This Scalloped Potatoes recipe is the perfect side dish for just about any holiday dinner, including Thanksgiving, Easter, and even Christmas! It features thinly sliced potatoes, coated with a deliciously creamy, seasoned sauce, and it's then baked to perfection!
You'll end up with tender, golden, delicious potatoes that have the most incredible flavor and a dish that goes with, literally, just about anything! It's so versatile that you can serve it during the holidays or even for weeknight dinner.
Plus, everyone seems to love this side, especially the kids which is always a big win for me! This side dish is one of its kind and is an absolute classic that you won't ever regret making. My recipe is a quicker one than most others and is even lighter, so you can enjoy it guilt-free!
Want to learn how to make these delicious Scalloped Potatoes? Then keep on reading!
Table of Contents
- What are Scalloped Potatoes?
- What's the Difference Between Scalloped and Au Gratin Potatoes?
- What Makes This Scalloped Potatoes Recipe Special?
- What You Need to Make Scalloped Potatoes at Home
- How to Make Scalloped Potatoes (Step-by-Step)
- Recipe Variation Ideas for Scalloped Potatoes
- How to Store Leftover Scalloped Potatoes
- Similar Recipes You'll Love
- Recipe Card
- Classic Scalloped Potatoes Recipe (Light and Easy-to-Make)
- Comments
What are Scalloped Potatoes?
Scalloped potatoes are a classic side dish that is often served at holiday dinners, including Thanksgiving, Easter, and even Christmas.
It features uniformly cut potatoes that are thin which are then layered in a casserole dish and covered with a delicious nicely seasoned and aromatic cream-based sauce. The dish is then baked to perfection!
It's believed to have originated in England and is an incredibly classic side dish even today. They're called 'scalloped' because of the shape and how the potatoes are sliced for this delicious side.
This is the perfect side dish if you're looking for something that goes with just about everything, is fancy enough to serve at holiday dinners yet simple to make, and is something that everyone is going to love! I mean who doesn't love potatoes?! It's a delicious dish that I'm sure you're going to fall in love with!
What's the Difference Between Scalloped and Au Gratin Potatoes?
Although many people use these two terms interchangeably, scalloped potatoes and au gratin potatoes are not the same dish. The key difference between the two is whether or not cheese is included in the recipe.
Both usually have a creamy sauce that's made with milk, cream, or mayonnaise, but potatoes au gratin also included cheese in the mix and sometimes even have a crunch breadcrumb topping. This is normally not something that scalloped potatoes feature.
What Makes This Scalloped Potatoes Recipe Special?
This Scalloped Potatoes recipe features thinly sliced potatoes and carrots baked in that simple home-style and irresistible way.
This is my modified healthier, lighter, quicker version (from the rich cream-heavy one) that we make for fast-paced weeknight dinners. But it's still perfect for the holiday table as well!
In terms of nutrition, you'll get a delicious side dish that's the perfect source of carbohydrates but is still lower in sodium and calories than when you have this dish in a restaurant or takeout!
Plus, it's incredibly easy to make and is much simpler than any of the recipes for scalloped potatoes out there. Trust me, you'll fall in love with this delicious recipe!
What You Need to Make Scalloped Potatoes at Home
Making this delicious, perfect side dish is simple and you need pantry-staple ingredients for it. In fact, you don't even need flour to make it! Here's everything you'll need:
- Potatoes: Of course we'll, first of all, need some potatoes! I've used red potatoes in this recipe because of their incredible flavor and texture, but other varieties you can also use include russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes. Russets would be the second best ones to use in this recipe after red potatoes.
- Carrots: For an extra crunch and flavor, we'll also be using some carrots in this recipe. I've used homegrown ones, but you can just get them from your local grocery store to make this recipe.
Garlic: Garlic goes so well in this dish, and will elevate the flavor to the next level. Try to get your hands on the freshest garlic in the grocery store for the best results! I've personally used homegrown garlic.
Mayonnaise: For a delicious creamy sauce to coat our potatoes, we'll be using mayonnaise! And not just any mayonnaise, we'll be using some homemade mayo! You can also go for store-bought, just buy whichever brand of mayo you love the most.
Unsalted butter: We'll also need some unsalted butter for the perfect consistency and richness for this incredible side dish.
Seasonings: Next, you'll need to season your delicious scalloped potatoes to the right level with some salt and pepper! I've used a teaspoon of salt here.
Bay leaves: For a delicious aromatic flavor, we'll be using some bay leaves as well in this recipe.
Fresh parsley: You'll also need some fresh parsley to garnish this recipe and make it look even better!
How to Make Scalloped Potatoes (Step-by-Step)
Making this delicious holiday side dish is super easy! Here's what you need to do to make scalloped potatoes step by step:
How to Make Cream Dressing
In a small bowl add mayonnaise, freshly ground pepper, salt, and pressed garlic. Mix all together well.
Tip: To save time on dishwashing, you can use a shortcut for this step instead and add the mayonnaise and seasoning directly over the sliced carrots and potatoes in a large mixing bowl when they are ready.
How to Prep Veggies
Next, peel and rinse carrots and potatoes. Slice them all into the ¼-inch thickness and place them into a large bowl. You can use a sharp knife or mandoline slicer to do this. Add the seasoned cream mixture to it.
Rinse, chop fresh parsley and add it in. Gently mix all the ingredients in a fold-over fashion. Slide a spoon along the side of the bowl to the bottom, scoop some up and gently lay them over. Don't pound on the veggies or they will water too much.
Transfer the seasoned potatoes with carrots into a glass or ceramic baking pan in layers. Pour melted butter evenly over the veggies in the pan. Insert the bay leaves between potato chunks, distributing them evenly throughout the pan.
How to Bake Scalloped Potatoes
Bake in a preheated oven to 400 F (205 C) for one hour or until a knife or a fork easily slides through. No need to cover the casserole dish with foil.
After baking, remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Your delicious Scalloped Potatoes are ready to be served! Enjoy with your favorite salad and meat sides! Or simply the country way, with a cup of cold buttermilk!
Recipe Variation Ideas for Scalloped Potatoes
This delicious scalloped potatoes recipe is absolutely perfect as is, but here are some ideas if you're looking to change things up:
Cheese: You can sprinkle some cheese on top of your scalloped potatoes around 10 minutes before taking it out of the oven! Try some parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese on top.
Herbs: You can add some other fresh herbs to this delicious dish including fresh thyme or rosemary!
Protein: Want to make it more filling? Try adding some ham or bacon to your delicious scalloped potatoes!
How to Store Leftover Scalloped Potatoes
You can store any leftovers you have in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. They reheat really well in the microwave, oven, or even in a frying pan with a little bit of oil!
I don't recommend freezing this dish as it'll lose its incredible texture and the flavor will become more subdued.
Similar Recipes You'll Love
- Seasoned Baked Red Potato Wedges
- Buttered Golden Potatoes with Dill
- Garlic Butter Roasted Baby Potatoes with Dill
- Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Ranch Potatoes
- Braised Potatoes with Beef
- Bacon and Chives Roasted Potato Wedges
- Onion Roasted Potatoes
Recipe Card
Classic Scalloped Potatoes Recipe (Light and Easy-to-Make)
Ingredients
Scalloped Potatoes with Carrots Ingredients
- 5 lbs – organic red potatoes
- 1 lb – organic or homegrown carrots
- ¾ cup – mayonnaise (I used Homemade mayonnaise)
- 4 - garlic cloves
- 4 – bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon – Raymonds Real Salt
- ¼ teaspoon – freshly ground black ground pepper
- 4 tablespoon – unsalted butter
Instructions
How to Make Cream Dressing
- In a small bowl add mayonnaise, freshly ground pepper, salt, and pressed garlic. Mix all together well.
- Tip: To save time on dishwashing, you can use a shortcut for this step instead and add the mayonnaise and seasoning directly over the sliced carrots and potatoes in a large mixing bowl when they are ready.
How to Prep Veggies
- Next, peel and rinse carrots and potatoes. Slice them all into the ¼-inch thickness and place them into a large bowl. You can use a sharp knife or mandoline slicer to do this. Add the seasoned cream mixture to it.
- Rinse, chop fresh parsley and add it in. Gently mix all the ingredients in a fold-over fashion. Slide a spoon along the side of the bowl to the bottom, scoop some up and gently lay them over. Don't pound on the veggies or they will water too much.
- Transfer the seasoned potatoes with carrots into a glass or ceramic baking pan in layers. Pour melted butter evenly over the veggies in the pan. Insert the bay leaves between potato chunks, distributing them evenly throughout the pan.
How to Bake Scalloped Potatoes
- Bake in a preheated oven to 400 F (205 C) for one hour or until a knife or a fork easily slides through. No need to cover the casserole dish with foil.
- After baking, remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before serving.
- Your delicious Scalloped Potatoes are ready to be served! Enjoy with your favorite salad and meat sides! Or simply the country way, with a cup of cold buttermilk!
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This recipe was originally posted on September 5, 2014 (original picture below), and updated for a better user experience. The post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.
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