Grandma used to make these old fashioned scalloped potatoes for every special occassion. They are a family favorite, and today I am happy to share them with the Alison’s Allspice family.
If you are asking yourself, where’s the cheese? Well friend, you are looking for potatoes au gratin, not scalloped potatoes. Scalloped potatoes are made with a creamy sauce, but no cheese.
Don’t worry, even without the cheese, these potatoes are delicious. The rich and creamy sauce is layered between sliced potatoes to make a classic comfort food recipe that is perfect for the holidays, or any special occasion.
Tips and Tricks for the Old Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes recipe:
- Soak the potatoes in water. This is a step that grandma always did; she said it was to prevent the potatoes from browning or oxidizing. I tried it many times without the soak, and the dish always turned out dry. Turns out that grandmas trick was the perfect way to keep these potatoes moist.
- Salt to taste. This can be difficult to judge if you don’t cook often. I would start with 1/2 tsp divided up among the layers. You can always add more at the table, but you can’t take it away.
- Garlic and Herbs: If you want to add some garlic or herbs, such as rosemary or thyme, you can add them to the butter and saute until fragrant. Then mix in the flour and proceed with the recipe.
- Potato Skins: I leave my skins on because that is where all the nutrients and fiber are in a potato. You can peel them if you prefer.
Old Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Alison's Allspice
Recipe type: Side
Cuisine: American
Serves: 5-6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs russet potatoes (about 5 medium)
- 1¾ cup whole milk (14oz)
- 3 TBS unsalted butter
- 2 TBS and 1 tsp all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Slice potatoes evenly (I used a slicing attachment on a food processor) and cover with water in a large bowl for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce by melting the butter in a small pot and whisk in flour. Whisk for about 1 minute.
- Slowly add half of the milk, whisking constantly. Let this come to a simmer and thicken and slowly add the second half of the milk. (Adding it in two batches helps to ensure that the flour doesn't settle to the bottom and make a clumpy sauce)
- Spray a large baking casserole with cooking spray and layer in a third of the potatoes. Cover with a third of the sauce, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Repeat layers 2 more times, finishing with sauce, salt and pepper on top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, covered. Remove the cover and bake another 15-30 minutes, or until tender, and starting to brown.
Recipe was adapted from my Grandma’s original hand-written recipe.
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