By Lidey Heuck
Updated Nov. 2, 2023
- Total Time
- About 2½ hours
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cook Time
- 2 hours 15 minutes
- Rating
- 4(252)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Scalloped potatoes are a classic comfort food side dish, simple enough for a family dinner and festive enough for a spot on the holiday table. Consisting of thinly sliced potatoes that are layered and baked in a cream sauce, they are a cousin of French Dauphinoise potatoes — the notable difference being the absence of cheese in the former. Dress these up with a handful of chopped herbs or serve as-is, browned and bubbling on top, alongside prime rib or roasted chicken.
or to save this recipe.
Print Options
Advertisem*nt
Ingredients
Yield:8 to 10 servings
- 5tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
- 1large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
- ⅓cup all-purpose flour
- 3cups whole milk
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced ⅛-inch thick with a sharp knife or a mandoline
- Chopped fresh chives or parsley, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
224 calories; 8 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 32 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 550 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
Step
1
Arrange a rack in the top third of the oven and heat to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch ceramic or metal baking dish with butter.
Step
2
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and thyme, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan. Gradually pour in the milk, constantly whisking.
Step
3
Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and gradually bring to a boil, stirring often. When the milk comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 1 minute, stirring often, until the mixture has slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for a few minutes, then season with more salt and pepper.
Step
4
Layer half the potatoes in the prepared dish and season them with ½ teaspoon salt and some pepper. Pour about half of the cream sauce over the potatoes and wiggle the pan to evenly distribute the sauce. Top with the remaining potatoes in an even layer and season with another ½ teaspoon salt and more pepper. Pour the rest of the sauce on top, smoothing out the surface with a spatula to submerge the potatoes.
Step
5
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place it on a sheet pan. Bake for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes, until the potatoes are beginning to brown at the edges and are tender when pierced with a paring knife.
Step
6
Turn the broiler to high and broil, keeping an eye on the potatoes, until golden brown on top, 2 to 3 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with chives or parsley, if desired, and serve.
Ratings
4
out of 5
252
user ratings
Your rating
or to rate this recipe.
Have you cooked this?
or to mark this recipe as cooked.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
Susan C.
Contrary to the wording in the introduction, French Dauphinoise potatoes have cheese, while this recipe does not. This one calls for milk, though it later refers to cream; I would use half-n-half or cream, not milk.
gretl
My mother's scalloped potato recipe featured the same ingredients, but in a buttered casserole, layered potatoes, onion, salt and pepper, sprinkle flour, dot with butter, and repeat until all potatoes used up. Then pour in milk "until you see it around the edges." She would then add browned pork chops on top before baking. The potatoes thickened magically. Oh, man. That's was back when pork chops actually had fat and flavor. What a wonderful comfort dinner!!
Steven F. (New England)
If making this ahead ( the point of including this recipe in the story…), at what point do we do set the dish aside for finishing later?
MrsPresidio
This is how I make mine, with one notable difference in ingredients and technique. I omit the flour and briefly cook the potatoes in the sauce. The starch from the potatoes thickens the sauce and the potatoes are partially cooked. Less time in the oven is required, but you do need a big pot for the stovetop.
joetta
Perfect and simple and just what I wanted. I made no substitutions or changes of any kind. Except I only made a half batch and will have plenty of leftovers!
Paula
Add the Gruyère!! Adds so much flavor
Deb the NOVICE
If making ahead, say Monday or Tuesday, should I just refrigerate right after step 4 and resume step 5 on Thursday? Any precautions or spruce up tips on Thursday before baking?
clk
No, the notable difference with the gratin dauohinois is not the cheese, as there is NONE in the French dauphinois ...and there is obviously no flour (far too heavy)Signed: a reader leaving in the US since 2005, but born, raised and fed in France for 35 years...
MAC
The introduction says that Dauphinoise potatoes have cheese. "The former" refers to scalloped potatoes, which don't have cheese.
Mary
This is how my mother taught me to make scalloped potatoes. I layer in the raw onions for speed. They melt into the potatoes. So good!
d c morgan
This recipe is very similar to mine, except that I use chicken stock and layer in a bit of flour to thicken (instead of a cream sauce), which is a lower fat and calorie recipe. I often add cheese, but it's optional.
Susan
My mother's recipe is the same as yours Gretl. No making a cream/bechamel sauce, just layering potatoes, onion, etc. Sprinkling flour and dotting with butter in layers, finishing with the milk. My mom used a "cottage ham" which isn't truly a ham but a boneless pork shoulder butt cut. They only weighed about 2-3 lbs. She would slice thick pieces and layer them in with the potatoes and onions. Bake it in a 9x13 pan. Wow...I can close my eyes and see and smell it fresh from the oven...so good!
Richard
Step 3 says: "simmer for 1 minute, stirring often, until the mixture has slightly thickened." If your bechamel was thick, and cooked for too long. You could always add a bit ofmilk or cream to thin the bechamel.
Diane Miller
Why wouldn't I use my Cuisinart slicing disc to prepare the potatoes? I sliced 3 pounds of peeled Yukon Gold potatoes today and it was so fast and easy.
Amy
Why do I need to cover it with foil for the first 45? Will it dry out? Seems like it would bake faster uncovered?
Jennifer
Great!
Napa Cook
Placed sliced potatoes into sauce while it cooled, ensuring complete & decadently sauced layers.
JPP
Can you make it a day ahead? Any tips on reheating?
BARRY Miller
There is absolutely no need for flour. If you use Idaho russets (and, most Idaho potatoes are russets!) there is plenty of potato starch to thicken the CREAM. Butter the dish and rub with the sliced ends of a couple of garlic cloves. Everything else is "optional" (read unnecessary!) BTW, greta, you CAN still get pork chops with fat and flavor and with the bone in them. Just have to be careful. If you can get Berkshire chops you are really in business--if but pricey!
KWinCT
Read carefully: "Scalloped potatoes ... are a cousin of French Dauphinoise potatoes — the notable difference being the absence of cheese in the former."In this sentence, "scalloped potatoes" are the former and do not contain cheese. "Dauphinoise potatoes" are the LATTER and DO contain cheese. They are both yummy.
Deb the NOVICE
If making ahead, say Monday or Tuesday, should I just refrigerate right after step 4 and resume step 5 on Thursday? Any precautions or spruce up tips on Thursday before baking?
Steven F. (New England)
If making this ahead ( the point of including this recipe in the story…), at what point do we do set the dish aside for finishing later?
Rebecca
Nothing will ever come close to my mom’s scalloped potatoes - all cream; sliced, not chopped onions, the ones at the top gloriously bronzed.
Karen
Gretl - that’s exactly how my mom made scalloped potatoes as well, although sans the pork chops. I loved this dish! However, as the often times dishwasher, I hated cleaning the baked on milk off the baking dish. It took forever!
Laura Allen
What am I missing? Is this a make ahead recipe?
Richard
If you want to make it ahead, make it ahead.
Helen
Susan C. the "former" were the scalloped potatoes she mentioned, not the Dauphinoise
Ally
I'm going to try this but I am with Gretyl, my mom just layered potatoes et all and poured in the milk.
Bernard Higonnet
Vade retro satanas!A proper gratin dauphinois does not have any cheese.
Private notes are only visible to you.
