Scalloped potatoes are so much easier to make than you think, and they taste infinitely better than any store-bought option, so the effort is super worth it. You might think that it’s way easier to get your scalloped potatoes from a box, but trust us, this recipe is the way to go! These scalloped potatoes are savory, cheesy, and hearty, making a great side dish for almost any dinner. They’re so tasty that you might be tempted to eat them as their own meal!

Spice things up with some flavorful Jalapeño Scalloped Potatoes or try out the convenience of our Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes.

Why Our Recipe

  • As if they aren’t comfort food enough, we add in two different cheeses to add to the creamy goodness.
  • A little bit of garlic and a hint of nutmeg add the flavor.
  • Tips for making ahead and scaling the recipe for large meals.
A plate filled with a serving of cheesy scalloped potatoes set next to ham.

When it comes to creamy potato dishes, “scalloped potatoes” and “au gratin potatoes” are often used interchangeably, though there is a difference between the two. Traditional scalloped potatoes are typically baked in a creamy sauce without cheese, though modern recipes often include parmesan. Potatoes au gratin, or “gratin dauphinois” in French cuisine, is baked with Gruyère cheese. This recipe is somewhere between the two, hence the name Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes.

Ingredient Notes

An overhead view of whole potatoes set next to measured wet and dry ingredients needed to make cheesy scalloped potatoes.
  • Russet Potatoes: Russet potatoes are a classic potato option, and they are starchy potatoes that are perfect for dishes like this since they won’t go mushy and can maintain their shape even after cooking for a few hours. Make sure to slice them evenly for the best results.
  • Heavy cream: This makes the sauce as creamy and rich as it is! You can substitute with half-and-half, but the sauce won’t be as thick or indulgent.
  • Parmesan cheese: We love recommending freshly grated Parmesan whenever possible for better melting.
  • Sharp cheddar cheese: You can use other varieties of cheese if you don’t like sharp cheddar, but we like how well the sharp flavor of the cheddar complements the creamy sauce, or you can leave the cheese off altogether for a more classic scalloped potato.

Slicing the Potatoes

Actually slicing the potatoes can seem like the most difficult part of this recipe. It can certainly be time-consuming, which is why we love recommending a food processor with a slicing blade attachment! It’s a way safer option and decreases the time preparing the potatoes by so much.

If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a mandolin, but just be careful of your fingers as you’re slicing! If you only have a knife, that still definitely works—just slice your potatoes in half lengthwise before you start on the thin slices. That will give you a flat, stable surface for slicing. We also recommend making sure your knife is super sharp to make the process even easier!

Baking Time

The baking time of your scalloped potatoes will depend on how thinly you were able to slice your potatoes. Our recipe tells you to bake the potatoes for an hour, but that is only an estimate. If your potatoes are on the thicker side, it might take 15–30 minutes longer than that. If your potatoes are paper-thin, it might only take 40 minutes. Adjust the cooking time as needed, and you can definitely check the doneness of the potatoes before you take them out of the oven by sticking a fork into one of the potato slices or trying a slice to make sure it’s nice and soft.

A spatula lifting a serving of cheesy scalloped potatoes out of the casserole dish.

Scaling for a Crowd

Cheesy scalloped potatoes are perfect for large dinners, potlucks, and holidays and can easily be scaled up to serve a crowd. Thankfully, it doesn’t add a ton of extra work to make a double or triple batch.

Doubling the Recipe: To serve around 12 people, double all ingredients and use a larger baking dish, like a 9×13-inch pan or a 3-quart baking dish. Baking time may increase slightly, so start checking for doneness around the 1-hour mark, but allow up to 1 hour and 20 minutes if needed.

Tripling the Recipe: For about 18-20 servings, triple the ingredients. Use either two 9×13-inch pans or a larger casserole dish if available. Plan for a longer baking time, as the increased volume of potatoes may need up to 1 hour and 30 minutes to bake fully.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Scalloped potatoes are a great recipe to make ahead of time! Just slice your potatoes, combine them with the other ingredients, and place them into your prepared baking dish. But instead of baking them, you’ll just cover the dish and put it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake the potatoes, just remove the covering and give the potatoes a quick stir. Top the potatoes with the cheddar cheese and then bake according to the recipe.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Reheat smaller portions in the microwave on high in 30-second increments until warmed through. For larger portions, place the dish in the oven at 350 until warmed through.

For more amazing potato dishes . . .

Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.