Ultimate Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe: 1 Amazing Dish

If you’re hunting for the Ultimate Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe for Comfort Food, stop right here! Seriously, this dish is what cheesy dreams are made of. We’re talking tender, thinly sliced potatoes swimming in a bath of rich cream, sharp cheddar cheese, and just enough garlic to make your kitchen smell incredible.

I’m Daniel, and when I started Reciqa, I wanted to build a place for food that actually feels like a hug. Cooking started for me as a way to connect with family and create those perfect, easy moments around the dinner table. This cheesy potatoes recipe is the pinnacle of that feeling—it’s easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for holidays.

What sets ours apart? It’s that crispy panko topping! It gives you the creamy, soft interior you crave, but with a satisfying crunch on top. Trust me, once you try this combination, no other side dish will cut it. Get ready to make the best baked potatoes with cream you’ve ever had.

Why You’ll Love This Ultimate Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe for Comfort Food

This dish isn’t just food; it’s a warm blanket on a chilly evening. I developed this recipe because I needed a side dish that delivered massive flavor without needing my constant attention while baking. It hits all the right notes for true comfort food.

• It’s surprisingly fast to assemble—you’ll be shocked how little active time this takes!
• The balance of sharp cheddar and savory garlic in that rich cream sauce is pure magic.
• That crispy panko topping provides the most satisfying textural contrast to the tender potatoes underneath.

Quick Prep, Maximum Flavor

Seriously, you can have this assembled and ready for the oven in under 20 minutes. That’s the beauty of simple layering; no complicated roux or fussy stovetop work is required. You just slice, layer, pour, and bake. It’s the ultimate payoff for minimal effort.

The Perfect Cheesy Layers

When you cut into this, the cheese has melted perfectly into the heavy cream, creating that thick, velvety sauce that clings to every single potato slice. It’s decadent, yes, but that’s what comfort food is supposed to be, right? It just melts in your mouth.

Essential Ingredients for Ultimate Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe for Comfort Food

When you’re going for the Ultimate Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe for Comfort Food, you can’t skimp on the basics. I always say that expertise in the kitchen starts with respecting your ingredients. For this recipe, quality really shines through, especially with the dairy and the potatoes themselves. We’re using simple stuff here, but how we handle it makes all the difference!

Take a look at what you need below. I’ve included my notes on why I chose certain items—it’s all about building that perfect creamy base and ensuring everything cooks evenly.

Ingredient	Amount
Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced	2 lbs
Heavy cream	2 cups
Sharp cheddar cheese, grated	2 cups
Garlic, minced	3 cloves
Unsalted butter, sliced	4 tbsp
Salt and pepper	To taste
Panko breadcrumbs	1 cup

Potato Selection and Preparation

You absolutely need about two pounds of potatoes. I lean towards Russets because they break down just enough to thicken the sauce, but Yukon Golds work beautifully if you like a slightly firmer texture. The most crucial part here is the slicing. They need to be paper-thin so they cook through evenly in that cream. If they are too thick, you’ll end up with crunchy spots, and that’s just not the comfort we’re aiming for!

Creamy Sauce Components

Heavy cream is non-negotiable here; whole milk just won’t give you that rich, velvety mouthfeel this dish demands. For the cheese, please, please use sharp cheddar. The extra bite cuts through the richness of the cream beautifully. And don’t forget the garlic! Mince it finely—we want the flavor infused everywhere, not big chunks popping up in your bite.

Equipment Needed for Preparing Ultimate Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe for Comfort Food

You don’t need a ton of fancy gear for this cheesy potatoes side dish, but a couple of tools really make the difference between good scalloped potatoes and the ultimate version. Having the right equipment helps you nail that thin slicing and the even bake we talked about.

Here’s what I always pull out when I make this comfort food:

• A sturdy 8×8 or 9×9 inch baking dish (or similar size that holds about 6 cups of ingredients).
• A good sharp knife or, ideally, a mandoline slicer for those uniform potato slices.
• A medium mixing bowl for whipping up the cream sauce.
• A small bowl for mixing the melted butter and panko topping.

The mandoline is my best friend here; it ensures every slice is the same thickness, which means everything cooks at the same rate. No guesswork involved!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Ultimate Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe for Comfort Food

Alright, now for the fun part—putting it all together! This is where the magic happens, transforming those raw ingredients into the ultimate comfort food side dish. Don’t rush the layering; it’s worth the few extra minutes of attention, I promise. We’re building flavor, layer by delicious layer.

Initial Preparation and Oven Setup

First things first, get your oven ready to go. Preheat it to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, or 190 Celsius. While that’s heating up, grab your medium baking dish—I usually use an 8×8 square—and give it a good grease. Just use a little butter or cooking spray; we want to make sure those cheesy edges don’t stick when it’s time to serve. Next, get those potatoes washed and peeled, and slice them up thinly. If you’re using a mandoline, be careful! Safety first, always.

Creating the Cream Mixture

While your potatoes are waiting, mix up the sauce base. In a medium bowl, pour in your two cups of heavy cream. Now, take those three cloves of minced garlic and toss them right in. Season it generously—and I mean generously—with salt and pepper. Give this whole mixture a good whisk until everything is combined. You want that garlic flavor distributed throughout the cream so every potato gets seasoned perfectly.

The Art of Layering Your Ultimate Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe for Comfort Food

This is the crucial step for achieving those amazing layers. Start by placing about a third of your thinly sliced potatoes across the bottom of your prepared dish. Don’t overlap them too tightly; they need a little room to breathe and absorb that cream. Now, drizzle about half of your cream and garlic mixture evenly over those potatoes. Next, sprinkle a good layer of that sharp cheddar cheese. Yes, cheese goes in the middle too! Repeat this process: another layer of potatoes, the rest of the cream mixture, and another layer of cheese. Finish with the final layer of potatoes on top, making sure they are covered as much as you can manage.

The Final Bake: Covered and Uncovered Stages

For the topping, take your melted butter—that’s the butter you melted down a bit—and toss it with your cup of panko breadcrumbs. Sprinkle this right over the top layer of potatoes and cheese. Cover the entire dish tightly with aluminum foil. This traps the steam and cooks the potatoes through without burning the top. Pop it into your preheated oven and bake it covered for 45 minutes. After that 45 minutes, carefully remove the foil—watch out for the hot steam! Then, put it back in the oven uncovered for another 30 minutes. This second stage is what makes the top golden brown and beautifully crispy. You’ll know it’s done when the cream is bubbling around the edges and a knife slides easily through the center potatoes.

Tips for Success with Your Ultimate Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe for Comfort Food

Even though this is an easy recipe, a few little tricks can take your cheesy potatoes from great to absolutely unforgettable. We want tender potatoes swimming in sauce, not a dry casserole, right? Pay attention to these few details, and you’ll nail this comfort food side dish every single time you make it.

Achieving Consistent Potato Thickness

I cannot stress this enough: thinness equals tenderness! If you aren’t comfortable using a mandoline—and believe me, they can be tricky—use your sharpest knife and take your time. You want those slices almost translucent. If they are too thick, they won’t soften completely in the 75-minute cook time, leaving you with hard bits in your creamy sauce. A consistent thickness is the secret to even cooking, which is key for these baked potatoes with cream.

Flavor Adjustments and Cheese Swaps

While sharp cheddar is my go-to because it has that perfect tang to balance the richness, don’t be afraid to experiment if you’re feeling adventurous! If you want a slightly nuttier, earthier flavor profile, swap out half the cheddar for Gruyère. It melts like a dream and adds a sophisticated touch. Just make sure whatever you use is freshly grated; the pre-shredded stuff has additives that stop it from melting smoothly into that luxurious sauce.

Storing and Reheating Your Ultimate Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe for Comfort Food

Even the best comfort food side dish sometimes ends up with leftovers, and that’s okay! Since this dish is packed with cream and cheese, we need to be smart about how we save it so it tastes almost as good the next day. Don’t just throw it in the fridge uncovered; that leads to crispy, dry edges!

Here’s the quick guide I use to keep my cheesy potatoes fresh. It’s all about sealing in that moisture so when you reheat it, the sauce re-emulsifies nicely.

Optimal Storage Methods

When you have leftovers, let them cool down slightly—maybe 30 minutes on the counter. Then, transfer them into an airtight container. You want to seal out that fridge air! They keep really well for about three to four days tucked away in the cold.

Method	Instructions
Storage	Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating (Oven Recommended)	Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350\u00b0F (175\u00b0C) until heated through, about 20-25 minutes.
Reheating (Microwave Quick Fix)	Place a serving in a microwave-safe dish, cover loosely with a damp paper towel, and heat in short 60-second bursts until warm.

If you reheat in the oven, adding a tiny splash of milk or cream over the top before covering with foil helps bring back that perfect saucy texture we worked so hard to achieve!

Frequently Asked Questions About Ultimate Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe for Comfort Food

I get so many questions about this recipe because everyone wants that perfect texture! Since this is the Ultimate Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe for Comfort Food, people want to know how to avoid common pitfalls. Here are the things I hear most often about achieving amazing cheesy potatoes.

Can I Make This Cheesy Potatoes Recipe Ahead of Time

Yes, you absolutely can prep this comfort food side dish ahead of time! I usually assemble the entire thing—potatoes layered, cream poured, cheese sprinkled—but I leave the panko topping off. Cover the whole dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to take the chill off, add your buttered panko topping, and then follow the baking instructions. You might need to add about 10 minutes to the covered bake time since it’s starting cold.

What Potatoes Work Best for Scalloped Potatoes

For the best results with your baked potatoes with cream, you need a potato that has a good balance of starch to help thicken the sauce but still holds its shape. I highly recommend Russet potatoes because they give you that slightly creamier interior texture. Yukon Golds are a fantastic second choice if you prefer a firmer, slightly waxy texture that holds its slice shape better after all that baking time. Just make sure whatever you pick, you slice them uniformly thin!

Share Your Ultimate Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe for Comfort Food Experience

I put my heart into making sure this is the best cheesy potatoes recipe you’ll ever try. Now it’s your turn! If you made this comfort food side dish, please let me know how it turned out for you. Did you use Gruyère? Did those panko crumbs get perfectly crispy? Drop a rating below or leave a comment—I love hearing about your kitchen successes!

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