Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

4.72 from 96 votes

This cheesy scalloped potatoes recipe is baked in the oven and made with layers of tender potatoes, rich, creamy seasoned sauce, and loads of cheese! (you can also stack the potatoes for presentation)

Prep Time25

Cook Time1 20

Cooling Time15

Total Time2

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Southern

Servings: servings

Calories: 318kcal

Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Equipment

Ingredients

4 ½ cups sliced Yukon gold or Russet potatoes peeled and thinly sliced to 1/8 inch thickness (notes below for vertical potato baking)
1- 1 1/2 tsps kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp salted butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup half-and-half
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese divided
1 cup shredded colby cheddar cheese divided

Instructions

Wash potato slices then dry them completely and set to the side.
Add salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder to a large bowl and whisk together until combined. Give it a little taste and adjust to add more salt or any other spice you like then set aside.
Preheat oven 400. Grease a large casserole dish with a cover.
In a medium pot over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour into melted butter until completely combined.
Whisk in half and half and a ½ cup of monterey jack cheese and a ½ cup colby cheddar cheese until completely combined then remove from heat and set aside.
Add dried potato slices to the seasoning bowl and toss evenly covering all the slices with seasoning.

Horizontal Layers

Add half of the potatoes in one layer to the pan then pour half of the cheese sauce over them and spread it out covering the layer. Repeat with the final layer of potatoes and pour remaining cheese sauce on top making sure all of the potatoes are COMPLETELY COVERED in the sauce. Sprinkle the top with remaining cheese.

Vertical Scalloped Potatoes

Add all of the potatoes and then pour the cheese sauce on top and sprinkle with cheese. For baking vertically, you MUST DOUBLE THE SAUCE AND SEASONING AMOUNT BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE POTATOES AND THEY ARE HIGHER IN THE DISH. When stacking the potatoes, still lay them down on a diagonal so they still lay down a bit to get the full sauce AND MAKE SURE THE POTATOES ARE COMPLETELY COVERED IN SAUCE. SEE NOTES BELOW FOR THE FULL INFO ON HOW TO DO THIS.

Bake

Bake covered in the oven for 30 minutes then remove the cover and bake for an additional 30-50 minutes (depending on how thick your slices are) or until cheese is melted and bubbly and potatoes are completely tender.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes then serve.

Video

Notes

Horizontal versus vertical potatoes. I tested both ways. For horizontal slices, you should be fine with 4 1/2 cups of potatoes. No need to change any of the measurements. However, if you want to use the same amount for vertical potatoes, go with a smaller dish.

If you need to fill a large dish, you might need up to 4 lbs of potatoes however it looks quite gorgeous if served for entertaining. If you do so, you MUST double the seasoning ingredients and sauce just to be safe. You can then decide how much sauce you will use but you will want it to completely cover the potatoes so they will bake and not be too crisp at the top.

Remember to slice your potatoes thin. Using a mandoline or food processor helps keep your slices uniform, which means they'll cook at the same rate.

Shred your own cheese for a creamier sauce. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating that keeps it from melting smoothly.

Also, season like you mean it boos. Salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder bring out the best flavors, but don't just guess boos. Taste that sauce before you pour it over the potatoes.

Don't forget to let your scalloped potatoes rest. Give them 10-15 minutes after baking to let the sauce settle. This keeps it creamy and thick!

Nutrition