Best Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes: Rich and Creamy Potato Bake Recipe
Make homemade scalloped potatoes with cheese sauce that is thick and creamy. This classic potato gratin recipe uses Yukon Gold potatoes for a perfect, rich baked potatoes and cheese side dish.
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Cook Time: 60 min
- Total Time: 85 min
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter.
- Slice the potatoes very thinly, about 1/8 inch thick. You can use a mandoline for consistent slices.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the 1 tablespoon of butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly to make a roux.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until smooth. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let it boil rapidly.
- Remove the sauce from the heat. Stir in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and minced garlic.
- Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the Gruyère cheese and all of the sharp cheddar cheese until melted and smooth. This is your rich baked potatoes and cheese sauce base.
- Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in an even layer in the prepared baking dish. Pour half of the cheese sauce evenly over the potatoes.
- Top with the remaining potatoes. Pour the remaining cheese sauce over the top layer.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of Gruyère cheese and the Parmesan cheese over the top layer.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork and the top is golden brown and bubbly. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the last 15 minutes.
- Let the cheesy potato casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to set slightly.
Notes
- For the best texture, use Yukon Gold potatoes; they hold their shape better than Russets when baked.
- You can make this ahead: Assemble the entire dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time if baking directly from the refrigerator.
- For a holiday side dish, add 1 cup of cooked, crumbled bacon or diced ham to the layers when assembling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 17
- Unsaturated Fat: 11
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 14
- Cholesterol: 85