These Loaded Scalloped Potatoes are the perfect side dish for holidays and everyday meals. They’re layered with lots of cheese and bacon, and cooked in a cheesy sauce. When I want to add an indulgent cheesy side to any holiday table, this is the recipe I always turn to.
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Loaded Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
I find myself coming back to this recipe holiday after holiday. It’s easy and loved by everyone who gives it a try.
- Creamy. Thinly sliced, creamy potatoes baked in the oven are just undeniably delicious.
- Cheesy. These loaded scalloped potatoes are extra tasty because they’re cooked in a cheesy sauce, and layered between more cheese and bacon.
- Flavorful. The addition of bacon and chives makes this casserole taste exactly like a loaded baked potato.
Variations
There are lots of ways to change up this loaded casserole. Try swapping out the bacon and cheddar for ham and Swiss, mushroom and gruyere, garlic and Parmesan, or caramelized onion and blue cheese.
Make it Tex-Mex by adding corn, black beans, diced green chilies, and pepper jack cheese. Or make loaded breakfast scalloped potatoes by adding cooked crumbled breakfast sausage and scrambled eggs!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover loaded scalloped potatoes covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 300°F oven for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze scalloped potatoes whole or divided into individual portions in airtight containers for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
I serve these scalloped potatoes with holiday favorites, like Thanksgiving turkey, Easter ham, or Christmas beef tenderloin. They’re also great with regular weeknight meals, like crockpot chicken breast, smothered pork chops, or creamy garlic shrimp.
Loaded Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
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Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2½ cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese divided
- ½ cup cooked bacon crumbles (from 8-10 slices)
- Chopped fresh chives optional, for topping
Recommended Equipment
- 8×8-inch Baking Pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 2 quart baking dish with olive oil spray and set aside.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the flour until well combined.4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 cloves garlic, ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, cook for 1 minute, then stir in the milk. Whisk until smooth, seasoning with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens.2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 2 cups milk, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 1 cup of cheddar cheese until melted.2½ cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- Spread ¼ cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange ⅓ of the sliced potatoes evenly over the sauce. Top with ⅓ of the sauce to cover the potatoes, then sprinkle with ⅓ cup of the cheddar cheese and ⅓ of the bacon. Continue layering two more times in that order with the remaining potatoes, sauce, cheese, and bacon and repeat. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.½ cup cooked bacon crumbles
- Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for another 5 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Turn the broiler to high and brown the cheese, if desired.
- Garnish with chives and serve warm.Chopped fresh chives
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Place the potatoes in the water and then bring it to a boil (instead of boiling the water first).
- Cover the potatoes with aluminum foil for the majority of the baking time. Only remove it for the last 5 minutes.
- Use your broiler to brown the cheese at the end. This is optional, but that quick burst of heat adds flavor and looks beautiful.
Nutrition Information
How to Make Loaded Scalloped Potatoes Step by Step
Prep the Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
Cook the Potatoes: Slice 3 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes into ¼-inch rounds. Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
Make the Roux: Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then stir in ¼ cup of all-purpose flour until well combined.
Make the Sauce: Slowly whisk 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth into the roux mixture, cook for 1 minute, then stir in 2 cups of milk and whisk until smooth. Season with ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
Add the Cheese: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 1 cup of cheddar cheese until melted.
Assemble the Casserole: Spread ¼ cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange ⅓ of the sliced potatoes evenly over the sauce. Top with ⅓ of the sauce to cover the potatoes, then sprinkle with ⅓ cup of the cheddar cheese and ⅙ cup of bacon crumbles. Continue layering two more times in that order with the remaining potatoes, sauce, cheese, and bacon, and repeat. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
Bake the Casserole: Cover the casserole with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for another 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Turn the broiler to high and brown the cheese, if desired. Garnish with chopped fresh chives if desired and serve warm.
You can slice the potatoes and keep them in a covered bowl submerged in water for up to 24 hours.
Sure! The skin will add a bit of a different texture to the dish, though.
If you put cold milk and cheese in the oven with the potatoes, you might find it curdling from the high direct heat. By heating the dairy beforehand as it’s mixed into a sauce, we can avoid this problem.
If your potatoes turn out watery, it’s likely that the potato slices were too wet from being boiled. Make sure to drain them well and pat them dry before adding to your casserole.
We don’t want runny potatoes, so we’re adding flour into the sauce to thicken it up. This sauce is the secret to the best scalloped potatoes!
Hi. So I tried this as my first recipe from your site. It came out okay, I liked the flavor of the sauce and the spices in it. Used yellow potatoes as Yukon Gold were nowhere to be found. I think the ones I used were a bit large, I sliced them as indicated but rather than mush, they stayed a bit hard, at first. The sauce took much, much longer to thicken, I did not want to over cook it, but was about 45 minutes. Also used bacon bits, which were fine. I di think it needed a lot more cheese. After it was done had to put it back in oven to soften the potatoes and that worked out well. I don’t think I would make this again, not bad but not cheesy enough. I will try another of your various potato recipes as they all look good and I really like your site. For a new cook, I think they came out well.
Hi Laurie, We’re sorry to hear these didn’t turn out quite as expected! Scalloped potatoes can be a bit finicky, as they tend to turn to mush if sliced too thinly and they stay firm if sliced to thickly. You did the right thing by continuing to cook them! Cook times are always approximate, as everyone’s oven is a bit different. Hope you enjoy our other recipes!!
I am just learning to cook. Saw other kinds of potatoes in store, no Yukon Gold, mostly russet. Can they be used? So what is the difference between taters, red, baking, Y Gold, russet. All interchangeable? Hoping this comes out well as it looks great, but I have to get to store to find correct potatoes.
You can use any waxy potato, like red or fingerling. Avoid russets, as they will fall apart!