Scalloped Potatoes

5 from 19 votes

Thinly sliced potatoes, nestled and layered in a rich cheesy Gruyere cream sauce with a hint of thyme, nutmeg and garlic.

Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Total Time1 5

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, French, International

Servings:

Calories: 602kcal

Author: Anecia Hero

Equipment

2 quart baking dish (holds six to eight cups)
Mandolin or sharp knife

Ingredients

2.5 - 3 pounds russet potatoes , peeled and sliced - ¼" inch thick
1 cup milk
water
salt (1 teaspoon per pound of potatoes)
2 cloves peeled garlic
1½ cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter (for baking dish)
2 tablespoons butter for the top of the potatoes , cut into 8-10 small pieces
3 cups shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground thyme ,ground
1 teaspoon kosher salt for cream mixture
⅛ teaspooon ground white pepper
¾ teaspoon salt (divided) : use ¼ teaspoon for each layer

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400ºF; peel and slice potatoes into 1/4" slices; put the slices to a large bowl of water so they won't turn brown. In a two-cup measuring cup, add cream, nutmeg, thyme, salt and pepper; stir till combined and set aside; butter the baking dish.
salt (1 teaspoon per pound of potatoes), 1½ cups heavy cream, 1 tablespoon butter (for baking dish), ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground thyme, 1 teaspoon kosher salt for cream mixture, ⅛ teaspooon ground white pepper
Parboil: Transfer sliced potatoes to stockpot; add milk, whole garlic cloves, salt and enough water to cover the potatoes. Stir well; Cook on medium to medium-high heat for 7-10 minutes or until they are slightly tender then drain them. (see Recipe Notes)
2.5 - 3 pounds russet potatoes, 1 cup milk, water, 2 cloves peeled garlic , salt (1 teaspoon per pound of potatoes)
Place a third of the potato slices in the prepared baking dish and drizzle one-third of the cream mixture (half a cup) over the potatoes then sprinkle one-third (1 cup) of the cheese and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Repeat the step above two more times but don't add the final top layer of cheese yet. Cover dish tightly with foil, place on middle rack; bake for 20-minutes.
3 cups shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
Remove from oven; remove the foil, add remaining cheese and dot the top with small pieces of butter. Return dish to oven (uncovered) and bake another 20-30 minutes @ 400℉. Allow to rest for 5-15 minutes; serve with spoon or slice into 12-16 squares
2 tablespoons butter for the top of the potatoes

Notes

Place sliced potatoes in a pot of water to prevent browning; pat dry with paper towel before placing in baking dish
When you drizzle the cream sauce over each layer, don't get heavy-handed or the potatoes will be soggy. 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup is usually enough to prevent the potatoes from being dry in the middle.

Parboiling the potatoes:

Add just enough heavy cream to cover the potatoes. The recipe calls for 1½ cups, but it will depend upon how many pounds of potatoes you use and how big your stockpot is...

Cheese:

You'll need 3-4 cups of shredded cheese. Swiss cheese is a good substitue for Gruyere.
12 ounces of shredded cheese = about 3 cups; if you like your potatoes extra cheesy use 4 cups.

Potatoes:

A mandolin is the quickest and most accurate method for slicing this potatoes.
If you are using a knife, you want the potato slices to be about 3mm thick-this is about the height of two stacked pennies.

Preparation for Large Groups:

If you're serving a large group, cut the cooked potatoes into 12-16 squares or in individual ramekins. This helps monitor portion sizes.

Nutrition