A simple scalloped potatoes recipe, made with tender potatoes, gooey cheddar cheese, and a custom blend of spices.

Kim and I are huge potato fans. Our love of food is what brought us together almost 20 years ago.

From homemade colcannon to twice baked potatoes, and everything in between, we love taters!

Today, we’re re-sharing our scalloped potatoes recipe. Now, I will admit this offering has more in common with potatoes au gratin.

The scalloped potatoes topped with sliced green onions. — How do I make scalloped potatoes even better? Add cheese, of course!

However, we decided to add shredded cheddar cheese to the milk and heavy cream formula.

Using a simple cream based cheese sauce, we took regular potatoes and elevated them to a whole new level.

Kim and I are confident you’ll love this easy side dish just as much as we do. Shall we get started?

A top-down view of the cheesy taters on a plate. — The sliced onions add a touch of sweetness to the dish.

How to make scalloped potatoes with cheese from scratch?

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. and grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Next, fill a stock pot with enough water to cover your potatoes. Place it over high heat.

Boiled, peeled potatoes in a mixing bowl. — Pre-boiling the potatoes makes it much easier to peel off the skins.

After that, boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender. Remove them from the heat and drain.

Place them into an ice bath (water and ice in bowl) and peel them. Slice the taters into 1/4-inch thick disks.

Now, thinly slice the onions. Complete alternating layers of potatoes and onions in the baking dish.

Once that’s done, set the dish aside. It’s time to make the sauce (cheesy béchamel).

Sliced potatoes and onions in a casserole dish. — Go ahead and layer the potatoes and onions in the casserole dish.

Make the simple cheese sauce:

Then, place a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter.

As it starts to melt, sprinkle in the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.

The spices need to cook for about 1-minute. Afterward, sprinkle in the flour.

Whisk everything together and let the roux cook for about 4-minutes. Pour in the milk and heavy cream.

A cheddar cheese sauce warming in a saucepan. — Making a homemade cheese sauce is quick and easy.

Again, keep whisking until the liquid is smooth. When it starts to steam, whisk in about 5 1/2 ounces (or 2/3rds) of the cheese.

Keep whisking the liquid until all the cheese has melted and you have smooth and creamy cheese sauce. Remove the pan from the heat.

Bake the dish:

So, now we’ve come the final steps. Drizzle the cheese sauce over the potatoes and onions. Pour all the sauce into the casserole dish.

The cheese sauce poured over the potatoes and onions. — Once the sauce is done, add it to the casserole dish.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the taters.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake the potatoes for 30-40 minutes.

Last, remove the foil from the pan and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling.

An aerial view of the baked potatoes in the casserole dish. — After they’ve finished baking, top the potatoes with chives or sliced green onion.

That’s it, your creamy scalloped potatoes recipe is done! Kim and I hope you enjoy it and wish you all the best 🙂

For more potato based recipes, simply click or select the search icon (magnifying glass on mobile) and search the term potatoes.

A serving of the dish has been removed from the pan. — The extra cheese on top browns nicely and adds a flavorful crust.

Recipe Tips and FAQ’s:

The longer you boil the potatoes, the softer they will be once the dish has baked. For super tender taters, boil them 15-20 minutes. On the other hand, for al dente potatoes, only boil them for 10-12 minutes.
You don’t have to use cheddar cheese. If you prefer Gouda or mozzarella, then use one of those varieties instead. In fact, you could do a multi-cheese blend if you want.
We don’t recommend using pre-shredded, packaged cheese. Because, some of those products are sprinkled with an anti-coagulant (anti-clumping) powder. This powder can create a grainy cheese sauce.

Do you peel scalloped potatoes?

Personally, I feel like this preference based. Meaning, if you like potato skins, then don’t peel them. However, if you don’t like potato skins, then peel them.

Is it easier to peel potatoes after boiling?

Absolutely, if you boil the potatoes whole (intact), the skins will actually peel right off. The only downside is that the potatoes are hot and you’ll have to let them cool for a few minutes before stripping off the skins.