There is nothing quite like a creamy, cheesy potato side dish. This gluten-free scalloped potatoes recipe features roasted garlic for a delicious flavor boost. Plus, it's easy to make in advance. Making it perfect for weeknights and holidays.
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Au gratin potatoes are the go-to side dish for ham. But I also love them with our roasted turkey breast, shredded beef, or our slow cooker pork roast with apples. We eat them for Christmas and Easter (and weeknights all winter long!).
Why This Recipe Works
This scallop potato recipe is made without flour. We cook them in the cream allowing their natural starches to thicken the milk rather than relying on grainy starches.
Roasting the garlic before adding it to the potatoes gives them a delicious flavor boost. Along with dried thyme and a little nutmeg to round a flavor.
This recipe can be made in advance and reheated.
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🧾Ingredients
The best potatoes for scalloped potatoes are Yukon Golds. They are buttery and have thin skin that doesn't need to be peeled. As a substitute, you could use red potatoes or russet potatoes. Just be sure to peel them if you use russets.
Use a high-quality sharp cheddar cheese or even a mix of gruyere and cheddar. Pre shredded cheddars typically don't have a strong flavor so I recommend a block of sharp white cheddar and shredding yourself at home.
Roasted Garlic
To make the roast garlic preheat the oven to 400 F degrees. Remove any loose outer skins from garlic heads. Slice ¼ inch off the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves inside.
Drizzle the tops of the bulbs with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Wrap in the foil. Roast until the garlic cloves are lightly browned and tender, about 40 minutes.
For more details check out our post on how to roast garlic.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
⏲️Instructions
To start preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and butter a 13x18-inch casserole dish. You will want to be sure to get every nook and cranny to prevent sticking later.
Step 1- Prep the Potatoes
Cut the potatoes into ⅛ inch slices. The thinner the better for this dish as they will cook more evenly and absorb more of the flavor from the sauce.
If you have a mandoline this is a great tool to make this go faster.
Step 2- Warm the Cream
In a stockpot, bring the milk and heavy cream to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and add the sliced potatoes, roasted garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, but not soft.
Step 3- Bake
Use a large spoon to transfer ⅓ of the potatoes and cream to the casserole dish. Sprinkle with ⅓ of the cheese. Do another layer of potatoes and cheese and finish with the last ⅓ of the potatoes.
Reserve back ⅓ of the cheddar cheese but you want to be sure to get all of that delicious garlic thyme cream into the baking dish.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle on the remaining cheese, and bake for another 15 minutes, until golden brown on top.
Rest the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into the casserole.
🥗What to Serve with Scalloped Potatoes
Our garlic string bean recipe (or this unique green bean recipe) and sous vide asparagus pair well for a complete meal. Or check out our full list of gluten-free side dishes.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
-Don't soak your potatoes in water.
-Use full-fat cheese and 2% or whole milk to prevent the sauce from splitting.
Put the rack in the middle of the oven to prevent the bottom from burning.-
Taste the sauce before baking- adjust seasonings accordingly. Potatoes soak up a lot of salt.
💭 Variations
-Add some diced ham for a heartier casserole
-Try roasted sweet potatoes in place of the Yukon Golds
-Replace the cheddar cheese with Swiss, Gruyere, or even Boursin cheese.
🌡️Make Ahead and Storage
If you are making this dish ahead of time, bake it until almost done. Allow the baked casserole to cool fully. and then cover tightly with foil and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
Let the casserole dish sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes then bake at 350 F degrees until heated through.
The garlic can be roasted up to a week in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
More Comfort Food Side Dishes
💬Frequently Asked Questions
The best potatoes for scalloped potatoes are Yukon Golds. They are buttery and have thin skin that doesn't need to be peeled.
Did You Enjoy Making This Recipe? Please rate this recipe with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ or leave a comment. It helps other wonderful people connect with our food.
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into ⅛ inch slices
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 6 cloves roasted garlic mashed with a fork
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cups sharp white cheddar cheese grated and divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Grease a 9x13” baking dish with butter or cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large saucepan or stock pot, bring the milk and heavy cream to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the sliced potatoes, roasted garlic, thyme, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, 2 cups heavy cream, 1 ¼ cups whole milk, 6 cloves roasted garlic, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Use a large spoon to transfer ⅓ of the potatoes into the prepared baking dish then sprinkle ⅓ of the cheese on top. Add another ⅓ of the potatoes and another ⅓ of cheese. For the final layer of potatoes pour over the cream mixture.2 cups sharp white cheddar cheese
- Bake for 20 minutes covered. Remove the foil and sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes the top should brown slightly and the cream thickens. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Peel and slice the potatoes while the cream is heating up. This will prevent them from browning.
- Do not place the sliced potatoes in water as that will begin to remove the starch needed to thicken the cream.
Donette says
The picture shows whole nutmeg. I have never used whole nutmeg. Do I grind it or can I use the stuff that is already ground?
Jen Wooster says
Ground nutmeg will work in this recipe. For whole nutmeg you use a microplane to grind it off.
Mark Mosley says
A hit at Easter brunch
Jen Wooster says
Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for the review!
Deb says
absolutely delicious!
Jen Wooster says
Thanks for being my taste tester!
Mark Mosley says
This scalloped potato recipe is delicious. The recipe is packed with all the right ingredients for a home run. It will be a regular side dish going forward.
Jen Wooster says
Glad you enjoyed!