Prep Time:

30 mins

Cook Time:

45 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 15 mins

Servings:

6

Yield:

1 (9x13-inch) casserole

The best scalloped potatoes are everything we love about comfort food in one rich, warm, bubbly, crusty, creamy casserole. A must-have for holiday meals, scalloped potatoes make the perfect side dish for baked ham, roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, and more. This top-rated scalloped potatoes recipe is an Allrecipes favorite. Read on to learn how to make easy scalloped potatoes, with loads of tips for recipe success.

What Are Scalloped Potatoes

Thinly sliced potatoes are layered in a casserole dish and baked in milk or cream until tender. Classic versions include flour, butter, onions, salt, and pepper to help flavor and thicken the creamy sauce. Variations may include diced ham, cheeses, or herbs such as rosemary and thyme.

More: Our Best Scalloped Potato Recipes

How to Make Scalloped Potatoes

Most of the prep work that goes into this easy recipe for scalloped potatoes is slicing potatoes and onions as thinly as you can. The thinner the slices, the better the final dish. After that, you’ll simply layer the ingredients, and bake for 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the creamy sauce is bubbling with a golden brown crust over the top.

Tip: Scalloped potatoes will shrink slightly as they bake, and the sauce may bubble over the edges—place a lined baking sheet under the dish to catch drips.

Ingredients for Scalloped Potatoes

• **Potatoes: **Use your choice of potatoes for this recipe. Russet potatoes release starch that helps thicken the sauce; Yukon Gold potatoes hold their shape better.
• **Onion: **Choose a medium sized yellow or white onion to add savory flavor to the scalloped potatoes.
• **Flour: **All-purpose flour helps thicken the sauce as the scalloped potatoes bake. You’ll sprinkle flour over each layer of potatoes so the sauce thickens evenly.
• **Butter: **A generous amount of butter distributed on each layer of potatoes adds richness.
• **Seasonings: **Salt and pepper enhance the flavor of the dish. Be sure to season each layer as you build up the casserole.
• **Milk: **This recipe recommends using whole milk, but you can also use half-and-half or cream for a richer flavor and texture. Whichever you choose to use, be sure to warm the liquid before pouring it over the potatoes, otherwise the scalloped potatoes will take longer to bake. The recipe calls for three cups, "or as needed." Translation: Pour in as much warm milk as you need to come up just even with the final layer of potatoes. That milk will develop a caramelized brown crust as the scalloped potatoes bake in the oven.
• **Optional Toppings: **Breadcrumbs or grated cheese can be sprinkled over the top before baking for a richer golden crust.

What’s the Difference Between Scalloped and Au Gratin Potatoes?

The two terms are often used interchangeably, but in general, scalloped potatoes are baked with milk or cream, and au gratin potatoes have cheese added to the mix.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

Allrecipes home cook RickoA offers this tip: "I make a roux (using the butter and flour), add it to the warmed milk, and season the cream sauce with the salt and pepper. I layer the potatoes and onions to nearly the top, slowly add the cream sauce till just even with the top row, and bake for an hour. Same ingredients, but a with a consistent cream sauce and great taste every time."

"We rarely peel potatoes, and they are most often ‘organic,’ so sliced, well-scrubbed, unpeeled works," says reviewer Vera Holman. "To get to au gratin, just cover the dish for the last 20–25 minutes of cooking with your favorite grated cheese mixture."

"I grew up eating scalloped potatoes this way and I’ve tried lots and lots of other recipes for scalloped potatoes and always come back to this," says Mariann T. "If I have ham I put ham in also for a complete meal and just add a vegetable. This is the way scalloped potatoes are meant to be."

Editorial contributions by Vanessa Greaves

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Ingredients

1/2x

1x

2x

Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings

3 pounds russet potatoes, thinly sliced

½ onion, thinly sliced

9 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided

6 tablespoons butter, cubed and divided

salt and ground black pepper to taste

3 cups whole milk, or as needed

Directions

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Dotdash Meredith Food Studios 1.

Spread about 1/3 of the potato slices into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with about 1/3 of the onion slices. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons flour over the potato and onion. Arrange 2 tablespoons cubed butter atop the flour. Season the entire layer with salt and pepper. Repeat layering twice more.

Dotdash Meredith Food Studios 1.

Heat milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warm. Pour enough warm milk over mixture in the baking dish so the top of the liquid is level with the final layer of potatoes.

Dotdash Meredith Food Studios 1.

Bake in the preheated oven until potatoes are tender and the creamy sauce is bubbling with a golden brown crust, 45 to 60 minutes. The cream sauce may bubble up over the sides of the baking dish; place a baking sheet underneath to catch any drips. Serve hot and enjoy!

DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS

From the Editor

Please note differences in ingredient amounts and total time when following the magazine version of this recipe.

2,197 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

396	Calories
16g	Fat
55g	Carbs
10g	Protein

Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 6 Calories 396 % Daily Value * Total Fat 16g 20% Saturated Fat 10g 49% Cholesterol 43mg 14% Sodium 171mg 7% Total Carbohydrate 55g 20% Dietary Fiber 6g 20% Total Sugars 8g Protein 10g 20% Vitamin C 45mg 50% Calcium 172mg 13% Iron 2mg 13% Potassium 1160mg 25%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.