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A close-up overhead shot of homemade scalloped potatoes, showcasing the bubbly cream sauce and blistered golden-brown cheese crust.

Homemade Scalloped Potatoes with a Blistered Gruyère & Cheddar Crust

Discover the ultimate Homemade Scalloped Potatoes recipe! Featuring thinly sliced Yukon Golds in a velvety cream sauce, topped with a blistered, golden-brown crust of sharp cheddar and Gruyère cheese. This is comfort food perfection, guaranteed.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, French
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2.5 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes, thinly sliced to 1/8-inch (3mm) Approx 1.1 kg
  • 5 tbsp Unsalted Butter, divided 1 tbsp for greasing dish, 4 tbsp for sauce
  • 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour Approx 30g
  • 2 cloves Garlic, finely minced
  • 2 cups Whole Milk Approx 480ml
  • 1.5 cups Heavy Cream Approx 360ml
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Cracked Black Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • 1.5 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, freshly grated Approx 170g
  • 1.5 cups Gruyère Cheese, freshly grated Approx 170g
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, finely chopped For garnish

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch (23x33cm) Ceramic Baking Dish
  • 1 Mandoline Slicer Optional, but recommended for uniform slices.
  • 1 Medium Saucepan

Instructions
 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tbsp of butter. Wash, dry, and thinly slice potatoes to 1/8-inch (3mm) thickness. Do not rinse the potato slices.
  2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 4 tbsp of butter. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the milk, then the cream, until smooth. Bring to a simmer until the sauce thickens and coats a spoon.
  3. Remove the sauce from the heat. Stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add 1 cup of the grated cheddar and 1 cup of the grated Gruyère, stirring until fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
  4. Arrange one-third of the potato slices in the bottom of the prepared dish. Cover with one-third of the cheese sauce. Repeat for two more layers, finishing with the sauce.
  5. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar and 1/2 cup of Gruyère. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the top is golden-brown.
  6. For a blistered, crispy top, turn on the oven's broiler and broil for 1-3 minutes, watching carefully until the cheese is charred in spots.
  7. Remove from the oven and let the scalloped potatoes rest for at least 15 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.

Notes

Grate Your Own Cheese: Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make your sauce gritty. Grating your own ensures a smoother melt.
Don't Rinse the Potatoes: The surface starch helps thicken the sauce as it bakes.
Let It Rest: Allowing the casserole to rest for 15 minutes before cutting is crucial for the sauce to set.
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