Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Scalloped potatoes baked in a creamy garlic and herb sauce. Thin slices of Yukon gold potatoes create tender layers in this casserole. A crowd-pleasing and easy side dish!

Serving spoon lifting scalloped potatoes from a baking dish.

Recipe Science

Yukon gold potatoes are ideal because their waxy texture holds up well during baking, keeping the layers intact for easy serving.
Use some heavy cream to prevent curdling. The higher fat content helps the sauce stay smooth during baking.
Simmering the dairy with herbs and spices extracts their fat-soluble flavors, for a more intense flavor infusion into the sauce.

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“I have made this a few times now- perfect EVERY time – and just purchased a mandoline to create more even slices! Love it!”—Michele H.

Why It Works

Scalloped potatoes are a timeless side dish celebrated for their multiple layers of tender and creamy spuds. It’s perfect for serving at your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. This simple recipe combines thinly sliced potatoes with rich cream. The preparation is straightforward. However, the texture and consistency won’t meet expectations if you don’t select the right ingredients.

The biggest challenge is preventing the dairy-based sauce from curdling. The good news is that this is easy to avoid by using heavy cream, which I then like to simmer with chopped garlic and thyme to infuse more flavor. Yukon gold potatoes create a luscious, fork-tender texture that pairs nicely with the cream. Just slice, layer, and bake!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Potatoes: Yukon gold potatoes are the best for scalloped potatoes. They are waxy potatoes, which means they hold their shape well after baking. This provides distinctive layers that don’t fall apart when serving. They also have a buttery, creamy texture that complements the sauce.
Dairy: To make these scalloped potatoes creamy, use heavy cream and a small amount of whole milk. After experimenting with whole milk, half-and-half, and heavy cream, I found that heavy cream gave the best velvety consistency without curdling.
Butter: Small pieces are added on top of the potatoes before baking to increase the surface’s richness and increase browning.
Seasoning: I season the sauce with minced garlic, nutmeg, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper.
Herbs: Chopped parsley adds freshness to the dish before serving.

See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).

Ingredient Substitutions

This scalloped potato recipe is easy to customize! Try these delicious ideas:

Potato Substitutes: Other types of potatoes, such as white, yellow, Red Bliss, or even sweet potatoes, can be used. Russet potatoes are also an option. However, they are more starchy and have a flaky texture that breaks apart more easily, making them better for mashed potatoes.
Make it Dairy-Free: Use canned coconut cream and some coconut milk. Use coconut oil, margarine, or plant-based butter.
Add More Herbs: Infuse the cream with rosemary, tarragon, oregano, chives, green onions, basil, or Italian seasoning.
Add Cheese: For a cheesy baked casserole, sprinkle some sharp cheddar cheese, gruyere, swiss, or mozzarella at the end of baking. Cook until melted.
Add Meat: Add smokey bacon or make scalloped potatoes with ham.

How to Make Scalloped Potatoes

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Position the oven rack in the center to ensure even heat distribution, then preheat the oven to 375ºF (191ºC). This temperature is perfect for gently baking the scalloped potatoes, allowing the layers to cook evenly while developing a golden, bubbly top.

Heavy cream, milk, and spices simmering in a small saucepan.

Step 2: Prepare the Cream

Combine heavy cream, milk, minced garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and thyme in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes to infuse the flavors. Remove the thyme and transfer the mixture to a large measuring cup, allowing it to cool to room temperature while you prepare the potatoes.

Experimentation Encouraged: If you want a creamier sauce that coats the potatoes, thicken the sauce with a roux using butter and all-purpose flour. I’ve done this with my potatoes au gratin recipe with successful results. This is a great technique for making a cheesy sauce similar to macaroni and cheese instead of just sprinkling the cheese on top.

Step 3: Prepare the Casserole Dish

Melt butter and grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish. This helps prevent sticking and adds a rich flavor to the scalloped potatoes as they bake.

Step 4: Layer the Potato Slices

Wash and peel the potatoes, and cut them into ¼” thick slices.

Pouring cream mixture over top sliced potatoes in a casserole dish.

Layer a third of the thinly sliced potatoes in overlapping rows in the pan. Pour a third of the cream sauce on top, then repeat the process with the remaining ingredients twice.

Small square blocks of butter on top of sliced potatoes.

Dot butter on top of the potatoes to prevent sticking and the surface from drying out.

Step 5: Bake the Casserole

Cover the baking dish before baking. This traps the steam, softening the raw potato slices faster. Bake at 375ºF (191ºC) until the potatoes are tender, about 60 to 75 minutes. To brown the surface, remove the foil and briefly broil until golden brown.

Serving spoon in a baking dish with scalloped potatoes.

Step 6: Cool Before Serving

Let the scalloped potatoes rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the layers to set. Garnish with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of black pepper for a fresh finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make cheesy scalloped potatoes?

This scalloped potato recipe provides a tasty base, and it’s easy to incorporate a cheese sauce if you’d like. My top picks are grated cheddar cheese, gruyere, parmesan, or pecorino Romano. Shred the cheese and add some between each layer on top if you like a cheesy crust. Broil for a few minutes before serving for a browned and bubbly surface.

What’s the difference between scalloped potatoes and au gratin potatoes?

Scalloped potatoes are typically thicker, about 1/4-inch thick, compared to 1/8-inch thick pieces for au gratin. In addition, traditionally, scalloped potatoes do not contain cheese, while gratin potatoes do.
However, over time, the two names have been used interchangeably, which is why they’re easily confused. I kept this recipe classic and felt that the combination of heavy cream and layers of potatoes doesn’t need extra cheese.

Why should you use cream in the scalloped potatoes?

When milk is heated near boiling, the proteins become unstable and separate, creating a curdled, cottage cheese-like appearance. While this doesn’t impact the flavor, it ruins the texture. A higher-fat dairy product like heavy cream helps prevent this because it can withstand higher oven temperatures without curdling.