Mom's Homemade Scalloped Potatoes Recipe - an easy side dish (2024)

Published: Feb 27, 2019 · Modified: Jun 21, 2023 by Jessy Freimann · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads.

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Mom's Homemade Scalloped Potatoes are the perfect creamy side dish for a family dinner- everyone will be back for seconds!

Scalloped Potatoes

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I don't know about you, but when I think of a spiral ham, I immediately think of cheesy scalloped potatoes. Some things are just meant to be together. Peas and carrots. Grilled cheese and tomato soup. Peanut butter and Jelly. Cookies and milk.

So today I'm really excited to share my Mom's easy scalloped potatoes. This recipe is crazy simple to make and uses really minimal ingredients for maximum flavor. It's a classic dish that is comforting and is perfect to feed a crowd or even cut down if there are less people eating it. There is nothing more comforting that creamy, savory potatoes that are cooked until fork tender and golden brown on top.

Tips for making this scalloped potatoes recipe

Try to make the potatoes as thin as possible.
Also slice the onions as thinly as possible- they’ll melt right into the dish!
Spray down the baking pan to help prevent sticking.
When you’re making the layers of potatoes, try to make it as even as possible. That said, they may overlap a little and that’s ok.
You want the milk to almost cover the potatoes, but not completely. Start with 2.5 cups and if you need a little more, add it.
Bake uncovered so that they get nice and golden brown on top.

Frequently asked questions about how to make scalloped potatoes

What is the difference between scalloped potatoes and au gratin potatoes? Au Gratin potatoes typically includes cheese and uses slightly thinner sliced potatoes. That being said, I included the option to top it with Romano cheese for a little added flavor.
Which potato is best for scalloped potatoes? You can really use any potato but russets tend to have a higher starch content, so you'll get a creamier sauce. Yukon Gold potatoes maintain their shape a bit better. For the ones pictured, I used red potatoes because that's what I had on hand and they still came out delicious.
How do you cut potatoes for scalloped potatoes? The easiest way is to use a Mandoline because you'll get a more uniform cut. But you can just as easily take your time and use a really sharp knife.
Can you make scalloped potatoes ahead of time? Yes. Assemble the entire dish and cover it well. Refrigerate for up to a day or two and bake just before serving.
How long do scalloped potatoes last? 4 days covered in the refrigerator.
How do you reheat scalloped potatoes? Either in the microwave or covered in the oven.

Make it a meal!

A few great recipes to round out and complete this meal would be:

Crock Pot Ham
Orange Rosemary Roast Turkey
Peas with Onions
Easy Garlic Green Beans
Broccoli with Cheese Sauce
Grandma's Baked Artichoke Hearts
Coconut Cake
Cherry Cheese Pie

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Mom’s Homemade Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Jessy Freimann

Mom's Homemade Scalloped Potatoes are the perfect creamy side dish for a family dinner- everyone will be back for seconds!

4.97 from 52 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

Cooking spray
5-6 cups thinly sliced potatoes sliced to around ⅛-1/4 inch thickness
2 cups extra thin sliced onions
3 cups milk
⅓ cup flour
3 teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoons pepper
¼ heaping cup grated Romano cheese optional

Instructions

Spray a 9" x 13" baking pan with cooking spray.
Spread a layer of potatoes along the bottom of the pan to cover it (they can and will overlap a bit).
Sprinkle half of the onions, 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper onto the potatoes.
Spread a layer of potatoes onto this.
Sprinkle half of the onions, 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper on top.
Layer the remaining potatoes on top and sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper.
Whisk together the flour and milk and pour it over the layers of potatoes. It should almost but not completely cover them and you can add a little more milk if needed.
If using Romano cheese sprinkle it on top of the potato mixture.
At this point you can cover and refrigerate until you're ready to bake.
When you're ready to bake them, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Bake for 1 hour until golden brown and crispy on top (if not using the Romano cheese, these won't get as brown).
Serve immediately.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you tried this recipe please comment and rate it 🙂 I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions!And if you make this please tag me on Instagram with @thelifejolie so I can share it <3

Other great potato recipes are:

Parmesan Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Cheddar and Broccoli Twice Baked Potatoes
Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
Cheesy Ranch Potato Wedges

You can find a full index of my recipeshere.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Chris says
October 17, 2018 at 8:46 pm
I love your tips on each recipe.
Reply
- Jessy Freimann says
  October 20, 2018 at 9:20 pm
  Thank you Chris! I want to make is as easy as possible :)
  Reply
  - Elizabeth says
    December 23, 2020 at 3:07 pm
    If you have made the potatoes ahead make sure NOT to preheat the oven if using a glass dish. Put a glass dish in a cold oven if its contents are cold. Otherwise the dish may bust. I made this mistake once, only!
    Reply
    - Jessy Freimann says
      December 26, 2020 at 3:26 pm
      Very good advice!!
      Reply
  - Karen S. says
    June 17, 2022 at 7:27 pm
    I just added the seasons and onion to the milk and flour and then poured it over the potatoes, 3 layers of which I had. I just poured 1/3 of the liquid over each layer. Then added a mixture of cheese during the last half hour. Good recipe though.
    Reply
A Lindsay says
October 22, 2019 at 8:09 am
Enjoyed these potatoes. The 3 tsp of salt was the perfect amount of seasoning. The little changes I made: I used 1 sweet potato along with my russets, for my salt I used 1 tsp of season salt, I warmed the milk and flour mixture and stirred in about 1 cup of shredded cheddar.
Reply
- Jessy Freimann says
  October 27, 2019 at 11:55 am
  Sounds like some tasty changes! So glad you enjoyed them!
  Reply
Lorraine says
November 16, 2019 at 1:14 pm
We found this recipe for scalloped potatoes way to salty. We could not even eat it all. I would suggest 1 tsp of salt not three.
Reply
- Jessy Freimann says
  November 17, 2019 at 1:24 pm
  Thanks for the feedback, I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. What kind of salt did you use? I use kosher salt (Mortons) but other types of salt might present a saltier flavor. That said, we all have different tastes so that could have something to do with it. Either way, hopefully you'll try it with your desired amount of salt.
  Reply
Susan says
March 10, 2020 at 12:42 pm
I thought this was very good, we enjoyed them. I season to my taste so that is never a problem. I always add dill weed and parsley to my potatoes for an extra flavour boost. Everyone has their own taste preferences.
Reply
See Also
An Easy Sausage & Sage Stuffing Recipe From Roy
- Jessy Freimann says
  March 11, 2020 at 10:25 am
  Thanks for sharing Susan- I'm glad you liked them! The addition of dill and parsley sounds really delicious, I'll need to give that a try!
  Reply
Kayla says
May 22, 2020 at 2:04 pm
Looking for the perfect scalloped potatoes recipe, would it make a difference if I used heavy cream instead of milk?
Reply
- Jessy Freimann says
  May 23, 2020 at 2:37 pm
  I think the only difference it would make is it would be a bit richer, but I bet it would still be delicious. If you're worried, you could do half milk and half heavy cream, or combine the cream with a bit of water. Let me know how it goes!
  Reply
Hannah Larsen says
February 09, 2021 at 9:59 pm
Hello!I was wondering what kind of onions (green, yellow, red, or white) as well as what kind of milk (skim, 2%, whole, half n half, heavy cream, etc) to use. Thank you!Hannah :)
Reply
- Jessy Freimann says
  February 10, 2021 at 11:04 am
  Hi Hannah! I've made this this yellow and vidalia (sweet onions before) but any variety will work. Typically I keep whole milk around the house, but I've make it with 2% before. I'm sure skim would work just fine. It's not a particularly finnicky recipe.
  Reply
  - DEANNA SHEAFFER says
    December 21, 2023 at 5:38 pm
    CAN I USE BAKING POTATOES
    Reply
    - Jessy Freimann says
      January 11, 2024 at 5:34 pm
      Sure!
      Reply
Tina Spencer says
March 08, 2021 at 6:05 pm
Made your delicious scalloped potatoes for our son and his family while they were all sick with COVID. They needed to eat, but no one was physically able to cook. Mom/grandma to the rescue! The only change I made was to layer in shredded cheddar cheese. They were a big hit. My eight-year-old granddaughter scarfed them down. I have made the scalloped potatoes for our household as well, and this is our favorite recipe hands down. Creamy and delicious. Good old comfort food. Thank you for sharing your mom’s recipe.
Reply
- Jessy Freimann says
  March 28, 2021 at 8:15 pm
  Awwwwww I'm so glad they loved it and I hope everyone has an easy recover. I bet the cheese was a fantastic addition! You're so thoughtful to cook for them <3
  Reply
Cheryl says
April 01, 2021 at 4:53 pm
I wanted to use a larger pan and double the recipe Would that be okay?
Reply
- Jessy Freimann says
  April 05, 2021 at 1:33 pm
  Totally- just know it may take longer. Maybe cover it for half the cooking time.
  Reply
Linda Donatello says
November 30, 2021 at 7:16 pm
How far in advance can you make these potatoes ? Thank You
Reply
- Jessy Freimann says
  December 06, 2021 at 10:55 am
  Hi- I'd make them earlier in the day.
  Reply
  - Rebecca Hemmerick says
    October 07, 2023 at 9:25 am
    How would you re-heat?
    Reply
    - Jessy Freimann says
      November 15, 2023 at 3:31 pm
      I usually microwave them, although you could probably cover and reheat in a 350 degree oven, just keep an eye on them so they don't overcook. THey're definitely best served right away but leftovers are still tasty.
      Reply
- TC says
  November 22, 2023 at 2:56 pm
  Hi, wondering if these can be made a day ahead of time? Tips ?
  Reply
  - Jessy Freimann says
    January 11, 2024 at 5:39 pm
    You can try it, although you may experience a slight discolortion of your potatoes it won't affect the taste.
    Reply
Patty Petrinjak says
June 17, 2023 at 2:48 pm
Can I use Parmesan cheese instead of romano cheese?
Reply
- Jessy Freimann says
  June 21, 2023 at 2:04 pm
  Totally! Enjoy!
  Reply
Karen B says
December 17, 2023 at 6:23 pm
I was able to easily adapt this GF and DF. For a well-blended Creamy sauce I did make a rue and then added it to my pan of potatoes & onions/shallots and substituted grated Manchego cheese. Delicious
Reply
Celeste says
December 27, 2023 at 10:32 am
I 've never made scalloped potatoes without making a roux first to make the white sauce so I'm a bit hesitant to make it the way you have it listed. Does this not come out runny?
Reply
- Jessy Freimann says
  January 11, 2024 at 5:31 pm
  There is always some liquid but most should cook out.
  Reply
Joy Puente says
January 07, 2024 at 5:06 pm
I made this recipe today and I think next time I make it that I’m going to cook the flour, milk mixture and thicken it before pouring it over the potatoes. I made it according to the recipe and the finished sauce looked like curdled milk. It tasted okay, but I didn’t like the texture and looks of it. We all know that you eat with your eyes first.
Reply

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Mom's Homemade Scalloped Potatoes Recipe - an easy side dish (2024)

FAQs

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.

Read On ›

What is good to serve with scalloped potatoes? ›

Scalloped potatoes are rich and filling. Lean proteins and other veggies pair nicely, try grilled ham, pan-seared fish, roast chicken, broiled lobster, or even a filet of beef tenderloin. If no animal proteins are desired a lovely side salad with a sharp vinaigrette works great.

Discover More Details ›

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!

See Details ›

How do you thicken runny scalloped potatoes? ›

Thankfully, there's a simple and effective solution to this problem: Use instant potato flakes. Instant potato flakes are an excellent thickening agent made from real potatoes that have been cooked, mashed, and then dried.

Learn More Now ›

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.

Know More ›

What is the difference between scalloped and gratin potatoes? ›

Au Gratin potatoes contain cheese, whereas Scalloped Potatoes do not. Scalloped potatoes typically contain cream but can also contain flavorful stock instead of dairy. Try our Classic Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe or Classic Scalloped Potatoes Recipe.

Discover More ›

Why are my scalloped potatoes always hard? ›

Potatoes or rice can remain rock-hard after prolonged cooking. Starch will not swell if it is acidic. If you have a lot of sour cream in your scalloped potatoes or add something acidic, your potatoes may not soften. You can cook the potatoes with heavy cream or milk and then, after they soften, stir in sour cream.

Can I slice potatoes for scalloped potatoes the day before? ›

If raw, once the potato is cut you can store in the refrigerator, covered with water for 12-24 hours. Be sure to keep submerged in water to prevent slices from turning gray or brown.

Find Out More ›

How long before scalloped potatoes go bad? ›

Cooked potatoes and other cooked vegetables can be safely kept in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates fruits and vegetables, if more information is needed on produce, you can call the FDA toll-free at (888) 723-3366 or go to their website at FDA (www.fda.gov).

Learn More ›

Can you bake scalloped potatoes ahead of time and reheat? ›

Cover and bake at 325° for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until potatoes are tender. Uncover; cool for 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before reheating.

Get More Info ›

Why does my cheese curdle in scalloped potatoes? ›

Why does curdling happen with nonfat or 2% milk? Milk is an emulsion made up of butterfat, protein, and water. High heat temperatures, particularly when lower-fat dairy options are involved, break the emulsion apart, which in turn causes the proteins to fold together and stick to create lumpy curds.

View Details ›

Why are my scalloped potatoes soupy? ›

Watery scalloped potatoes are not good, and is often caused by using the wrong type of potato. This recipe requires starchy potatoes, such as russets or Yukon golds, not waxy potatoes. Another cause is washing or holding the sliced potatoes in water (as outlined in the question above).

What is the difference between all gratin potatoes and scalloped potatoes? ›

Show Me More ›

Are boxed scalloped potatoes good? ›

A must for your pantry; quick, easy and GOOD. Great product, considering they come out of the box looking like potato chips. I reverse the measurements of milk and water (increasing milk/decreasing water ratio) and add 2 tlbs butter. Makes it more creamy and moist.