Southern Scalloped Potatoes
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This Southern scalloped potatoes dish features crisp yet soft potatoes cooked in a rich, cheesy, and creamy sauce. It’s a simple, easy, and utterly delicious Southern side dish.
Today, my mama is here to share memories from her childhood and a family recipe for Southern scalloped potatoes to boot. Take it away, mama!
Take me back to The Dixie Belle
Hey, folks. This dish is an old comfort food recipe. Whenever I make it, I’m taken back to my early teenage years. Every Friday after my mother and stepfather got off work, we would go to my Uncle Charlie’s cafe, The Dixie Belle, and it was a real special treat for all of us.
His plate lunches usually had a choice of three types of meat, five or six vegetables (one of which was always coleslaw), and cornbread or roll. When I got lucky scalloped potatoes were on the menu, which I had never had before Uncle Charlie introduced them to us. Just the name promised something special and I was never disappointed. They were always so creamy with the stringy cheese sauce that I savored every bite.
Well, all these years later, I’m bringing these Southern scalloped potatoes into your home. This is a delicious side dish that works well with so many Southern favorites (there are lots of recommendations below. To make scalloped potatoes (or au gratin potatoes), you’re gonna need potatoes, onion, butter, flour, cheese, milk, salt, and pepper.
This is such an easy scalloped potato recipe. We place our potatoes and onion in a baking dish, quickly cook the remaining ingredients on the stovetop, and then pour this rich, cheesy, and creamy sauce over the potatoes. All that’s left to do is bake it in the oven. Oh, I can’t wait for you to try this scalloped potato bake! The combination of melted cheese, crisp yet soft potatoes, and that cream sauce serve with Baked Ham With Easy Brown Sugar Glaze, Butter Roasted Chicken, Turkey On The Grill, Slow-Roasted Beef Brisket in the Oven, or Crockpot Pot Roast are bound to please the entire family.
I hope you enjoy this old comfort food recipe as much as I do. And remember when you finish, have a little something sweet to top it off. That’s what we always did at Dixie Belle. Food, family, and a little something sweet. Some of life’s greatest joys.
Recipe Ingredients
- Potatoes
- Onion
- Butter
- Flour
- Cheese
- Milk
- Salt and pepper
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make Southern Scalloped Potatoes
Wash potatoes and slice them into 1/4-inch thick slices.
Layer potato slices and onions in a casserole dish that has been coated with cooking spray.
Melt butter over medium heat.
Stir in flour, salt, and pepper until blended.
Cook, whisking constantly for one minute.
Slowly stir in milk and continue to cook until the milk is hot.
Remove the skillet from heat and add the cheese.
Then stir in the cheese until it melts.
This is what the melted cheese and milk mixture looks like. Isn’t that pretty? I also use this same mixture on 2 cups of cooked macaroni and then bake it in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. It is wonderful macaroni and cheese.
Pour mixture over potatoes and onions.
It’s ready for the oven!
Cover in foil and bake at 400 degrees for 1.5 hours.
I know that seems like a lot but that is what I do.
I also tend to remove the foil after an hour to ensure the potatoes get those crisp golden brown edges.
But another option is to keep the foil on and then place the dish under the broiler for a couple of minutes at the end of the cooking time.
Your cheesy scalloped potatoes will look like this when done.
Dig in for a deliciously creamy dish that goes well with almost anything!
Storage
Store leftover scalloped potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat them in the microwave or the oven.
Recipe Notes
- You can use pre-packaged shredded cheese or shred your own as I did. I usually like to shred my own because it makes the dish a bit creamier.
- Do you want to add more flavor to your Southern scalloped potatoes? Here are some suggestions:
- Use your favorite type of cheese or a combination. Parmesan cheese is always a popular option, but why not try Colby Jack, smoked gouda, Pepperjack, Gruyere, or sharp cheddar cheese?
- Melt the butter with up to 3 minced garlic cloves.
- Add some fresh herbs, like 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves, or garnish with freshly chopped parsley or chives.
- Add 1 cup of chicken broth or vegetable broth when you add the milk.
- Instead of 2 cups of milk, do 1 cup of milk and either 1 cup of half-and-half or 1 cup of heavy cream for a richer sauce.
Recipe FAQs
What are the best potatoes to use in scalloped potatoes?
Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes are the best varieties to use in scalloped potatoes.
What do you serve with Southern scalloped potatoes?
Homemade scalloped potatoes are a great side dish to serve during the holidays, whether that’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. But here are some main meals they pair perfectly with:
- Baked Ham With Easy Brown Sugar Glaze
- Butter Roasted Chicken
- Turkey On The Grill
- Slow-Roasted Beef Brisket in the Oven
- Crockpot Pot Roast
- Creamed Chicken
- Meatloaf
Do you have to peel potatoes for scalloped potatoes?
This is a personal preference. I personally don’t peel my potatoes because it’s just easier this way and I really like the peels on my potatoes.
How do you make Paula Deen’s scalloped potatoes?
Can you slice potatoes ahead of time for scalloped potatoes?
Yes, you can slice your potatoes in advance. However, you’ll want to store them, covered in water, for up to 24 hours, to prevent them from turning brown.
Can you make Southern scalloped potatoes ahead of time?
Yes, you can make your scalloped potatoes in advance, up to 3 days ahead of time. I’d bake the dish, let it cool completely, then wrap it with aluminum foil and place it in the fridge. Then I’d reheat it briefly in the oven before serving.
Check out these other potato recipes:
Roasted Greek Potatoes (a.k.a Big Fat Greek Taters)
Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes (Freezer Friendly)
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk
- 8 ounces shredded mild cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray an 8X8 casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Wash and slice potatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices. Layer 1/2 of the thinly sliced potatoes into the prepared dish then top with onions.4 medium potatoes, 1/2 cup chopped onion
- Top with remaining potatoes and salt and pepper to taste.salt and pepper to taste
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and stir in flour.3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour
- Add salt and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute.1/2 teaspoon salt
- Slowly stir in milk.2 cups milk
- Cook, stirring constantly, for approximately 5 minutes or until the milk is hot and slightly thickens.
- Remove from heat and add shredded cheese. Stir until the cheese melts.8 ounces shredded mild cheddar cheese
- Pour over the potatoes and cover with foil.
- Bake for 1.5 hours in the preheated oven.
Nutrition
“If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I’ll bet they’d live a lot differently.”
~Bill Waterson
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Christy and Miss Janice, scalloped potatoes and stewed potatoes do bring back wonderful memories of the times spent with family in the country in North Carolina. A good friend of mine made this same recipe every sunday for he family, she was much older than me but my best friend. Thanks to both of you.I must start making this dish more often. Good bless. ——-Liz
This brings back memories for me as well! My momma used to make scalloped potatoes! I loved them! Sometimes she would add ham chunks to it and make it a complete meal. I will put this on my menu plan for next week. I hope my daughter loves it as much as I do! Thank you for sharing!!
Would it work to make it the night before and then bake it the next day?
Hi, love your website. Thank you for sharing all your yummy recipes with us. My question is about the potato au gratin recipe. In the past I tried a recipe that called for half and half. I decided to cut some calories and use fat free half and half. It was disgusting. What type of milk did you use ?
Hi Joan, I used 2 percent milk since that is all I usually buy. Thanks for asking and have a great day! Mama
My husband will love these but I want to know what stewed potatoes are I guess I have never heard of them.
Thanks
I don’t know how Christy and her mom do stewed potatoes but my mom just washed and sliced some potatoes and plced them in a sauce pan with a stick of butter and water to just cover plus maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch more and boiled them until tender. Some times a little more water would have to be added to keep them going.
Oh yeah salt and pepper too.
Is there a substitute for cheese? I would like to take something like this to a family gathering, but my mother in law is allergic to cheese, actually the mold in the cheese.
This is weird but I have a friend with a similar problem and they have found that there is a “cheese” you can get, it is actually Kroger brand, that isn’t actually cheese. I forget what it is called but it is by all of the other shredded cheese, in a bag and everything. Just a thought 🙂 You can probably just make it and leave the cheese out as well.
Imitation Cheese, now I remember. And it’s not labeled any differently, really, you have to look in the small print under the title.
Thanks!
I happen to have a tutorial on them! They are so good! Here ya go: https://www.southernplate.com/2010/03/butter-stewed-potatoes.html
I actually add cream of mushroom soup to mine & leave out the cheese.
I absolutely LOVE this recipe and your story……and I also have the same dish that you have it pictured in, although mine seems to be more faded after years of use! Thank you!