Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

These cheesy scalloped potatoes are covered in the perfect homemade creamy cheesy sauce, topped with more shredded cheese and baked to perfection for the perfect side dish to any meal!

Cheesy potatoes of any kind are one of my favorite side dishes. They go with practically any meal, and are always a winning classic side dish.

These scalloped potatoes would be a great option with an Easter ham, grilled pork chops, roasted chicken, or even a side dish with warm soup. They’re perfect to add to any meal, but would be especially great for a holiday dinner!

Why you’ll love this recipe for Scalloped Potatoes with Cheese

These cheesy scalloped potatoes (or au gratin potatoes, I’m not sure the best name to call them) are so delicious. They are soft and tender potatoes covered with a creamy cheese sauce, topped with more cheesy and baked to golden, gooey, cheesy perfection.  

What you’ll need for Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.

• unsalted butter – this gives the sauce substance and flavor, you can use salted butter if that is what you have on hand, cut the salt by 1/4 teaspoon when adding and season to taste.
• all purpose flour – this helps thicken the sauce by making a roux with the butter
• half and half – you can use whole milk instead of the half and half for a lighter, but slightly less rich sauce. You can also use heavy cream if desired
• salt and black pepper – for flavor
• shredded cheddar cheese – I love a sharp cheddar cheese, but medium cheddar, or your favorite cheese like Colby jack, or other would be delicious too.
• peeled and sliced potatoes – personally my favorite potatoes are russet potatoes, or yukon gold, which will give you the best tender potato. Other varieties may not soften when baking.

How to make Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes?

1. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add in the flour and stir it into the flour and cook until the flour is mixed into the butter, and starts to get fragrant.
2. Slowly pour in the half and half, stirring it into the mixture and cooking for a couple minutes until it is thickened. Remove from the heat and add in the salt and pepper, and some of the shredded cheese.
3. Layer some of the sliced potatoes into a casserole dish, pour about one third of the cheese sauce over the top. Repeat with more potatoes, more sauce, more potatoes, and the last of the creamy sauce.
4. Cover the potatoes with aluminum foil and bake until the potatoes are almost tender. Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake until the sauce is bubbly, potatoes are soft, and cheese is golden on top.

Can Scalloped Potatoes Be Made Ahead?

These potatoes are a great make-ahead dish, though the longest part of the process is slicing the potatoes, and then over an hour of baking time. To make the dish ahead you can prep and layer the casserole as directed (though I recommend boiling the potato slices in hot boiling water for 5 minutes). Then cover the dish tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bake as directed, or until potatoes are tender.

Perfectly Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe tips and tricks

• Slice the potatoes evenly to ensure even baking throughout the dish. I recommend between 1/8 and 1/4 inch. A mandoline slicer works best for this.
• If your sauce seems to cook and be too thick, add in a little more half and half or milk, a tablespoon or two at a time until your desired consistency. You want the sauce thick, but still pourable.
• It can take the potatoes a while in the oven to get tender. If you remove the foil and brown the cheese and they are still not soft enough, cover them back up with foil and continue baking in 10 minute increments until tender. You can also boil the sliced potatoes for about 5 minutes to soften them up before baking to reduce some of the baking time.

Scalloped Potatoes with Cheese variations

• This dish would be a yummy way to use up some leftover ham. Dice the ham into small pieces and layer it between the rows of potatoes.
• Diced bacon pieces would also be delicious added in.
• Another great addition to the dish would be caramelized onions. Cook them until soft, tender, and fragrant and layer them into the dish between the potatoes.
• Add about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of garlic powder or onion powder to the sauce for extra flavor.
• Top the potatoes with fresh herbs like parsley or chives for a nice look and light flavor.

Storing leftover Scalloped Cheesy Potatoes

If you have any leftover potatoes after your meal, store them in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The pan can be reheated in the oven until hot, or you can microwave individual portions. 

Can Cheese Scalloped Potatoes be frozen?

You can also freeze the cooked potatoes by letting them cool completely, then transferring them to an airtight container, or other freezer safe container. To reheat the frozen potatoes let the pan thaw in the fridge overnight. Then bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until hot throughout. 

What to serve with this Recipe for Scalloped Potatoes with Cheese

These scalloped potatoes would be a great option with an Easter ham, grilled pork chops, roasted chicken, or even a side dish with warm soup. They’re perfect to add to any meal, but would be especially great for a holiday dinner!

More potato side dish recipes:

• Mashed Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• German Potato Salad
• Loaded Mashed Potatoes
• Potato Rolls

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This recipe is originally adapted from Yellow Bliss Road. The cheesy scalloped potatoes were first posted on June 19, 2012. The photos and text were updated on March 3, 2023.