Cheesy scalloped potatoes au gratin is a must-have holiday recipe. Tender potatoes sandwiched in cozy layers of rich cream and cheese make this melt in your mouth creamy potato cheese casserole irresistible!

Potatoes are in my opinion the most important thing on the holiday table.

I mean sure a turkey or ham or roast beef is nice.

But potatoes are where it’s at!

And while mashed potatoes are a classic, you can never go wrong with cheesy scalloped potatoes!

Adding cheese is always a good idea and these are so good!

What’s the difference between au gratin and cheesy scalloped potatoes?

Most people use these terms sort of interchangeably but there are some differences.

Strictly speaking, scalloped potatoes are a milk based potato dish and generally do not contain cheese.

The potatoes are usually sliced very thinly although what technically makes it ‘scalloped’ is the milk base.

Au gratin on the other hand is any dish that is topped with cheese and layered with bits of butter and is baked until brown and crispy.

Gratins can be made with a variety of vegetables, even Brussels sprouts and zucchini squash.

For this dish, I decided the differences didn’t matter too much and two classic dishes became one!

Ingredients

To make these you’ll need:

Potatoes– Go for medium potatoes and peel them.
Butter– Unsalted
Onion– Chopped
Flour
Milk– Using a higher fat milk or even half and half or cream is definitely better here than using a lower fat milk!
Seasoning– Dry mustard, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, salt, and chopped fresh parsley
Cheese– Shredded cheddar

How to Make

Making cheesy scalloped potatoes isn’t hard but the effort creates results that are much better than the kind from a box!

To do it, cut the peeled potatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices and set them aside.

Then, melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.

Once the butter melts, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.

The flour and butter will form a gold paste.

At this point, whisk in the milk, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, paprika, and salt, stirring until everything is incorporated.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.

Once it boils, turn the heat down and let the milk mixture simmer for 3 minutes or until it thickens, stirring frequently.

Arrange half of potato slices in a lightly greased 9-inch square glass baking dish or 1-1/2 qt. casserole dish.

Pour half of milk mixture over the potatoes and top with 1 cup cheese.

Repeat layering with remaining potatoes, milk mixture and 1 cup cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until sauce is bubbly and potatoes are tender.

Sprinkle with fresh parsley and a little cayenne pepper or paprika.

Enjoy!

Storing Leftovers

These potatoes make fabulous leftovers!

It’s one of those dishes that may even be better the next day.

To store them, either tightly cover them right in the casserole dish or transfer them to an airtight container.

Either way refrigerate them for up to 4 days and reheat in the oven or in the microwave until warmed through.

Can I make cheesy scalloped potatoes ahead of time?

Yes!

This is the perfect dish to prep ahead of a big holiday meal.

You can make this up to 8 hours in advance, assembling as instructed above.

Then, instead of baking it, cover it tightly with foil and refrigerate it.

Then bake before serving.

What kind of potatoes should I use?

I recommend using either red potatoes, Yukon gold, or russets.

Tips and Tricks

Make sure the potatoes are sliced to the same thickness so they cook evenly.
Don’t have or like cheddar? Use swiss or gruyere instead or even a combination of the cheeses.
Do not skip peeling the potatoes! There are some dishes where it’s a big deal but it is necessary for the best results in this.
If you are using a glass casserole dish and have made it ahead and refrigerated it, do not preheat the oven before you put the potatoes in. The dish will shatter.

Other Cheesy Potato Recipes

Cheesy scalloped potatoes au gratin is a delicious side worthy of any holiday table!

Make them and enjoy!

Looking for other cheesy potato recipes?

Try these:

If you’ve tried this CHEESY SCALLOPED POTATOES AU GRATIN, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!