Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

These Easy, Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes are smothered in a creamy cheese sauce and baked to perfection. With a quick shortcut, this classic side dish takes less than an hour from start to finish. They are sure to be a hit at your holiday feast.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes are our favorite way to make potatoes. They are a perfect side dish to pair with any meal, especially Easy Baked Glazed Ham and the Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe.

EASY, CHEESY SCALLOPED POTATOES RECIPE

My grandma was known for her comfort food cooking. From authentic German and Hungarian dishes to American classics like these Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes, each recipe she cooked was her pride and joy. In our family she was known for certain dishes, like her Shortcut German Potato Salad and her Zucchini Bread, among others. She never had to follow a recipe – she knew each one like the back of her hand. Which of course leaves us trying to recreate the flavors she made…thankfully we cooked with her enough that we are usually successful.

I remember the first time I cooked these Scalloped Potatoes on my own. It was for a Christmas party that I was hosting at my home, and it was the first Christmas since my grandma had passed away. My boss was bringing the ham, so I knew I had to make my grandma’s cheesy potatoes. I did and they tasted just like hers…which of course made me cry as I ate them!

HOW TO MAKE CHEESY SCALLOPED POTATOES

I love this recipe because it’s super easy and tastes better than any cheesy potato casserole I’ve ever had. That could be due to the massive amounts of fresh Cheddar cheese in the rich, creamy sauce, but who knows?

1. Most potato casserole recipes I’ve seen (au gratin or scalloped) use raw potatoes and bake the casserole for over an hour, up to an hour and a half or more! The potatoes take quite a while to cook so that lengthy time was necessary. But since we ain’t got time for that, my grandma boiled the potatoes whole and unpeeled first, for about 25 minutes, to cook them most of the way through. Then she would peel them when they were cool enough to handle and slice them with a paring knife.
2. While the potatoes are cooking the cheese sauce is made, which is a basic bechamel sauce with grated cheddar added. A bechamel starts with a roux (melted butter and flour, cooked until golden) then milk is added and simmered until thick. Finally shredded cheese is stirred in until it’s melted.
3. The potatoes and cheese are layered in a large casserole dish and topped with more grated cheddar and some ground Hungarian paprika for color. I like to add fresh minced parsley as well, but either of these garnishes can be left off.

WHY DO YOU BOIL THE POTATOES FIRST?

The par-boiling of the potatoes ensures that the potatoes will be creamy and soft and cooked all the way through in under 30 minutes of baking time. Most casseroles that start with raw sliced potatoes always have comments stating that the potatoes are unevenly cooked. You won’t have that problem with my Grandma’s Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes!

WHAT TYPE OF POTATO IS BEST FOR SCALLOPED POTATOES?

Russet potatoes or Yukon Golds will work best for this recipe. Both will hold their shape well during and will be easy to slice.

CAN YOU FREEZE CHEESY SCALLOPED POTATOES?

You can! Cool the potatoes completely and place in an airtight container. You could also freeze them in the pan, then pop them out and wrap them in foil.

To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight. Place into the baking dish and cover with foil to keep them from drying out. Bake as the recipe directs.

These potatoes will last several days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can reheat a large portion in the oven at the same temperature until hot, or in the microwave for individual portions.

HEY! THESE ARE AU GRATIN POTATOES, NOT SCALLOPED POTATOES!

Technically, that is correct. Scalloped Potatoes are made with a creamy sauce while au gratin potatoes are covered with cheese. However, since we kind of combine these two methods, I feel confident calling the Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes. Plus, that’s what Grandma always called them, and we don’t mess with Grandma!

Whatever you call them, these Easy Scalloped Potatoes were a hit at my dinner party, and they’re sure to be a hit at yours. They are delicious with ham, turkey or even as a fancy side for your favorite steak.

Here are some more delicious potato recipes to check out:

• Easy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
• Garlic & Herb Butter Baby Potatoes
• Twice Baked Potatoes
• Perfect Baked Potatoes

And for more amazing side dishes, try these:

• Slow Cooker Creamy Corn
• Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
• Parmesan Rosemary Rolls
• Sour Cream Salad

Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potato Recipe:

Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

4.59 from 58 votes

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Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 6 -8 servings

Author: Kristin

Ingredients

• 2 pounds russet potatoes
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups nonfat milk or half & half
• Salt & pepper
• 8 ounces about 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese + 1/4 cup for topping
• Paprika for garnish
• Fresh chopped chives or parsley for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F and grease a 13"x9" baking pan with cooking spray.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Scrub potatoes and place them, whole, into the boiling water. Cook for about 20 minutes. Remove from the water and let sit until cool enough to handle.
• Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until flour is golden brown; about 2 minutes. Stir in milk and cook, stirring often, until thickened; about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
• Gently peel potatoes and slice into 1/8 inch rounds. Place 1/3 of the
• potatoes overlapping in a single layer in the baking dish, seasoning with salt and pepper. Spoon about 1/3 of the cheese sauce on top of the potatoes.
• Repeat for two more layers. Pour all of the remaining cheese sauce over the top layer of potatoes. Spread to ensure all of the potatoes are covered.
• Sprinkle with 1/4 cup shredded cheddar (if desired) and paprika (about 1/8-1/4 teaspoon.
• Bake in the 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until sauce is bubbly.
• Garnish with fresh chopped chives or parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

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Kristin

Hi! I’m Kristin, the creative mind behind Yellow Bliss Road where you will be inspired by tons of easy to follow recipes, lots of free printables, and a little sprinkling of life thrown in for good measure.