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Cheesy Garlic Scalloped Potatoes

This Cheesy Garlic Scalloped Potatoes makes the perfect Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday side dish. Soft and thinly sliced potatoes are layered and covered in a luscious and creamy garlic cheese sauce.

I know you want to dig into this cheesy loveliness, because WHO CAN RESIST?!?

Scooping a spoonful of Cheesy Garlic Scalloped Potatoes

Love potatoes? Don’t forget to also check out some of my other favorites on the blog: Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Potato Casserole with Andouille Sausage, and Crispy Baked Potato Skins.

The BEST Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

This is our go to scalloped potato recipe that we make during the holiday season, and occasionally even for dinner on a weekend (when the cheesy potato cravings hit).

 

Here are a few reasons why this cheesy garlic scalloped potatoes is so delicious:

  • Flavored with garlic – I love my garlic and fresh garlic is used in this cheesy garlic scalloped potatoes to make the cheese sauce incredibly flavorful.
  • Chicken broth – you cannot go wrong with potatoes and creamy cheese that is infused with chicken broth. Just like my awesome 15-Minute Queso (Cheese Dip) recipe, which seem like a complete different food item, but in many ways it is not, chicken broth brings another dimension of flavor to the creamy sauce and elevates it.
  • Creamy but not crazy heavy – this is a creamy and thick potato dish, but not so much that the cream overpower the potatoes. I like to think that the creaminess and cheese enhances the scalloped potatoes, and not overtake it completely.

Ingredients

Here is the full ingredient list to make cheesy garlic scalloped potatoes:

  • potatoes – My favorite potatoes to use for cheesy scalloped potatoes are Yukon gold potatoes, russets or Idaho. Basically middle to high starch potatoes are perfect for this.
  • garlic – use fresh garlic because garlic powder is just not as flavorful if you really want the garlic flavors to come through.
  • cheese – using three cheeses in this cheesy scalloped potatoes: mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan. You can opt for other cheeses as well.
  • butter
  • onion – sweet, yellow or white onions
  • flour – used to thicken the sauce
  • milk – i typically use 2% milk.
  • chicken broth – important ingredient for another layer of flavor
  • thyme – dried or fresh thyme works fine. Fresh will be more flavorful but it’s not necessary
A casserole of Cheesy Garlic Scalloped Potatoes

How to make Garlic Scalloped Potatoes

Next, I’m going to show you how easy it is to make these cheesy scalloped potatoes!

Prepare Potatoes

First, we are going to prepare the potatoes by slicing them into thin slices. Make sure they are nice and thin (~ 1/8 inch in thickness) so that they cook easily and soften quickly.

Here are two reasons why it’s so easy to make garlic scalloped potatoes:

  • no boiling potatoes beforehand
  • no peeling potatoes

Just make sure you slice those potatoes super thinly and that’s all there is to it when it comes to preparing your potatoes.

Potatoes sliced thinly
Thinly sliced potatoes

Prepare Cheese Sauce

Next we make that delicious garlic cheese sauce, another essential part of our cheesy garlic scalloped potatoes. Gosh I love it so much.

Heat a medium pot to medium heat and add butter.

Once butter is melted, add diced onions and minced garlic. Sauté for a few minutes until they are soft and fragrant.

Add flour and stir to combine. Once combined, add milk, chicken broth, thyme and salt. Whisk mixture continuously as it comes to a boil. It’s important to whisk it so that the flour clumps will dissolve.

Continue stirring and cook for a few minutes, or until sauce thickens slightly.

Turn off heat and add shredded cheddar, shredded mozzarella and parmesan. Stir to combine. 

Making cheese sauce in a pot on stove

Remove from heat promptly and set aside.

Next we will be layering the potatoes and cheese sauce to form a casserole dish full of cheesy scalloped potatoes.

Layer Casserole

Here’s how we layer the cheesy garlic scalloped potatoes:

  1. place 1/3 of the potatoes in a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish
  2. add 1/3 of the cheese sauce
  3. repeat 1) and 2) until everything is gone.
Adding cheese sauce to potatoes

Tip: As you layer the potatoes, make sure to spread them out and cover each of them well with sauce to ensure all your cheesy scalloped potatoes are fully cooked. Potatoes not covered with sauce are more difficult to cook through and will not be as soft.

Bake casserole

Once you have three layers of potatoes and cheese sauce, send your cheesy scalloped potatoes to the oven to bake!

When cheesy scalloped potatoes are done, they should be bubbly with a slightly golden brown top. Potatoes should be soft and coated in that rich and creamy cheese sauce.

A rectangular casserole of Cheesy Garlic Scalloped Potatoes

Cheese. Potatoes. Cheese. Potatoes.

With garlic flavored goodness all around it.

My heart is full. My stomach is full.

The cheese on the top will be slightly brown and crusty. Dig a spoon into it, and the creamy, velvety cheese will ooze out, along with the now tender and soft slices of potatoes.

Okay YUUUUMMMM.

This lovely cheesy garlic scalloped potatoes makes the best side to any main dishes. If you truly must, it can also be consumed by itself.

Storage and Reheat

Cheesy garlic scalloped potatoes are the perfect dish to make ahead. Storage it covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To reheat, simply cover and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes at 350℉.

Scooping out some cheesy potatoes

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use other cheeses?

Yes! Colby jack, Monterey jack, or any of your favorite blends work great! Make sure out of the cheeses you use, some of them melts easily (soft cheeses).

Can I freeze cooked scalloped potatoes?

Yes! When ready to reheat, bring it to the refrigerator the night before so that it defrost completely. Then follow the reheating instructions to reheat.

DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE? Please comment below and give us a 5-star rating! This will help others find this recipe on Google and Pinterest. We very much appreciate your help! 🤍

Calling all potato lovers!

We heart potatoes. But then who doesn’t? Check out these other awesome potato dishes!

Scooping a spoonful of Cheesy Garlic Scalloped Potatoes

Cheesy Garlic Scalloped Potatoes

An easy and yummy side dish for the holidays or any day! Tender and soft sliced potatoes baked to perfection and in a creamy, velvety, garlic flavored cheese sauce.
4.86 from 61 votes
Print Pin
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 239kcal
Author: MinShien

Ingredients

  • 2.5-3 lbs yukon potatoes
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 8-10 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup cheddar shredded
  • 1 cup mozzarella shredded
  • 3/4 cup parmesan grated

Instructions

  • Scrub and clean potatoes, then thinly slice potatoes into 1/8 inch thin slices. No need to peel potatoes. Set aside.
  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a medium pot, turn heat to medium and add butter. Once butter is melted, add diced onions and minced garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minute or until they are soft. Avoid over-browning them.
  • Add flour and stir to combine. Once combined, add milk, chicken broth, thyme and salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Continue stirring and cook for a few minutes, or until sauce thickens slightly.
  • Turn off heat and add shredded cheddar, shredded mozzarella and parmesan. Stir to combine. It’s okay if cheese does not melt completely.
  • Grease a 9″ x 13″ casserole. Add 1/3 of the potatoes to casserole, then spread 1/3 of the cheese sauce onto potatoes, then add the next 1/3 of potatoes and cheese sauce, until all the potatoes and cheese are layered. There should be three alternate layers of potatoes and cheese sauce.
  • Cover casserole with aluminum foil, bake for 30 minutes. Uncover casserole and bake for another 35-45 minutes.
  • Cool for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Notes: To ensure the potatoes are cooked and tender, remember to slice the potatoes thin (~ 1/8 inch), and to spread them out evenly on the casserole dish and make sure they are smothered with cheese sauce (being in contact with the sauce helps them get cooked through!)

Nutrition

Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 540mg | Potassium: 515mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 397IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 255mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Take a pic and tag me at @joyous.apron, or hashtag #joyousapron on Instagram!

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Recipe Rating




36 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These potatoes sound like an amazing side dish! I can’t resist garlicy potatoes – they’re real comfort food.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Yay! It really is so yummy! Thank you Corina! 🙂

  2. Can you make this potaoes the night before and cook the next day?

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Yes! You can! You may need to cook it longer in the oven if the potatoes have been sitting in the refrigerator before you bake it!

  3. 5 stars
    Hello,
    These scalloped potatoes look amazing! Thinking I’ll make them for our family Christmas potluck.
    Does this recipe require fresh thyme or dried thyme?

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      I wrote it for dried thyme but fresh thyme would work great as well!

  4. Do you think you could freeze it then unthaw and bake?

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Yes! That works!

  5. 5 stars
    There is always something soooo delicious about cheese and potatoes together and this recipe totally knocks it outta the park!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Thanks Christie! So glad you like it! 🙂

  6. 5 stars
    One of the best potato side dishes I’ve ever made for a festive holiday dinner. I made these for Christmas Dinner for 15 people and not one potato crumb was left. They loved them that much. Came home and used the left over potatoes I had stored in fresh water in refrig and made another batch for home with my little family! Dang they were good!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Yay! So happy to hear that you all enjoyed this for Christmas! 🙂

  7. 5 stars
    I have made these several times now, everyone loves them thank you for the recipe

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Great to hear that, Melissa! Glad you all enjoyed it!

  8. 5 stars
    i made these potatoes for my family and there was nothing left! can they be made
    in the crock pot?

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      I have not tried it but I think it should be fine!

  9. You replied to one of the question that it’s ok to prepare night before and cook next day, Will the uncook potatoes discolour?

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      In my experience, since it is covered in sauce, I cannot tell whether it is discolored or not.

  10. Sheila Thigpen says:

    5 stars
    These garlicky potatoes are always a huge hit at our family gatherings — so delicious!!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      I’m so glad to hear that!!!

  11. 5 stars
    Cheese and potatoes just go together and these did not disappoint! Making again for Christmas this year, another winning recipe from the Joyous Apron!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Thank you so much! The best compliment 🙂

  12. 5 stars
    These turned out soooo good! Will be making again.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      I’m so glad to hear that!!

  13. 5 stars
    These are my FAVORITE potatoes! So perfectly creamy and cheesy, a must for the holidays.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Glad to hear it’s your fave!! Mine as well 🙂

  14. Michaela Kenkel says:

    5 stars
    Made these for a family potluck yesterday and they were INSANELY good!! I was scrapping the dish to get to try them! Thanks for another winner of a recipe!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Wonderful! Great to hear that!

  15. Do you think russet potatoes would work? I have those in abundance.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      That should work just fine!

  16. If I cook for 30 minutes, can I then freeze? If so should I thaw and cook covered for 30-40 min uncovered?

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Yes you can freeze it. To reheat, you can thaw it and cook it covered for 30-40 min (see my reheating instructions).

  17. 5 stars
    Perfect – the whole family enjoyed it! I especially liked that it didn’t contain any cream. I had to halve the recipe as I didn’t have enough potatoes on hand which was a shame!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      I’m so glad to hear you and your family enjoyed this, Linda!

  18. Taimi Tillinghast says:

    5 stars
    Absolutely, delicious meal. I made this for my family and they loved it. I could only have some amount due to of health issues.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Aw I’m sorry to hear about your situation , but thank you so much for sharing how much your family loved it.