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This easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes recipe uses whole potatoes, cream, butter, and cheese. Perfect creamy scalloped potatoes ready in under an hour with no peeling required!
These creamy scalloped potatoes are my favorite side dish for family dinners and holidays. You can use russet potato or Yukon gold potatoes without peeling them. The cheese sauce creates beautiful layers of tender potato slices.
This potato recipe is quick to assemble while I work on other dishes. Heavy cream and sharp cheddar make incredibly cheesy potatoes that everyone loves. This casserole dish delivers restaurant-quality results with minimal effort.
The recipe is flexible—add herbs for extra flavor or stir in diced ham. It’s easy to customize to your family’s preferences.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Comfort Food Classic: It’s warm, cheesy, and satisfying, perfect for cozy dinners on cold nights or any other time you need some cheesy goodness.
- Crowd-Pleaser: These potatoes are always a hit at family gatherings, potlucks, and holiday dinners.
- Versatile Side Dish: Potatoes au gratin pair go with just about anything so you can add them to all kinds of meals.
Ingredient Notes
Garlic: Fresh is best, but you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder if needed. Adjust the amount to your taste preference—garlic lovers can add up to 6 cloves.
Heavy cream: This creates the richest, most luxurious sauce. You can substitute all whole milk for a lighter version, but the sauce won’t be quite as creamy.
Sharp cheddar cheese: Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can affect melting. Grating your own cheese from a block gives the smoothest results.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
Featured Review
Connie Rosario ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 10, 2021
Alas, I didn’t have cream, so I made the sauce with a can of cream of mushroom, 1/2 cup milk, and 1/2 cup carnation. I have a lot of shredded colby jack so can’t wait.
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 4 large baking potatoes or 8 smaller potatoes, about 2 pounds total
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup milk, whole or 2%
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2-4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Grease the bottom and sides of a baking dish with the softened butter.2 tablespoons butter
- Wash and scrub the potatoes clean but don't worry about peeling them. Slice the potatoes into thick slices (somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick), then stack the slices and cut them into 4 pieces. Put all of the potato pieces in the bottom of the baking dish.4 large baking potatoes or 8 smaller potatoes
- In a small bowl whisk the cream, milk, flour, garlic, salt, and pepper together. Pour the mixture over the potatoes.1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup milk, 2 tablespoons flour, 2-4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, freshly ground black pepper
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Add the cheese to the hot dish and bake for another 3-5 minutes until the cheese is all melted. Serve hot.1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
Notes
- To make this recipe gluten-free, switch out the 2 tablespoons of flour with 1 tablespoon of corn starch.
- Use a mandolin or food processor to quickly and easily slice the potatoes.
- Heavy cream in place of the milk will give you a richer, creamier sauce.
- Keep any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Nutrition
How to Make Perfect Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Step 1. Preheat the oven and butter an 8×8 baking dish. Set aside.
Step 2. Scrub the potatoes then slice them and then quarter the slices. Place them in the bottom of the baking dish.
Step 3. Whisk the cream, milk, flour, garlic, salt, and pepper together. Pour over the potatoes.
Step 4. Cover and bake the potatoes. After 40 minutes, remove foil. Bake 10 minutes then sprinkle with cheese. Bake 3-5 more minutes then serve.
Substitutions & Variations
Cheese Options
Try gruyère for a French-inspired version, or combine multiple cheeses like white cheddar, fontina, or parmesan. For a bolder flavor, add 1/4 cup grated parmesan to the cream mixture.
Make it Heartier
Stir in 1-2 cups of diced cooked ham or crispy bacon between the potato layers for a complete meal.
Herb-Infused Version
Add fresh thyme, rosemary, or sage to the cream mixture. About 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped herbs adds wonderful depth.
Lighter Option
Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, or replace half of the potato slices with thinly sliced cauliflower for a lower-carb version.
Make a Classic Roux
For an even thicker sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in purpose flour to create a roux, cook for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in the cream and milk until smooth before pouring over potatoes.
Recipe FAQs
Technically, au gratin refers to dishes with a browned crust (usually cheese), while scalloped potatoes traditionally have just cream. This recipe combines both styles for maximum deliciousness!
This usually happens when potatoes release too much moisture. Make sure to bake uncovered for the last 10 minutes to allow excess liquid to evaporate. The flour in the cream mixture helps thicken the sauce as it bakes.
Yes! To make this recipe gluten-free, switch out the 2 tablespoons of flour with 1 tablespoon of corn starch.
Yes! While sharp cheddar is classic, gruyère creates an incredibly rich, nutty flavor. You can also mix cheeses—try half cheddar and half gruyère for the best of both worlds.
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the flour. It acts as a thickening agent, creating a luscious cream sauce rather than a watery mess. Whisk it thoroughly into the liquid to prevent lumps.
- Let it rest before serving. After removing from the oven, allow the dish to sit for 5-10 minutes. This helps the sauce thicken further and makes serving much easier.
- Arrange potatoes loosely. Don’t pack them too tightly in the dish. Leaving a bit of space allows the cream mixture to flow between the layers and coat every piece.
- Check doneness with a knife. The potatoes should be tender when pierced with a sharp knife. If they’re still firm after the initial baking time, cover and continue baking in 10-minute intervals.
- Use a mandoline for even slices. Uniform thickness ensures all the potatoes cook at the same rate. Aim for slices between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick—too thin and they’ll fall apart, too thick and they won’t cook through.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Room Temperature
Don’t leave scalloped potatoes out for more than 2 hours. They contain dairy and should be refrigerated promptly.
Refrigerator Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The potatoes will thicken as they cool but reheat beautifully.
Reheating
Cover with foil and reheat at 350°F for 20-25 minutes until warmed through. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes.
Freezer storage
While possible, freezing isn’t ideal as the cream sauce can separate. If freezing is necessary, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Make Ahead
Assemble completely up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking, or add 10-15 minutes to the covered baking time.
What to Serve with Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
More Potato Recipes to Consider
Vegetable Sides
Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan French Fries
Side Dishes and Salads
47 Easy Potato Recipes
Side Dishes and Salads
Easy Creamy Cheesy Potatoes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Alas, I didn’t have cream, so I made the sauce with a can of cream of mushroom, 1/2 cup milk, and 1/2 cup carnation. I have a lot of shredded colby jack so can’t wait.
Ohhhhhh friend, that sounds so good! I’m making this tonight too!
I’m making this now. It’s been in the oven at 400 for an hour and the potatoes are still hard. Only PW recipe I’ve ever made that’s failed me. It’ll probably taste good, but it’s going to take twice as long to get done as I’d planned for.
Hmmmm… something is off. Normally a medium potato takes an hour to cook when it whole (like a baked potato) so your oven must be off or you loaded up the pan to full…
I made this dish so yummy. Can you make this ahead and freeze it?
Can you make this up the day before and keep it in the fridge and just pop it in the oven when you are ready to cook?
Yep, that’ll work just great! Just be sure to add about 5 minutes extra in the cooking time to account for starting with cold tators!
What size pan?
It’s a 2 quart baking dish, so a 9×13 and a 9×9 inch both work fine for this.
When you say baking dish about what size are you thinking? 9×13″ 8-9″ square? It looks delish…but I would like to start out right. Thank you! Linda
You can do a 9×13 inch baking dish or a 9×9 inch pan, both will fit this recipe just fine.