This scalloped potatoes recipe layers ⅛-inch Yukon gold slices in a cheddar cream sauce. I bake it covered so the center goes tender before the top browns, then rest the pan so the sauce sets instead of running. I set it next to a Dutch oven pot roast when I want gravy against the cream, or next to meatloaf with a tangy ketchup glaze when the glaze needs a mild side.
Ingredients
- 3 lb (1.4 kg) Yukon gold potatoes, sliced ⅛-inch thick
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1½ cups (170 g) sharp cheddar, shredded from a block
Instructions
- Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Slice the potatoes ⅛-inch thick and keep them in even stacks; thicker pieces stay firm in the center while the top browns. Don’t rinse the slices, because the surface starch is what helps the sauce thicken in the oven.
- Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes so the raw flour taste cooks off.
- Whisk in the liquids: Whisk in the milk a splash at a time until the paste is smooth, then whisk in the broth. Bring it to a gentle boil and cook 1 minute, until it coats a spoon. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the cheddar until melted, and add ½ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper.
- Layer the dish: Arrange one-third of the potatoes in the dish, overlapping them slightly. Sprinkle with some of the remaining salt and pepper, then spoon on one-third of the sauce. Repeat two more times, ending with sauce so the top potatoes aren’t left dry.
- Bake covered, then uncovered: Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 35 to 40 minutes more, until a knife slides through the center of the pan (not just the edge) and the top is golden with sauce bubbling at the corners. If the top browns before the center is tender, tent the dish loosely with foil and keep baking.
- Rest the pan: Let the dish stand 15 minutes before serving. The sauce looks loose when it comes out of the oven and thickens as it sits. Scoop too soon and it runs across the plate.
What I put on the same plate
- Dutch oven pot roast – the beef gravy against this cream sauce is the contrast the pan is built for.
- Meatloaf with a tangy ketchup glaze – the sweet-sour glaze needs a mild, rich potato next to it.
- Apricot honey glazed ham – ham and scalloped potatoes is the pairing that still makes sense on a glazed ham plate.
- Baked beans with bacon – for a cookout plate when the oven is already hot.
If you need the oven later
Bake it covered for the first 45 minutes, cool it, then refrigerate. The next day, let the dish sit out 30 minutes and bake uncovered at 350°F (175°C) for 35 to 40 minutes, until the center is hot. I don’t assemble it raw the night before – the slices oxidize and the sauce weeps into a thin puddle.
Storage
Cool leftovers and refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours. They keep 3 to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) until the center is hot; uncovered leftover reheats dry the top before the middle warms. I don’t freeze this one – the cream sauce splits. USDA leftovers and food safety covers the 2-hour cooling window and the 165°F (74°C) leftover reheat target.
