Grandma’s 1 Amazing Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

There’s just nothing in the world that says “welcome home” like a steaming, bubbling, deeply comforting side dish, right? If you’re looking for that one reliable, crowd-pleaser that everyone asks you to bring to every meeting, look no further. We are talking about the supreme classic: Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes. I still remember my grandmother’s kitchen filled with that incredible aroma every holiday season. No matter how many amazing dishes were on the table, her scalloped potatoes always stole the show. Even when I transitioned to focusing on keto after my football career wrapped up, giving up that creamy, cheesy side felt like letting go of a tradition. But hey, I got inspired! This recipe captures the exact essence of those memories. Now every bite transports me back, proving that comfort food can always find a place. I’m Mark Williams—The Keto Performance Chef—and I’m thrilled to share this recipe with you. You absolutely have to bookmark this one!

Check out more of my favorite recipes over at The Kitchen!

Why You Will Make This Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe Again and Again

I’ve made a lot of dishes that are fancy or require a whole day of prep, but honestly, nothing beats the reliability of this Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes recipe. It’s the definition of a crowd pleaser, and I keep coming back to it for good reason. Trust me, you won’t want to mess around with any other version once you see how simple this is!

• Ultimate Comfort Food Experience

  This isn’t just a side dish; it’s pure, creamy nostalgia. It brings that warm, hug-in-a-bowl feeling that only a classic baked casserole can provide. It’s your special occasion staple!

• Simple Sauce Technique

  Forget complicated layering or thinning sauces. We use a straightforward roux on the stovetop. Whisking in the milk and then melting in the cheddar makes a velvety sauce that coats every single slice perfectly. It’s foolproof goodness!

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Getting this baked casserole right starts way before it hits the oven—it starts right here in the ingredient pile! I’ve learned over the years that the quality you put in directly affects how that creamy sauce turns out. If you want the gold standard for your comfort food side, you have to pay attention to the potatoes themselves. You can see a complete guide on ingredient choices over at my guide linking ingredients to temperatures, but here are the must-haves for this version.

For the Potatoes and Onions

Russets are my absolute go-to for this dish. They break down just enough during that long bake to release starch and help thicken the sauce naturally, which is key! You’ve got to be precise with the slicing here—consistency is king for even softness.

• Four large russet potatoes (peeled is important!), sliced exactly 1/4-inch thick. No eyeballing this!
• One yellow onion, thinly sliced into rings. They add a beautiful sweetness when they melt into the sauce during baking.

For the Creamy Cheese Sauce

This sauce is where the magic happens, and we need to treat it right. Make sure your milk is at room temperature; seriously, this stops those awful lumps from forming when you introduce it to the hot roux. And please, please use block cheddar that you shred yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that make the sauce grainy, and we are aiming for velvety perfection!

• Three tablespoons of unsalted butter.
• Three tablespoons of all-purpose flour for the roux.
• Half a teaspoon of kosher salt, right at the start.
• Two cups of whole milk—room temperature is non-negotiable!
• One and a half cups of mild cheddar cheese, freshly shredded.
• Salt and pepper to correct at the very end.

Equipment Needed for Your Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Bake

Before you even start slicing those beautiful potatoes, let’s talk about setting up your workspace. Having the right tools ready makes the whole 90-minute bake feel like a breeze! I’ve found that jumping straight from prep to cooking without gathering everything first ends up being a messy disaster. Get this stuff out now, and you’ll be so much happier later.

You don’t need a million fancy gadgets for this classic comfort food, but these few items are absolute must-haves to get that perfect creamy finish and that beautiful baked casserole look.

• An 8×8-inch casserole dish. This size is perfect for getting those lovely, crusty edges while keeping the middle soft. If you use too big a dish, the potatoes cook too fast and dry out!
• A medium-size saucepan. This is for creating our luscious cheese sauce base. Needs to be big enough to handle the milk thickening up without boiling over on you—watch out for that splatter!
• A good solid whisk. You’ll owe me big time if you try to use a spoon here! You need that whisk for making the roux smooth and preventing lumps when adding the milk.
• A roll of aluminum foil. This covers the potatoes while they steam and soften during the long bake time. Don’t skip this step, or your top layer will be charcoal before the bottom is even warm!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Okay, friend, this is where the rubber meets the road, and believe me, it’s far easier than it looks! We’re turning simple slices into the ultimate comfort food. If you follow these steps exactly, you’ll get that perfect tenderness that makes this baked casserole legendary. Want some more foolproof cooking guidance? I’ve got tips on how to keep your dinner ideas on track over here: my foolproof guide. And for an alternate take on this classic, check out the genius over at iambaker!

Prep Work and Layering the Potatoes

First thing’s first: get that oven cranked up to 400°F. Don’t wait! While it heats up, grab your 8×8 dish and give it a good spray so nothing sticks later. Now, layer those beautiful, uniformly sliced potatoes and onion rings right into the bottom. I like to stagger them—you know, crossing layers like a little brick pattern—to make sure every bit of potato gets bathed in that rich sauce and cooks evenly through the entire 90-minute bake.

Creating the Velvety Cheese Sauce Base

Time for the saucepan! Melt your butter over medium heat. When it’s bubbly, whisk in your flour and that half teaspoon of salt right away to make a paste—that’s your roux, and it needs stirring constantly so it doesn’t brown or burn! Now, here’s the critical part: slowly pour in the room-temperature milk while whisking like crazy. Keep stirring until the sauce visibly thickens up. It should coat the back of a spoon heavily. Don’t rush this part; a smooth start means a smooth finish!

Melting the Cheese and Baking the Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Once that sauce is thick, pull the pan right off the heat—immediately! If it’s too hot, the cheese seizes up. Now, dump in all that shredded cheddar and stir until it’s completely melted and gorgeous. Pour this creamy goodness evenly over your stacked potatoes in the dish. Cover that whole thing TIGHTLY with aluminum foil. This traps the steam and cooks the potatoes through. Bake it for a solid 85 to 90 minutes. You *must* test them with a fork at the end of the time; they need to be fork-tender, no hard spots allowed in our Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes!

Achieving the Golden Brown Finish

Once you confirm the potatoes are soft, it’s time for the grand finale! Take that foil off—let that glorious steam escape! Change your oven setting to broil. Put the dish back in, but keep a super close eye on it. Seriously, two minutes can turn golden brown into burnt black, so don’t walk away! Just a few seconds under the heat until that top layer of cheese bubbles up and gets that perfect, irresistible golden-brown crust. Pull it out, let it rest for 10 minutes, add a final pinch of fresh pepper, and dig in!

Expert Tips for the Best Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

You know I love sharing the theory behind the dish, but honestly, the difference between good scalloped potatoes and *great* Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes comes down to a few little tricks I’ve picked up over the years. Don’t let a watery sauce or unevenly cooked potatoes ruin your night! Trust me, mastering these simple things will elevate this comfort food instantly. If you’re curious about the science behind getting perfect dinner ideas every time, you need to check out my breakdown of what makes food truly perfect.

Potato Slicing Precision

I can’t stress this enough: uniform slicing is absolutely crucial for that perfect texture. If you have one slice that’s paper-thin and another that’s half an inch thick, guess what? The thin one dissolves, and the thick one stays hard. I highly recommend pulling out a mandoline slicer for this. Set it to 1/4-inch, and you get identical pieces every time. That consistency ensures they all become tender right around the same moment in your Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes casserole.

Sauce Consistency Check

Sometimes, even when you follow the roux steps perfectly, the sauce ends up a little too thick or maybe just slightly runny. If it’s too thick when you take it off the heat, just whisk in a splash or two of room-temperature milk until it flows nicely off your whisk. If it seems too thin, pop it back on very low heat and let it simmer gently, stirring constantly, for another minute or two. You want it thick enough to cling, but thin enough to pour easily over all those potato layers!

Ingredient Substitutions for Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Listen, I know sometimes we raid the fridge and realize we’re short one crucial thing. That’s okay! This baked casserole is super forgiving because it’s built around such simple, hearty ingredients. While I swear by the classic cheddar, the beauty of a rich cheesy potato bake is that you can totally swap out some components based on what you have handy. Don’t let a missing ingredient stop you from making this amazing comfort food side!

Cheese Variations

Cheddar is fantastic because it melts beautifully and gives you that sharp little tang, but feel free to mix things up! If you want something nuttier and a little more sophisticated—perfect for a holiday spread that’s a little fancier—swap out half the cheddar for Gruyère. Wow, that Swiss Alpine flavor really pumps up the savoriness. Monterey Jack is another winner if you just want maximum meltiness and creaminess, though the flavor will definitely be milder than using that sharp cheddar.

Milk and Cream Swaps

The whole milk really helps keep the final product from being overly heavy, but if you’re feeling extra indulgent, you can absolutely trade out half the milk for heavy cream. That’s my secret for making it truly decadent. Just be careful! If you use cream, the sauce will be thicker faster, so keep it on low heat and pull it early. If you’re trying to go lighter? Half-and-half works in a pinch, but honestly, I wouldn’t recommend trying to use almond or oat milk in this roux base. It messes with the texture way too much for my liking in a classic baked casserole like this.

Serving Suggestions for Your Cheesy Potato Bake

This rich, creamy baked casserole is so satisfying, it practically demands a wonderful main course partner. Seriously, you make this glorious comfort food, and suddenly every meat you own tastes better! Since this dish has such wonderful texture, I usually keep the main dish simple so the potatoes can really shine through on the plate.

For a perfect weeknight win, this pairs like a dream with roasted chicken or even just some simple pan-seared pork chops. If you’re planning a big holiday meal and need something hearty on the table, this scalloped potato side is the ultimate crowd pleaser alongside slow-cooked brisket. If you want to round out the meal with something liquid—maybe you’re having a chill evening? Check out my guide on restaurant-style soups; a hearty bowl next to a small serving of these potatoes is pure bliss!

Storing and Reheating Leftover Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Oh man, if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers of this amazing Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes, you’re in for a treat the next day! Saving them correctly is super important because we want to keep that creamy texture, not end up with a hard potato brick.

The trick for storage is keeping the moisture locked in. Once the casserole is fully cooled—and I mean truly cooled down on the counter for a bit—cover that dish tightly. If you don’t have the original lid, plastic wrap pressed right onto the surface, followed by a layer of foil, works like a charm. Pop it into the fridge for up to four days. It’s meal prep gold for those busy weeknights; you can see how I organize my favorites for quick dinners over at my meal prep guide!

Reheating in the Oven (The Best Way)

If you want to bring back that fresh-from-the-oven joy, the oven is your friend. Put your leftovers in an oven-safe dish, cover it loosely with foil—we want steam, but we also want to let the moisture escape a little so it doesn’t get gummy. Heat it at about 350°F for about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how much you’re reheating. It warms through gently and keeps those starch molecules happy!

The Quick Microwave Method

Now, if you’re starving and can’t wait 20 minutes, the microwave will do the job, but you have to know the secret handshake! Microwaving heats food unevenly, which can make the edges dry out before the center gets hot. To combat this, take a small portion of the Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes, put it on a microwave-safe plate, and drizzle just a tiny splash of milk or even a dab of butter right on top before covering it loosely with a paper towel. Heat in 45-second bursts, stirring in between. It won’t have the crisp top our oven method gets, but it brings back that creamy deliciousness fast!

Frequently Asked Questions About Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

It’s totally normal to have a few lingering questions when tackling a classic comfort food recipe like this! Whether you’re planning for a potluck or just making a Tuesday night special, people always ask me the same few things about getting this baked casserole just right. Here are the answers to the most common queries I get. If you want loads of other simple weekend meal ideas that work like a charm, you can check out my quick 5-ingredient guide!

Can I make this Cheesy Potato Bake ahead of time?

Yes, absolutely! This is one of the best parts about making this dish—it’s perfect for prepping early. You can assemble the entire thing—potatoes layered, sauce poured, everything ready to go—up to 24 hours in advance. Just cover it tightly with plastic wrap and then foil, and keep it chilling in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake, pull it out of the fridge maybe 30 minutes before you plan to put it in the oven so the chill comes off slightly, and then bake it for the full time, maybe adding an extra 10 minutes because it started cold.

What is the best potato to use for a Baked Casserole like this?

Hands down, you want the russet potato. I always say Russets are the workhorses of the potato world, and they shine brightest here! Because they are high in starch, as they soften during the long bake time, they naturally release that starch into the sauce. That’s what gives you that satisfying, creamy mouthfeel rather than a watery mess. If you try to use a waxy potato, like a red potato, they won’t break down correctly, and your sauce just won’t be as luxurious!

How do I prevent the top from burning while the potatoes cook?

This happens to everybody if you forget the foil! The secret is making sure the potatoes cook thoroughly underneath the sauce before they even think about getting brown on top. That means after you assemble it, you must cover it TIGHTLY with aluminum foil for the entire initial baking period—that’s the 85 to 90 minutes. Keep it on the center rack so the heat circulates evenly around the dish. Only after the potatoes are completely tender do you uncover it and switch to broil for that final, quick golden finish. Don’t take the foil off early, or you’ll end up with crunchy potatoes and a raw top!

Nutritional Estimate for Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Now, I know what you might be thinking—a creamy, cheesy baked casserole like this must be loaded with calories, and honestly… it has some! It’s comfort food, after all, and we aren’t claiming this is our low-carb version here. This is the traditional recipe, and it delivers that satisfying richness!

I always try to give you guys a ballpark, but please take this estimate lightly. The final numbers really depend on the exact fat content of your milk or the brand of butter you use. Since we’re using standard ingredients here, this gives you a good idea of where you stand per serving, which is based on the recipe making eight hearty servings.

• Calories: Approximately 346 per serving
• Protein: Varies based on dairy choices
• Fat: Expect a satisfying level of fat from the butter and cheese!
• Carbohydrates: Mostly from the potatoes, providing energy for your day.

Remember, this estimate is for the main Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes dish only. If you pair this incredible side with something lean, you can certainly keep your overall plate balanced. Enjoy it guilt-free—it’s spectacular!

Share Your Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Masterpiece

Wow, we made it! You now have the keys to the kingdom for making the most glorious, melt-in-your-mouth, crowd-pleasing side dish on the block. That creamy, savory baked casserole magic is all yours now! But don’t let this recipe just sit on your browser bookmarks; I want to see what you create!

Cooking is meant to be shared, and I thrive on hearing how *you* tweaked things or what the family reaction was. Did you go heavy on the pepper? Did you try adding a little smoked paprika to the cheese sauce? Tell me every wonderful little detail!

Head down to the comments section right now and leave a rating when you try this. Seriously, a quick five-star burst tells me I’m on the right track and helps other cooks find this amazing comfort food recipe. If you snap a picture of that bubbly, golden-brown top, please tag me on social media! Seeing your finished dish just brightens my whole week.

If you’re looking for another winner that’s faster than this one for those super hectic evenings, you have to check out my guide to 20-minute dinner ideas. Happy cooking, everyone!