Next Post
2021 HBH Holiday Guide: Beauty
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Caramelized Onions, the ultimate holiday side dish. These potatoes are creamy, cheesy, and seasoned simply for a potato casserole that everyone really loves. The thinly sliced potatoes melt into a creamy, cheesy sauce. The top brown up in the oven adding a bit of crunch. Together these creamy crunchy potatoes are so delicious. They’re simple to make and always a crowd favorite. Enjoy my most comforting fall scalloped potato recipe!
Ingredients
- Salted butterÂ
- Yellow onionÂ
- Kosher salt and black pepperÂ
- Dry white wineÂ
- GarlicÂ
- Chopped fresh thymeÂ
- Heavy creamÂ
- Whole milkÂ
- CayenneÂ
- Shredded Guyere cheeseÂ
- Shredded cheddar cheeseÂ
- Russet or Yukon gold potatoesÂ
What you will need in the kitchen for this recipe:
- mandolin
- whisk
- large skillet
- large glass measuring cup
- foil
- mandolin
Monday potatoes in prep for Thanksgiving next week! Is everyone getting excited for the big feast? I talked about this yesterday, but it feels as though we’ve skipped over Thanksgiving and moved right on into Christmas.
I mean, to a point! I’m still here sharing out as many Thanksgiving recipes as possible before the 25th rolls around. And these potatoes will add another delicious item to our Thanksgiving menu.
What’s funny about these potatoes is that as simple as these are, they really took me a while to perfect. I’ve struggled with scalloped potatoes for the longest time. I just could never get them to cook all the way through.
After a few rounds of these I figured out the secret. A lower oven temperature, plenty of liquid, and lots of time in the oven.
So while these do take a while to make, the prep is simple, and the rest is mostly hands off.
Here are the details
Before I slice the potatoes, I always caramelize the onions. A lot of potato casseroles call for onion powder. But I wanted to add a little more of a fresh onion flavor that wasn’t over powering, but just right.
I love to use caramelized onions for an onion flavor that’s more mellow.
I caramelize them down in a bit of butter and add wine to help them caramelize a little faster. Then just a little fresh thyme, salt, and pepper.
While the onions are cooking, I mix the cream, milk, and the two types of cheese together. Most scalloped or au gratin recipes will call for you to cook the milk and cheese together on the stove, creating more of a cheese sauce.
I’ve found that the cheese sauce didn’t help the potatoes cook. It left me with a drier potato, and not in a delicious way.
So I skip cooking the sauce.
Slice the potatoes using a super sharp knife or a mandoline. Using a mandoline is ideal as you’ll get even slices and it’s much quicker too.
Layer the potatoes in a baking dish with the cream/milk/cheese mix and onions. I layer this up similar to a lasagna to ensure every potato gets evenly seasoned.
Once assembled, you bake
The baking time for these potatoes is long. I cook mine a full two + hours to ensure that the potatoes are really cooked and turn tender. I then remove the foil, add a little more cheese, and bake until the cheese is bubbling and browning on top.
It might seem simple, but that browned, golden top really adds another layer of deliciousness to the potatoes that makes everyone want more.
Serve these up warm with a little added fresh thyme for color.
I’m excited to have this recipe to share with not only you guys, but family and friends as well. I actually served them earlier in the month to my oldest brother Creighton. He said they’re probably one of his favorite potato dishes.
When you win over the brothers, all is good!
The next question is, what will you be pairing these cheesy potatoes with? The obvious answer for Thanksgiving is turkey. But come December, over here it will be my roasted beef tenderloin.
Looking for other easy Thanksgiving sides?? Here are my favorites:
Make Ahead Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Crispy Parmesan Thyme Sweet Potato Stacks
Sweet Potato Casserole with Sweet ‘n’ Savory Bacon Pecans
Lastly, if you make these Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Caramelized Onions, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Caramelized Onions
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 478 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 pinch cayenne
- 3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 russet or yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. 2. Melt together the butter and onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 10 minutes. At this point, you'll want to add the wine and continue to cook another 5 minutes until the onions are deeply caramelized.3. Add the garlic and thyme, then season with salt and pepper. Cook another 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. 4. Butter a 9×13 inch casserole dish. In a large glass measuring cup, combine the cream, milk, a pinch of cayenne, salt, and pepper. Then add the Gruyere cheese. Pour 1/3 of the milk mix into the bottom of the baking dish. Layer in 1/3 of the potatoes, and 1/2 of the onions. Add another 1/3 milk mix, then 1/3 of the potatoes, and then the remaining onions. Add the remaining potatoes, then pour over the last of the remaining milk mix. Try to get the potatoes in an even layer. 5. Cover and bake 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. Remove the foil and top with cheddar cheese. Bake another 20 minutes, until the cheese is golden and melty. Serve the dish warm, topped with fresh thyme.
Notes
To make Ahead: prepare and bake through step 5, but stop cooking after 2 hours. Let chill, then cover, and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Before baking, bring the dish to room temperature, add the cheddar cheese, and bake another 20-30 minutes.
My hubby and I loved this. It was my first time making scalloped potatoes but it won’t be my last. I may add bacon next time😋
Hey Caroline,
Thank you so much for making this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it was a winner! Happy Sunday! xT
Bummer. My milk curdled as well. Just about every HBH recipe is a winner for me, but this one didn’t work out so great. It’s very time-consuming, which I don’t mind if I have the time, but when it doesn’t come out good either, it’s a huge let-down. I let my milk and cream come to room temp as was suggested to possibly prevent curdling, but it didn’t work, unfortunately.
Hi Rachel,
Thanks for trying this recipe and so many others! I am so sorry to hear that your milk curdled, I really don’t know why this is happening for some but not for others. I appreciate your feedback! xT
Unsure if the temp or the wine has anything to do with the curdling- googled this. Maybe not cooking the wine long enough?
Milk curdles when heated because the proteins in milk break down and clump together:
Temperature
When milk is heated to at least 180°F (82°C), the proteins in milk coagulate and separate from the water.
Acidity
Adding acidic substances like lemon juice, tomatoes, or wine to milk can cause it to curdle.
Other factors
Milk can also curdle due to spoilage, boiling it too quickly, or salting it too early in the cooking process.
To prevent milk from curdling, you can try these tips:
Temper the milk: Whisk small amounts of hot liquid into cold milk until it’s warm, then add it to the hot liquid.
Add a starch: Starches like flour or cornstarch stabilize the milk emulsion and prevent it from separating.
Avoid strong acids: Use a starch along with acidic ingredients to counteract their effect.
Add salt at the end: Season sauces and soups with salt at the very end.
Heat gently: Heat milk over medium-low heat to prevent curdling.
Approximately how many pounds is 6 potatoes?
Hi Steve,
I didn’t measure my potatoes in pounds, but a good rule of thumb is usually 1 pound per potato. Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xT
Sauce broke and it didn’t look very appetizing but it did taste good
Hi Leah,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! I’m so glad it tasted good, sorry to hear you had some issues with the sauce! xx
My milk curdled
Hi Roberta,
So sorry to hear that your milk curdled. At what step did this happen? Did you finish the recipe? How did they turn out? Let me know how I can help! xT
Made these scallop potatoes and everyone raved about them. Made them the night before and cooked them for 30 minutes the next day. Soo good!!
Hi! Thank you SO much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! xT
This is what I was going to do for tomorrow.
Hope you enjoy Kim! 🙂 xT
Can I use hickory smoked Gruyère cheese?
Thanks!
Hi there! Yes you definitely can! xT
Can I mandolin my potatoes a day early for the scalloped potatoes?
I have a similar recipe, but I bring the mixture to a boil first to cut down on cooking time.
Gotta love caramelized onions and browned cheese together!😋
Thank you so so much! Love to hear this recipe was enjoyed! xT
Question? I want to make these for Christmas Eve dinner but see many had a problem with the milk curdling. I don’t see anywhere in the recipe that the milk and cream need to be room temp or cooked with the gruyere? Can you clarify? These sound delicious!
Hi Kimberly! Yes, I would recommend adding the milk and cheese at room temp! xT