Old-Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

While food fads come and go, some old-fashioned classics remain on the menu year after year. One such dish is scalloped potatoes, something recipe developer Catherine Brookes describes as "wholesome, warming, and indulgent." As to what makes them so decadent, the combination of Parmesan and cheddar used to top them is a good start. As Brookes raves, "Potatoes and cheese just make the best combination!"

This recipe is a fairly simple, classic take on scalloped potatoes, one that Brookes says uses only "traditional store-cupboard ingredients." While she prefers using white potatoes here, she says "You could absolutely swap [them] for other kinds of potatoes if preferred." She does however note that the size is important, as the potatoes should be neither too big nor too small. Adjustments can be made, and Brookes allows that you could certainly use chicken or beef stock in place of the vegetable one she uses. As well, you can use 2% milk if you don't generally keep whole milk on hand, although the sauce might be just a bit less creamy with this swap. 

Gather the ingredients for these scalloped potatoes

This recipe calls for three items from the produce aisle: medium-sized white potatoes, of course, as well as an onion and garlic. You'll also be using a quadruple dose of dairy: milk, butter, cheddar, and Parmesan. Additional ingredients include vegetable stock (or your choice of stock), salt, pepper, and flour.

Prepare the produce

First of all, preheat the oven to 400 F. Next peel and cut the onions, then crush the garlic cloves. Finally, peel the potatoes as well and slice them into thin rounds.

Cook the onion sauce

Melt the butter in a large frying pan with high sides, then fry the onions for about 5 minutes until they soften up a bit. Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes, then stir in the flour and cook the contents for yet another couple of minutes. Stir in the vegetable stock a bit at a time, and season with salt and pepper. Finally, pour in the milk in increments. When you are done adding all the liquid, you should have a smooth sauce.

Assemble the potato casserole

Grease an oven-safe baking pan, then fill it with half of the sliced potatoes. Cover them with half of the onion sauce, then sprinkle half of each type of grated cheese. Layer the rest of the potatoes into the baking dish, then cover the surface with the remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake the scalloped potatoes

Cover the dish with foil, then bake the potatoes for an hour. Remove the foil, then give them another ½ hour in the oven until the top is nice and golden.

If you aren't planning to eat this entire scalloped potato casserole in one sitting, Brookes says she can't imagine why it wouldn't freeze well, although she hasn't tried it herself. As she advises, it's best to freeze individual portions of scalloped potatoes in sealed containers or freezer bags and then reheat them in the oven. If you need to reheat them more quickly though, the microwave should work as well.

Old-Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
5 from 83 ratings
This old-fashioned scalloped potatoes recipe will satisfy all of your cravings for a creamy and starchy dish. Serve it piping hot from the oven with a roast.
Prep Time
15
minutes
Cook Time
1.75
hours
Servings
6
Servings
scalloped potatoes in white pan
Total time: 2 hours
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds medium-sized white potatoes
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup vegetable stock
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¾ cup grated cheddar cheese
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
  2. Peel and thinly slice the potatoes into rounds.
  3. Melt the butter and fry the onions for about 5 minutes or until softened.
  4. Add the garlic to the onions and cook for another few minutes.
  5. Stir the flour into the onions and cook for another few minutes.
  6. Gradually add the vegetable stock to the onions stirring after each addition.
  7. Season with salt and pepper.
  8. Stir in the milk, a little at a time, until the sauce is smooth.
  9. Grease a baking pan.
  10. Layer half of the sliced potatoes in the pan.
  11. Pour about half of the sauce on top, then sprinkle the potatoes with half the amount of each type of cheese.
  12. Layer the remaining potatoes on top, then cover with the rest of the sauce and cheese.
  13. Cover the potatoes with foil and bake for 1 hour.
  14. Remove the foil from the pan and bake the potatoes for another 30 minutes.
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