists believe that scalloped potatoes are potatoes cooked in a roux-based gravy. Cheese lovers will eat a lot of cheese. I’m a potato lover, so I love all scalloped potatoes.

This recipe is my favorite because it doesn’t have too much cheese to overpower the potato flavor. It strikes a good balance between pure scalloped potatoes and creamy scalloped potatoes.

Do I soak or rinse potatoes to make scalloped potatoes?

No! It would help if you didn’t throw away all the starchy potato goodness. It is what thickens the cream and allows potatoes to cook evenly.

Tips and Tricks

• Heat the cream mixture and milk with the potatoes. This step is genius. It thickens and infuses the cream mixture with garlic and thyme and warms the potatoes so that they are pliable as you arrange them in the baking dish. The cream is thickened naturally by warming the potatoes in it. Also, warming the potatoes will help them cook evenly.
• Choose the correct word. It allows the potatoes to brown beautifully in a shallow dish. The grandfather of scalloped potatoes was potato gratins. A shallow dish will replicate this effect.
• Allow it to rest. The cream sauce thickens as the scalloped potatoes are left to rest. This allows the potatoes to retain their shape when they are cut into. You’ll have a nice stack of potatoes instead of potatoes falling over your plate. Perfect scalloped potatoes should be creamy, smooth, and silky. Let them cool down and eat them when they aren’t piping hot to appreciate their potato-ness.

Get ahead of the curve:

Scalloped potatoes make a great side dish. Either you can prepare the whole dish and bake it in advance. Then, heat the word in a 350degF oven for 15-30 minutes until it is warm.

How to store

Keep them wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and the refrigerator for up to five days.

How to reheat?

They can be heated in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes or in a 350F oven covered with foil until they are heated through.