Scalloped potatoes recipe made with thin Yukon gold slices, heavy cream and grated Parmesan, baked until the top goes gold and bubbling. That makes it an easy make ahead side dish for Christmas dinner, Sunday dinner or a potluck, since the sauce builds in one pan first.
The slices have to be rinsed and dried before they go anywhere near the sauce, because loose starch is what turns cream pasty. Slice them thin and even, so every layer finishes at the same time.
This version bakes in a 9×13, not the 8×8 the source lists, since five pounds of sliced potatoes will not fit a two quart dish. Her own count of 498 calories across six servings confirms the five pounds is right, so the dish has to change.
Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalThin Yukon gold slices tossed through a garlic Parmesan cream, stood upright in a 9×13 and baked under foil until tender, then uncovered until the top browns. Rests ten minutes so it slices clean.
Ingredients
5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- Slice and rinse: Heat the oven to 400F and grease a 9×13 baking dish. Slice the potatoes thinly with a mandoline, rinse the slices in a colander, then drain and pat them dry.
- Build the sauce: Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat, add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour, cook it 1 to 2 minutes, then whisk in the cream until it thickens.
- Season: Stir in most of the Parmesan, the thyme, salt and pepper, holding back a few tablespoons of cheese. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool slightly.
- Coat and arrange: Toss the dried slices through the sauce, then stand them upright in the dish without packing them tight. Pour over any sauce left in the pan and scatter on the reserved Parmesan.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes, then uncover and bake another 30 minutes until golden and tender. Rest 10 minutes before serving.
FAQs
What size dish do scalloped potatoes need?
Five pounds of sliced potatoes fills close to four quarts, so an 8×8 dish cannot hold them even though the source recipe lists one. A 9×13 is the right pan here and it still gives you depth. If an 8×8 is all you have, halve every ingredient and check it earlier, since a shallower dish cooks faster.
Can I make scalloped potatoes ahead of time?
Assemble the whole dish, cover it and keep it in the fridge, then bake it on the day. Sliced potatoes darken in air, so the cream has to coat every slice before the dish goes in. Give it longer under the foil if it starts out cold from the fridge.
Why did my cream sauce turn pasty?
Starch is almost always the reason, which is why the slices get rinsed and patted dry first. Skip that and the starch bleeds into the cream, leaving a gluey sauce instead of a silky one. Keeping the oven at 400F and the foil on for the first half also stops it splitting.
What is the difference between scalloped and au gratin potatoes?
Scalloped potatoes bake in a cream sauce, while au gratin leans on cheese and often a crumb topping. This one sits between the two, because the Parmesan goes into the sauce and browns on top without a crust. For a lighter take on the same idea, try these spiralized scalloped potatoes.
What should I serve with scalloped potatoes?
Roast meat is the natural partner, so a holiday ham or a beef roast sits well beside them. The dish is rich the whole way through, so something sharp on the table helps cut it. A pineapple honey glazed ham on one side and a green salad on the other balances the plate.
