This scalloped potatoes recipe builds its sauce from the potato’s own starch, not just flour and cream, which means the texture changes completely depending on whether you par-boil the slices first or simmer them raw on the stovetop.
The par-boil route at 350°F gets the dish to the table in under an hour; the stovetop simmer asks for 20 extra minutes but trades that for layers that hold their shape without any hidden firm centers.
I reach for Russets when I want the sauce to thicken into something that clings, Yukon Golds when the meal already has enough weight and the potatoes should stay silkier on the plate.
Ingredients
A scalloped potatoes recipe lives or dies in the ingredient list, and the potato choice is where I start paying attention. Four out of the recipes I trust reach for Russet, while two go with Yukon Gold.
Both work, but Russet’s higher starch content breaks down into that creamy, sauce-thickening texture I want between the layers.
Here’s what goes into the dish:
- 2 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
The cheddar builds the backbone, though I swap in Gruyere or Parmesan when I want something sharper or nuttier. Gruyere melts into silkier layers; Parmesan gives you a frico-like crust on top if you finish with it.
Pre-shredded cheddar saves a step, but the anti-caking agents can make the sauce grainy, so I grate my own when I remember.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 11×7 inch baking dish.
- Slice 2 lbs of peeled potatoes thinly, then place them in a large saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, drain, and set aside.
- Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the same saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of chopped onion and stir occasionally for 1 to 2 minutes until tender.
- Stir in 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper. Gradually add one 12-ounce can of evaporated milk plus 1 cup of water, stirring constantly until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat.
- Arrange the par-cooked potatoes in the prepared baking dish. Pour the milk mixture over them and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the cheese turns light golden brown. Rest briefly before serving.
Two paths split here: the quick par-boil method above, or a stovetop simmer first.
The Food.com route saves a pot; the Dutch oven approach from Farmhouse Harvest simmers sliced raw potatoes in cream and milk for 15 minutes on the stove before the 20-minute bake.
That extra step trades time for deeper sauce thickening from the potato starch, but it also demands a 9×13 dish and about 20 extra minutes upfront. For weeknight hosting, I reach for the par-boil.
Cheeses
Cheddar is the workhorse most scalloped potatoes recipes lean on, and for good reason.
Two cups of shredded cheddar, melted between layers of russet or Yukon gold slices, gives you that familiar orange pull and a sharpness that cuts through heavy cream.
I grate my own when I have the time; pre-shredded works fine, but the anti-caking dust can make the sauce a little grainy.
Parmesan shows up in smaller amounts, usually a half cup grated over the top or layered in with a béchamel. It does not melt into long strings the way cheddar does.
Instead it crisps and browns, adding a salty, umami-rich crust that reads as finished rather than gooey.
One recipe builds the whole dish on evaporated milk and water with just that half cup of Parmesan on top, and it still tastes rich because the cheese carries so much flavor per ounce.
Gruyère is the one I reach for when I want the dish to taste like I planned it for company.
A cup of shredded Gruyère, about 4 ounces, layered with Fontina and a few teaspoons of Parmesan, gives you a nutty, sharp backbone that cheddar cannot match.
Price and availability are the real catches; not every grocery store stocks it, and the wedge costs more per pound than the cheddar block.
Goat cheese is the outlier, and I have only used it once. A small package of soft goat cheese, crumbled into cream and milk with roasted garlic, makes the sauce tangy and dense.
It does not melt smoothly; it breaks slightly and clings to the potato slices in pockets. Some guests loved it.
Others missed the stretch of a melting cheese. I keep it in mind for a winter dinner where the main course is simple and the potatoes can be the point.
If I had to pick one cheese to keep, it would be cheddar for weeknights and Gruyère for holidays.
The real answer, though, is to mix: cheddar for body, Parmesan for the crust, and a little Gruyère when the budget allows. That combination gives you melt, flavor, and a top layer that actually browns.
The potato rounds are layered with a decadent mixture of heavy cream, milk and not one but three types of grated cheese: Gruyere, Fontina and Parmesan.
— Today
That layered approach, splitting the cheese between the sauce and the top, is what separates a creamy scalloped potatoes recipe from a baked potato casserole. The reader should think about where each cheese lands, not just which ones to buy.
Potato Types
Russet potatoes carry the most starch of the three, and that starch thickens the cream into a sauce that clings rather than pools.
The slices hold their shape through a long bake but the interior turns almost fluffy, giving you distinct layers that still feel substantial.
I reach for russets when I want the dish to slice cleanly and stand up on the plate.
Yukon Golds sit in the middle on starch, with a waxier texture that keeps each slice silkier and more intact. The sauce stays looser, coating rather than binding, and the potato’s own buttery flavor comes through more clearly.
I use these when the meal already has heavy elements and the potatoes should taste lighter.
Medium-starch potatoes, the all-purpose bags often labeled simply for baking or boiling, split the difference in ways that can frustrate.
They release enough starch to thicken slightly but not fully, leaving a sauce that can read as neither creamy nor clean. I avoid them for scalloped potatoes unless I am deliberately aiming for a looser, almost gratin-style result.
Russets for structure, Yukon Golds for silk; the medium option is a compromise that rarely improves on either.
Cooking Methods
Oven-baked scalloped potatoes still win on texture if you have the time.
A covered dish at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, then uncovered with cheese for the final stretch, gives you that crispy, golden-brown top layer the slow cooker only approximates after 4½ to 5 hours on high.
There is a genuine cost to this: the oven needs your attention at the end, while the slow cooker keeps your hands free for other prep.
The shortcut method changes the math entirely. Simmering sliced russets in cream and broth on the stovetop for 10 minutes before a 15-minute blast at 425°F collapses the total active time to about half an hour.
That pre-cook step, borrowed from Cook’s Illustrated, solves the classic problem of unevenly baked slices; no more biting into resistant potato hidden in the center.
Texture differs between the two paths. Oven methods, especially with that stovetop head start, yield distinct layers that hold their shape.
The slow cooker, even with careful layering of Gruyère, Fontina and Parmesan, tends toward a more uniform creaminess; the top crisps, but the interior becomes almost pudding-like.
For a weeknight where the potatoes are just one of several dishes, that uniformity can be exactly what you want.
For a holiday table where the scalloped potatoes are the side dish guests remember, the oven’s textural contrast earns the extra effort.
Thickening and Seasoning
Flour and arrowroot powder do the same job, but they behave differently in the pan.
I keep all-purpose flour on hand for the classic base: it takes 3 tablespoons butter to 3 tablespoons flour in a standard batch, cooked until it loses its raw smell before the milk goes in.
Arrowroot powder asks for only 2 tablespoons to match that thickness, and it thickens at a lower temperature, which matters when you’re already sweating at the stove. It is less stable, and that matters.
Flour can take a boil and keep going; arrowroot turns glossy and smooth but breaks if you let the sauce boil too long, separating into a thin, grainy puddle that no amount of stirring fixes.
I reach for arrowroot when I want that cleaner, less cloudy sauce and I’m willing to watch the pot. Flour when I’m distracted by other dishes.
Thyme, garlic, and onion all want early contact with fat to release their flavor.
A quarter teaspoon of thyme and a quarter cup of minced onion both go into the butter before the liquid, because raw onion in a cream sauce stays crunchy and sharp in a way that clashes with soft potatoes.
Four sources use garlic, though the keeper recipe skips it; I add a clove minced fine when I want the depth, but I don’t double it, because garlic’s sulfur compounds can turn bitter after an hour at 350.
The onion goes first, softening until translucent, then the thyme and any garlic follow for thirty seconds so they don’t scorch.
Salt and black pepper go in with the starch, where they distribute evenly instead of sitting on top of the finished dish.
Yield and Storage
A full 11×7 inch baking dish of scalloped potatoes feeds 8 people as a side, which lines up with the usual holiday spread: roast chicken, pork chops, baked ham, a simple green salad, or a pan of roasted vegetables to round it out.
Leftovers hold for a few days in the refrigerator, though the sauce wants attention on reheating.
A splash of extra cream or milk stirred in before covering the dish with foil keeps it from breaking or drying out in the oven. Freezing is where I would stop.
Dairy-based sauces separate once thawed, and the texture turns grainy no matter how carefully you warm them back up.
The 15-minute rest after baking matters here too; it lets the sauce thicken enough that you are not serving soup on a plate.
Variations
Adding ham turns scalloped potatoes into the main event, and the leftover holiday crowd already knows this works. I cube it thick, about half-inch, and layer it between the potatoes so the edges crisp while the centers stay moist.
Cheddar is the baseline cheese, but swapping in Gruyère or Swiss changes the whole profile, and a little Parmesan on top adds a crackly crust that cheddar alone won’t give you.
I have tried a smoked gouda layer once and found it too assertive against the cream, though someone who builds their whole plate around that smoke might disagree.
Store-bought shortcuts are fair game here. Pre-shredded cheese saves a step, though the anti-caking dust means the sauce breaks slightly easier; a longer rest after baking, around 15 minutes, lets it tighten back up.
Deli ham off the bone beats packaged cubes for flavor, but either gets the job done if the party timeline is tight.
The real limit is your baking dish depth: too many layers and the center potatoes stay firm, so I keep it to two inches max and call it done.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are scalloped potatoes made of?
Scalloped potatoes are made of thinly sliced potatoes, heavy cream, whole milk, cheese, and seasonings like onion, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Russet potatoes are the most common choice because their high starch content thickens the sauce into a creamy texture between layers.
How long do you bake scalloped potatoes?
Bake scalloped potatoes at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the cheese turns light golden brown.
The dish needs a brief rest after coming out of the oven so the sauce can thicken enough to slice cleanly.
Can you make scalloped potatoes in a slow cooker?
Yes, scalloped potatoes work in a slow cooker. Cook them on high for 4½ to 5 hours until the cheese on top is crispy, browned, and bubbling.
The result is more uniformly creamy than oven-baked, with less textural contrast but more hands-off convenience.
What is the secret to making perfect scalloped potatoes?
The secret is par-cooking the potato slices before baking so they finish evenly without hidden firm spots.
A quick 3 to 4 minute boil or a 15-minute stovetop simmer in cream and milk prevents the classic problem of resistant potatoes in the center of the dish.
What are some common mistakes when making scalloped potatoes?
A common mistake is using pre-shredded cheese without knowing the anti-caking agents can make the sauce grainy; grating your own gives a smoother result.
Another is freezing leftovers, since dairy-based sauces separate and turn grainy when thawed no matter how carefully you reheat them.
What is the one trick Michael Symon uses to make perfect scalloped potatoes?
The methods described here focus on par-cooking potatoes before baking and choosing the right starch level in your potato variety for proper sauce thickening.
