Creamy, cheesy, buttery scalloped potatoes make a perfect side dish for almost any entrée. Made with basic ingredients like sliced potatoes, cream, and any additional flavors you desire, it seems like the perfect dish by default, but as it turns out, a simple ingredient swap can have a big impact.

Not all scalloped potatoes are created equal — when testing four famous chefs’ recipes for this dish, The Kitchn found that Martha Stewart’s recipe fared best. However, regardless of the recipe, one key takeaway from the taste test was that starchier potatoes, like Russet or Yukon gold, make a better dish.

Russets make scalloped potatoes the creamiest, while Yukons are a bit firmer and hold their shape; swap your fluffy Idaho potatoes or waxy red potatoes for these two varieties to make your dish better. Also, after slicing your potatoes, don’t rinse them in water, as their natural starches will also help thicken the sauce.