Layers of potatoes, cheese, onions, and a creamy sauce bake up into one of our favorite Easter side dishes of all time in these easy scalloped potatoes. Or au gratin potatoes. Whatever you want to call them. Either way we are talking cheesy, carby deliciousness made 100% from scratch.
4poundsrusset potatoes, peeled and sliced ⅛-inch thick
4Tablespoonsbutter
1mediumonion, peeled and thinly sliced
4clovesgarlic, minced
¼cupall-purpose flour
2 ½cupswhole milk
½cupcream
2teaspoonsKosher salt
½teaspoonblack pepper
2 ½cupsfreshly-grated sharp cheddar cheese
½cupfreshly-grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 5-6 minutes, until they begin to soften and turn translucent. Add garlic and saute another 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle onions, butter, and garlic with flour and stir until evenly dispersed, continuing to cook for 1 minute.
Slowly whisk in the milk and cream until combined so there are no lumps of flour. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes, just until the sauce begins to thicken and barely starts to simmer around the edges of the pan. Do not let it come to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside.
Spread half of the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish in an even layer. Top with half the sauce and onions. Sprinkle with half of the cheddar cheese and all of the Parmesan cheese. Top with another layer of the remaining potatoes, remaining sauce and onions, and remaining cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered an additional 30-45 minutes, until browned on top and potatoes are cooked through. If the cheese on top begins to brown too much, recover with foil to finish baking.
Notes
Really, any melty cheese will work well here. I have used a combination of sharp cheddar with either monterey jack or gruyere before with wonderful results, but you could also try gouda, mozzarella, or fontina as well.