Classic Scalloped Potatoes
Thinly sliced potatoes are layered with sautéed onions, an easy homemade cream sauce, and some Parmesan cheese and baked until tender, golden brown and bubbly!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 242kcal
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp of dried thyme
- 1 medium yellow onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg optional but recommended
- 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes sliced very thinly, about 1/8 inch thick
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese freshly grated tastes best
Instructions
Prepare
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Set out a 9x13 or other 3 quart baking dish and a rimmed baking sheet. Spray baking dish lightly with cooking spray or grease lightly with butter. Set aside.
Make cream sauce
- Add butter and thyme leaves to a saucepan, and heat over MED heat. Once butter has melted, add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes, until softened.
- Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds or so, or until fragrant. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg (if using), and flour. Whisk or stir together to combine well. Let cook for about a minute, so the raw flour taste is gone.
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking as you pour, until all the milk is added. Continue whisking frequently and bring the mixture to a bubble and cook about 5 minutes, or until thickened enough to be a rich cream sauce and coat the back of a spoon.
Assemble
- Add about 1/2 cup of the cream sauce to the bottom of the prepared baking dish and spread it out into an even layer.
- Top that with some of the sliced potatoes, slightly overlapping each other, covering the bottom of the baking dish.
- Repeat the layers (cream sauce, then potatoes) for as long as you have sauce and potatoes. You want to end the layers with a layer of cream sauce.
- Top that final cream sauce layer with the Parmesan cheese.
Bake
- Place baking dish on the rimmed baking sheet (this is in case of any potential bubbling over - that way you won't have a mess on the bottom of your oven).
- Lay out a sheet of aluminum foil and spray one side with cooking spray. Cover the baking dish, sprayed side down, with the foil.
- Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and continue baking another 40-50 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.
Broil
- Keep the rack in the middle position (don't move it higher or the potatoes may burn), and broil on high (mine is 550°F) for a couple of minutes, or until as golden brown as you'd like. Please watch closely, broiling can go from done to burnt very quickly!
Serve
- Sprinkle with additional fresh thyme if desired and serve hot.
Notes
- For make ahead, freezing, and slow cooker instructions, please scroll back up to the post above the recipe. There are headings and frequently asked questions with all the information and details :)
- I've estimated this will serve about 8 people, but as always, the exact serving size will be up to you.
- Please note that baking times are approximate, as all ovens cook differently. Check the potatoes by piercing them with a fork. If the fork goes in easily, they're done.
Nutrition
Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 486mg | Potassium: 642mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 469IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 239mg | Iron: 1mg