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2021 HBH Holiday Guide: Beauty
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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 butter
- Yellow onion
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Dry white wine
- Garlic
- Chopped fresh thyme
- Heavy cream
- Whole milk
- Cayenne
- Shredded Guyere cheese
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Russet or Yukon gold potatoes
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.
Watch the How-To Reel
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.
This post was originally published on November 15, 2021
Looking forward to making this for thanksgiving! When you say 6 potatoes—can you estimate a weight amount? I just ask because especially Yukon gold can vary so much in size that 6 potatoes could produce very different amounts. Thanks so much!
Hey there,
I would say about 5 pounds of potatoes. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Made this recipe last night and turned out excellent! I am not a huge onion/garlic fan but when they’re cooked down and caramelized, they really make the dish. I needed to use up a big bag of potatoes before they turned, and this recipe was perfect for that! Followed the recipe exactly except for the 1/3 layering…I just poured some cheese, milk, and onions in the bottom, then layered all the potatoes standing up, then more cheese, milk, and onions on top! I wiggled the potatoes around with a fork once assembled to make sure all the milk and cheese got between most of them (a tip from her instagram). The extra cheese on top after it bakes a couple hours is necessary. Delish!
Hey Kate,
Happy Friday!! Love to hear that you liked the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Have a great weekend. xTieghan
Looks fantastic. You say to layer one third of potatoes first, do you mean layer them flat? Little confused as the pic shows the slices standing up? Not sure how you would do one third at a time that way?
Hey Julie,
I just layer them at an angle. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Loved this recipe! Caramelizing onions in wine and cheesy goodness!!! I used a food processor to slice the potatoes. Sprinkled cheese over layers and poured cream on top instead 1/3 cup each time and it turned out perfect in convection oven . Thank you so much !!
Hey Zena,
Happy Friday!! Love to hear that you liked the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Have a great weekend. xTieghan
Hello! Wondering if I can substitute Gruyere cheese with Gouda cheese?
Hey Ambryn,
Sure, any cheeses that you like will work well here. I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
You are the best! Love your recipes and your heart?
Thanks so much Julie!
I made these last night for a neighborhood dinner and they were a huge hit! I will definitely make them again!
Hey Karen,
Happy Friday!! Love to hear that you liked the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Have a great weekend. xTieghan
Really fantastic scalloped potatoes. Made it for my Thanksgiving test run since I can’t risk bringing a new recipe without trying it out. They turned out great with the ingredients listed. The wine along with the onions adds some really nice complex flavors to a dish that can sometimes taste like sour cream and onion potato chips. This will be a staple!
Hey Fabio,
Wonderful! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This recipe looks like the answer to my mom’s recipe that I haven’t been able to find since she passed. What mandolin do you use?
Hey Suzanne,
Here is the link for my mandolin:
https://www.crateandbarrel.com/oxo-stainless-steel-mandoline-slicer/s668993
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
If you need to double the recipe should I put in 2 9 x 13 pans or what do you recommend? I will be cooking and taking to my MIL’s house for lunch for 16 people. Do you really think I need to double?
Hey Christi,
Yes, you will need to use 2 pans and it really depends on how hungry your guests are and how much other food there will be. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this as a test run for thanksgiving tonight. I love the way you said to caramelize the onions. I am an onion fan so I will be doubling the onion from now on. The only thing I would have liked was a metric measurement for the salt and pepper. I know everyone has different opinions on saltiness but I didn’t add enough because I was nervous it would be too salty. It’s not that much of a problem though because you can always add to taste. Everyone in my family said yes to making it again for thanksgiving. This is my first dish I’ve made on HBH, I’m excited to try making more.
Hey Isabella,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xTieghan
I cut the potatoes up and boil until almost done. Drain the the rest of it cheese sauce onions etc. then bake about 30 mins
I hope you loved the recipe Peg!
Do you mind sharing how long you broiled for?
Hey Heidi,
If you broil the top, you probably only need to for 5 minutes or so, keep an eye on it! xTieghan
Will try but but have a daughter that needs Gluten free. I use almond milk with corn starch gluten free and just put over potatoes then in slow oven. Works fine no wine and does thicken good.
Hey Florence,
This recipe is already GF so you do not need to make any adjustments. Please let me know if you give it a try. xTieghan
I can’t wait to try these!! Do you have a tip if I wanted to skip the caramelized onions? I have some non-onion fans I’m cooking for…subbing in onion powder? Thanks!
Hey Sheila,
Sure, you could totally do onion powder, you could even just do the onions on half of the dish. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I’m so excited to try this and think it will be a big hit at my Friends-Giving dinner. Is there another option you could recommend instead of White Wine? We have an allergy we’re working around.
I use chx broth if I’m out of wine.
I have always used a broth in place of wine in my cooking personally; in this case I would use a chicken broth, but if you prefer to keep the dish vegetarian you could use vegetable broth
Hey Chelsea,
You can use veggie or chicken broth in place of the wine. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan