Loaded Scalloped Potatoes (2024)

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These Loaded Scalloped Potatoes are next level comfort food! Layers of potatoes with a rich, creamy sauce, cheese, bacon and caramelized onions make for an unforgettable side dish. This comfort classic just got taken to the next level! More side dish favorites: Creamed Corn, Broccoli Salad, and the best Mashed Potatoes!

This recipe is sponsored by Safeway.

Scalloped Potatoes

If you guys haven’t figured it out by now, the way to my heart is simple: potatoes + cheese + bacon. That’s it. I’m really very easy to please.

These homemade scalloped potatoes are everything a potato lover like me could want.

This scalloped potatoes recipe is from Chris’s grandmother, Fern. The first time I had it, we had been married for just a few years and my father-in-law made these potatoes for Christmas. I almost died they were so good. The best scalloped potatoes recipe EVER.

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I, of course, asked for the recipe, and over the years took her recipe and added the bacon and caramelized onions. Yes, caramelized onions. You will thank me later. They add the most amazing flavor element to this recipe. It’s unreal. Fern’s original recipe called for onions but caramelizing them takes this scalloped potatoes recipe to the next level.

What You’ll Need

You’ll be surprised to learn how few ingredients are needed to make this mouth watering side dish. With so few ingredients, take care to pick the highest quality ingredients possible for phenomenal results.

Potatoes. You can’t go wrong with either russet or Yukon gold potatoes. Yukons are nice because they have thinner skins meaning you don’t need to peel them. They also have a buttery flavor.

Tip: The thinner you slice the potatoes the quicker the scalloped potatoes bake up. Use a mandoline to make quick work of this.
See Also
Old Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes - Frugal Hausfrau Classic Scalloped Potatoes - Dinner: A Love Story Scalloped Potatoes | The Modern Proper How to Make Scalloped Potatoes

Cheese. I kicked things up a notch and picked up some Boar’s Head Gruyere and Vermont Cheddar at Safeway. Boar’s Head is a purveyor of the finest meats, cheese, condiments, and hummus on the planet. (No trans fats, hydrogenated oils, artificial colors or flavors, MSG, by-products, or fillers.) One bite and you’ll taste the difference.
Milk. This is definitely an important ingredient. I use whole milk for a richer roux and overall flavor.
Onions. I used yellow onions but sweet onions would also work here. Just make sure to thinly slice before caramelizing. You can use a mandoline.
Olive Oil. – Last month, I had the opportunity to tour Cobram Estates (one of the most award-winning olive oil companies in the world!) as part of a Safeway blogger tour, and learned all about olive oil and the production process. I got to witness first hand, olives going from tree to bottle in just 6 hours! I had so much fun walking through their high tech plant and beautiful olive groves.

Tip: Check the harvest date on your bottle of olive oil. You want it to be within the past year. Olive oil has a short shelf life and is best used up within a year!

Butter & Flour. These two ingredients are the base of the roux, or white sauce that the potatoes will be cooked in.
Bacon. I opted for Boar’s Head thick cut bacon for this recipe. Boars’ Head utilizes skilled artisans that use time-honored recipes that call for hand-trimming meats and applying spices by hand. You can taste the difference.

How To Make Scalloped Potatoes From Scratch

These cheesy scalloped potatoes are a dream come true and I know you’re going to love them as much as we do. Anytime I see scalloped potato recipes with ham I always think, why only ham? Scalloped potatoes with ham are delicious, sure. But a scalloped potato recipe with bacon? Even better.

Making homemade scalloped potatoes is easier than you might think. I’m going to walk you through it right now.

Caramelize onions. Add olive oil to a medium skillet. Add thinly sliced onion and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until onions become caramel in color. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Cook bacon until crisp. You can bake the bacon while the onions are cooking, saving a little time.
Make the roux. Melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle flour on top of butter and whisk. Cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Bring roux to a simmer and let thicken just slightly, about 2 to 3 minutes after coming to a simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.
Assembly. Layer half of the potatoes, half of the caramelized onions, half the bacon, half the cheese, and half the sauce, in that order in the prepared baking dish. Repeat.
Bake. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bak an additional 30 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

You got this!

What To Serve With Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped potatoes are one of those side dishes that magically go with everything. Unlike mashed potatoes, you don’t need to top them with gravy or anything like that. They are perfect on their own.

Here are some great ideas to serve with this dish:

Citrus Herb Roast Turkey Breast
20 Minute Skillet Monterey Chicken
Buttermilk RanchOven Fried Chicken
The BEST Chicken Marinade
Easy Glazed Honey Balsamic Chicken

When we make this scalloped potato recipe for holidays or parties, I like to set up a fun mocktail station for the kids and adults. All you need is some sparkling water, a couple different juices, some ice, and sliced lemons and limes.

Dasani sparkling water comes in so many amazing flavors and is so refreshing. Unsweetened with no artificial flavors and zero calories. A great addition to every party!

Make Ahead Of Time

To make scalloped potatoes ahead of time:

Follow all steps through baking, covered, for the first hour.
Remove from oven and let cool completely. (Keep foil on.)
Make sure casserole if wrapped well and and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
On serving day, remove from the fridge 1 hour before baking. Bake uncovered about 35 to 45 minutes or until heated through.

More Potato Recipes

Baked Sweet Potato(How To Bake Sweet Potatoes)
The BEST Twice Baked Potatoes
The BEST Homemade Mashed Potatoes
Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Twice Baked Potato Casserole

How To Make Scalloped Potatoes

Loaded Scalloped Potatoes

These Loaded Scalloped Potatoes are next level comfort food! Layers of potatoes with a rich, creamy sauce, cheese, bacon and caramelized onions make for an unforgettable side dish. This comfort classic just got taken to the next level!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword scalloped potatoes, scalloped potatoes recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Calories 441kcal

Author Trish - Mom On Timeout

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 onions medium, thinly sliced
12 oz bacon cooked and crumbled
4 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp all purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
3 lbs potatoes thinly sliced (use Yukon or russet)
8 oz cheese I used a combination of sharp cheddar and Gruyere, any cheese will work
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9x13 or deep 9x9 baking dish with butter and set aside.
Add olive oil to a medium skillet and heat over medium heat. Add thinly sliced onion and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until onions become caramel in color. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Wipe skillet clean and cook bacon until crisp. You can alternatively bake the bacon while the onions are cooking, saving a little time. Remove bacon from skillet, drain grease, and wipe clean again.
Melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle flour on top of butter and whisk to form a roux. Cook for 2 minutes.
Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Bring roux to a simmer and let thicken just slightly, about 2 to 3 minutes after coming to a simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.

Assembly

Layer half of the potatoes, half of the caramelized onions, half the bacon, half the cheese, and half the sauce, in that order in the prepared baking dish. Repeat.
Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bak an additional 30 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Recipe can be easily doubled.

Tools Needed

mandoline | box grater | glass measuring cups

Nutrition

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FAQs

How to spice up scalloped potatoes? ›

Get Spicy. Spice up a basic recipe for scalloped potatoes with a can of chopped green chilies. Add the chilies between the layers of potatoes, cheese and sauce for a zippy side dish. Try it when you make these Never-Fail Scalloped Potatoes.

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How to jazz up boxed scalloped potatoes without? ›

To make this dish, layer scalloped potatoes, canned tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese in a baking dish. If you're after a lasagne-like flavor, add in other ingredients, like ricotta cheese, fresh spinach, and olives. Flavoring the mix is a cinch if you start with canned tomatoes that already come with Italian seasoning.

What is the one trick Michael Symon uses to make perfect scalloped potatoes? ›

Surprisingly, aluminum foil is his secret weapon. After beautifully shingling the potatoes (he's got a genius trick for doing this quickly, too) he covers the dish in foil before hitting the oven.

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Why do my scalloped potatoes taste bland? ›

My scalloped potatoes are bland

They are also in need of serious seasoning to ensure deliciousness. Make sure your sauce is well-seasoned, but also, season each layer of potatoes with salt and pepper before adding the sauce, to make sure they are as flavorful as you want them!

Find Out More ›

Do you put seasoning before or after cooking potatoes? ›

You'll chop the potatoes up, soak them in cold water, drain and dry them, and then coat them with the olive oil, garlic, and seasonings. Once that's done, bake them for 35 minutes while you get the rest of dinner together.

Why does my sauce break in scalloped potatoes? ›

But it can be frustrating when the creamy sauce and cheese separate or look curdled. The good news is that the dish tastes just fine, even when it looks a little strange. The curdling is caused by high heat, which is hard to avoid in an oven. So to keep the sauce together, tackle it before the dish goes in the oven.

What goes well with scalloped potatoes? ›

What is the difference between scalloped and gratin potatoes? ›

The difference comes down to cheese. Scalloped potato recipes are usually baked in a basic cream sauce until soft and tender, with no cheese topping. Potatoes au gratin are a bit more decadent. They are made with lots of cheese sprinkled in between the layers of potatoes and also on top of the casserole.

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