Posted October 19, 2023 by: Admin #Kitchen

As the owner of this food blog since 2008, I find myself on call for everyone – friends, bloggers, family, neighbors – when it comes to recipe questions, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Not even necessarily about recipes on my blog, but about cooking in general. I don’t mind helping at all, but my phone is constantly buzzing with texts and emails. And that’s not even counting all the comments on my blog; sometimes, it can be up to 100 a day. Phew.

I have blogger friends who tell me that they always tackle comments in the morning when they’re fresh and ready for the day. Not me. We all know by now that mornings and I don’t get along. My husband and I don’t talk until at least 10 AM to keep things tranquil. He’s not a morning person either. We’re quite the combo.

So you can imagine what kind of response I would write to the person asking me if they can replace the cup of sugar in the cookies with a cup of salt if I responded in the morning. No bueno. I decided a long time ago that nighttime is the best time. I’m a lot nicer.

These Scalloped Potatoes with cheese, ask me anything you want to know about them. They’re fabulous, by the way. And that’s coming from someone who loves her mashed potatoes.

The most important thing in scalloped potatoes is to make sure you slice them thin. No one wants to bite into a thick potato. Do they? I sure don’t.

SCALLOPED POTATOES INGREDIENTS

• Potatoes – Yukon or Russet potatoes are best for this dish.
• Butter, flour, and milk – For your roux, these ingredients make the base of a creamy sauce.
• Salt and Pepper – are essential to flavor this dish.
• Cheddar cheese – I like a sharp cheddar cheese because it gives the dish a lot of flavor. You could definitely use any cheese you like.
• Paprika – mostly used for color but adds a little flavor.

WHAT ARE THE BEST POTATOES FOR SCALLOPED POTATOES?

I prefer Yukon gold or Russet potatoes for this dish. Yukon potatoes tend to hold their shape better and don’t need to be peeled, but Russets work well too.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCALLOPED POTATOES AND POTATOES AU GRATIN?

Scalloped potatoes are traditionally in a creamy sauce whereas potatoes au gratin have a crunchy breadcrumb topping.

Do you see how thin I sliced these?

Here’s the secret sauce. Well, actually it’s called a roux with some milk and cheese whisked in.

Two layers of potatoes and sauce so no potato is left behind.

Then you bake it until you think the cheese is burning. It’s not. It’s just toasting until perfect.

HOW TO MAKE SCALLOPED POTATOES:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour.
• Whisk in the milk and season with salt and cayenne.
• Cook the sauce on low until smooth and boiling, stirring occasionally with a whisk.
• Reduce heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese.
• Place half of the sliced potatoes in a lightly greased 1.5 quart casserole dish (8×8 or 9×9 will work).
• Pour half of the cheese sauce over the potatoes.
• Repeat with the second layer of potatoes and cheese sauce.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese on top.
• Top with some paprika for color.
• Bake uncovered for about 1 hour at 350°F.

WHAT CAN I MAKE WITH SCALLOPED POTATOES?

Scalloped potatoes are great with ham or turkey, served with a green salad or side such as asparagus or broccoli.

CAN I MAKE THESE AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes, although it’s not ideal. Potatoes can oxidize when exposed to air. To reduce the chances of this, soak the cut potatoes in cold water for 30 minutes before assembling. Yukon potatoes do not oxidize as fast as Russet potatoes will.

For best results when making ahead, partially bake them. Just bake for 30 minutes, let cool, cover, and refrigerate. On the day of serving, remove from the fridge and let sit on the counter for 30 minutes before baking. Bake for 30-40 minutes uncovered until heated through.

Scalloped Potatoes

These easy Scalloped Potatoes are a classic dish that you cannot go wrong with. Layers of potatoes, cheese sauce on repeat! The ingredients are simple in these Scalloped Potatoes recipe but they are the perfect side dish to Easter, Christmas, or Thanksgiving!

• 4 cups thinly sliced potatoes, (Yukon Gold or Russet; about 2 pounds give or take)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• paprika

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 1.5 quart baking dish (8×8 or 9×9 inch baking dish will work).
• In a small saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour.
• Whisk in the milk very slowly and season with salt and cayenne.
• Cook sauce on low until smooth and boiling, stirring occasionally with a whisk.
• Reduce heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese.
• Place half of the sliced potatoes in the baking dish. Pour half of cheese sauce over potatoes. Repeat with the second layer of potatoes and cheese sauce.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese on top. Top with some paprika for color.
• Bake uncovered for about 1 hour at 350°F or longer until the potatoes are fork-tender.