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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. My cheesy potato recipe is a perfect side dish to pair with any meal, especially Easy Baked Glazed Ham and the best Turkey Recipe.
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Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Recipes
My grandma was known for her comfort food cooking. From authentic German Spaetzle and Hungarian Goulash 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 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.
While they are technically au gratin potatoes, you’ll love this Scalloped Potatoes recipe no matter what you call it!
Ingredients
- Russet potatoes – The best kind of potatoes for a cheesy potato casserole are russets. They hold their shape the best.
- Butter, flour, and milk – For making a roux and then a bechamel sauce.
- Cheddar cheese – Since this is a cheesy potato recipe, the cheese is important! Make sure you are using fresh shredded off the block sharp cheddar cheese.
- Salt, pepper and paprika
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?
- BOIL THE POTATOES. 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. We boil the potatoes whole and unpeeled for about 20-25 minutes, to cook them most of the way through. Then peel them when they are cool enough to handle and slice them with a paring knife.
- MAKE THE CHEESY SAUCE. Start with a roux (melted butter and flour, cooked until golden), add milk and simmer until thick. Stir in shredded cheddar cheese until it melts.
- LAYER AND BAKE. Layer the sliced potatoes and cheese sauce in a large casserole dish and top with more grated cheddar and some ground Hungarian paprika for color. I like to add fresh minced parsley as a finishing touch, but either of these garnishes can be left off. Bake as directed until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the cheesy potato casserole is hot throughout.
Recipe FAQs
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. Unevenly cooked potatoes is the most common complaint about casseroles that start with raw sliced potatoes.
Russet potatoes or Yukon Golds will work best for this recipe. Both will hold their shape well during cooking and will be easy to slice. I recommend peeling, especially if you’re using russets because the skin is tough, but if you’re using Yukons, leaving the peel on would be fine.
What is the Difference Between Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Au Gratin Potatoes?
Technically, 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 them Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes. Plus, that’s what Grandma always called them, and we don’t mess with Grandma!
This Easy Scalloped Potatoes recipe was 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. They also pair well with a beautiful London Broil.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
If you’d like to prep this recipe a day ahead of time you can certainly do that. Layer the casserole as directed, cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate overnight. Bake as directed.
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.
Keep in mind that any time you are baking a casserole straight out of the fridge, it may be necessary to add baking time. To avoid this, let the casserole sit out at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking.
How to Freeze
Freezing the cooked casserole: 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. This applies to a full pan or leftovers. To reheat, thaw in a pan in the fridge overnight. Place into the baking dish and cover with foil to keep them from drying out. Bake as the recipe directs.
Freeze without baking: Prep the entire recipe right up to the baking, but instead cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil and place the whole potato casserole into the freezer for up to 3 months. To bake, thaw in the fridge for 24 hours, then bake as directed.
More Potato Recipes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Garlic & Herb Butter Baby Potatoes
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Perfect Baked Potatoes
- Roasted Red Potatoes
More Side Dishes
- Slow Cooker Creamy Corn
- Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Parmesan Rosemary Rolls
- Sour Cream Salad
- Creamy Scalloped Corn Casserole
Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups nonfat milk or half & half
- Salt & pepper
- 2 1/2 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 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 for 20-25 minutes. They don't need to be fully cooked, but should be easily pierced with a sharp knife. 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 ⅛ inch rounds.
- Place ⅓ of the potatoes overlapping in a single layer in the baking dish, seasoning with salt and pepper. Spoon about ⅓ 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 ½ cup shredded cheddar (if desired) and paprika (about ⅛ teaspoon, just for color).
- 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.
Delicious! The only change I’ll make next time I cook this is I’ll probably increase the cheese sauce a bit, maybe by 1.25 or 1.5 times. I think I might just be a cheese fiend though lol
Thank you for this recipe!
You are so welcome Matt, thank you so much for taking the time to leave some positive feedback.
Thank you for the great recipe. Very tasty and delicious!!
You are so welcome Rebekah, Thanks for stopping by.
This taste just like baked Mac and cheese, but with potatoes! I did add a little more cheese sauce because I love my food extra cheesy.
Can I prepare it the day before and bake it the last 20 min the next day? Or should I cook it thru and reheat the next day?
You can prep it, cover it, and refrigerate it til the next day. Then bake according to the instructions. Be sure and take it our of the fridge about 20 minutes before baking to let it come to temperature.
Can I make this the day before and refrigerate till the next day?
Yes, just make sure to cover it tightly when storing, and take it out about a half hour before you put it in the oven to bring the temperature up.
Just made the cheesy scalloped potato’s
So simple
I added broccoli and oh how yummy!
Kudos to you!!!! Ty
Nice! Thanks for sharing your experience Rhonda!
Sorry I forgot to give you five stars, though you deserve more! Loved it!
That’s so sweet! Thank you April.
You’re so right, don’t argue with grandma! My husband loved it and I will log this recipe because it is a true hit! It’s so neutral, it’ll go well with anything! Thank you for sharing! God bless you and your family!
The potatoes were great
Very easy and delicious!!
This my 2nd time making scalloped potatoes in my lifetime and I’m 51. The first time I attempted was about 20 years ago and the dish was a disaster. I’ve been afraid to try again until tonight.
I should have baked a little longer and added more salt but all in all I’m thrilled. 5 stars in my eyes and my family’s.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
I apologize that I made typing errors
Thank you Trisha! That’s awesome, so happy that you and your family loved this recipe!
I have quite a few cans of sliced new potatoes that I wanted to do something with. I thought I would do maybe some scalloped potatoes or Au gratin with these. but I’m not an experienced cook. do you have a super easy recipe that is idot proof
If you drain and dry the potatoes a little bit you should be able to use them in this recipe.
Great recipe!! I added fresh bacon bits between the layers and it was a hit
Thank you! What a great idea about the bacon bits!
Great recipe!
Thank you Cindy!
I made these for our Easter dinner and they were absolutely amazing!!! I didn’t do the parboiling first which i regret! Took about 2 hours to bake because i doubled the recipe. I will definitely be making these often but i will follow the boiling instructions first. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!! Oh im making your indian fry bread recipe next to go with a veggie stew im going. To make.
The par-boiling is definitely a time saver! Glad you like them. 🙂
I made this for dinner tonite with ham! Sooo perfect! Everyone loved them! Thank you for sharing Grama’s amazing recipe and “parboil” tip!!!
That’s awesome Linda! Thank you!
I didn’t like the texture of these potatoes. They were like baked potatoes with a cheese sauce. Not what you would expect of a scalloped potato dish.
Sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you Kim, but thanks for sharing your feedback.
i think that she over cooked/boiled the potatoes, which caused them to be like mashed potaoes. i cooked made them for dinner and i loved that ALL the slices were cooked through.
Great recipe! I agree that the potatoes she used were probably overcooked. I find russets can get mushy and can be of a grainy texture. Suggestions: Reduce parboiling and cooling times. Could be size of the potatoes as well; they can vary so much. Or, use California or Michigan white potatoes or even red potatoes; any of these are a firmer texture than russets. I prefer them for most potato dishes including potato salads. Just my preference. Thanks again, I love your recipes.
Made these potatoes today for Easter Dinner and they were a huge hit. I made a double batch to serve a large group and they turned out delicious. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Nice! thank you Sherri for sharing your positive feedback.
Love love love these potatoes! Everytime I make them, I get rave reviews.
Thank you Cindy!
Can’t wait to try them. They look a LOT like the potatoes that we make, but, like most home recipes, the amounts aren’t written down, do I found your recipe so that I would have an idea of how much milk and flour to use. Thanks for posting!
Tryin this recipe for my Easter dinner tomorrow..be different with the cheese also going to add green onion in between the potato & cheese sauce..Sprinkle some on top also with the grated cheese..Thank u
Thanks for stopping by EDDRA!
Hi Kristen. Great recipe but i even shortened it still. I peeled the potatoes and then sliced them with a mandolin and put half the batch at a time in boiling water for two to three minutes. Potatoes were firm but cooked then rinsed in cold water.