American · Side · Medium
Scalloped Potatoes
Tender layers of potato baked in a garlicky cream sauce until the top turns deep gold and bubbly. This dish never survives to leftovers, and everyone knows it.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Scalloped Potatoes, in 5 ideas
- A mandoline makes the thin, even slices that cook at the same rate.
- Thinly sliced onion layered between the potatoes adds sweetness.
- Assemble the whole dish the day before, refrigerate, and bake on Thanksgiving.
- Half sweet potato, half Yukon Gold is a beautiful and tasty variation.
- The leftovers reheat into the best possible base for a breakfast hash.
What you need
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere or sharp white cheddar
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
How to make it
Directions
- Heat the oven to 375°F and butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and cream. Simmer, whisking, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Layer half the potatoes in the dish, slightly overlapping. Pour over half the sauce and scatter half the cheese.
- Repeat with the remaining potatoes, sauce, and cheese. Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake covered for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 25 to 30 minutes more, until the top is deeply golden and a knife slides through the layers easily.
- Rest 15 minutes before serving so the sauce sets into the layers instead of running.
Warm the milk and cream before adding them to the roux. Cold dairy makes a lumpy sauce and a longer whisking session.