Creamy, cheesy, and the easiest Scalloped Potatoes Recipe you’ll make! This potato side dish has just a few ingredients and comes together quickly (no need to pre-cook the sauce).

Scalloped Potatoes are as classic as Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Sweet Potato Casserole on our holiday table. This is sure to become your go-to potato bake for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. 

Easy scalloped potatoes in casserole dish garnished with chives

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Easiest Ever Scalloped Potatoes!

This sliced potato casserole recipe will become your secret weapon for an easy and impressive side dish that always gets rave reviews. The potatoes turn out creamy, cheesy, and are infused with wonderful garlic-ranch flavor.

Our small list of ingredients will surprise you, but the combination just works. It’s perfect for a busy weeknight but is also creamy, decadent, and worthy of any special occasion.

  • Potatoes – we love starchy russets which soften beautifully
  • Ranch, Milk & Mayonnaise – create a flavorful and creamy base that infuses every slice of potato.
  • Garlic – we use a generous 3 large cloves which adds great flavor
  • Cheese – a medium cheddar cheese adds that salty bite and forms a cheesy crust.
Ingredients for scalloped potatoes

The #1 Tip for Making Scalloped Potatoes:

Slice potatoes thinly and evenly – this is the most important tip for the potato casserole to cook through quickly and evenly.

We used our food processor (using setting #1.5 on our slicing disk attachment). A mandolin slicer would also work well to thinly slice the potatoes and save you time.

thinly sliced potatoes

How to Make Creamy Scalloped Potatoes:

  1. Combine the sauce ingredients in a large bowl (reserving 1 cup cheese for the top).
  2. Thinly slice potatoes and stir them into the sauce until evenly coated. Separate the slices to ensure sauce coats every slice.
  3. Transfer coated potatoes to the prepared 9×13 casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese, cover tightly with foil.
step by step how to make scalloped potatoes

How Long to Bake Scalloped Potatoes?

The bake time will vary based on how thick you cut your potatoes. If you slice them thinner, they will bake through faster.

Bake covered with foil at 375˚F for 65-75 minutes or until tender when pierced with a knife then uncover and bake another 5 minutes. For a golden cheesy crust, broil for 2-3 minutes at the end.

perfectly baked scalloped potatoes on a spoon

Common Questions:

What are the Best Potatoes for Scalloped Potatoes?

We love making Scalloped with a variety of potatoes but our go-to are russet potatoes. Yukon gold potatoes will also work well.

How to Keep Potatoes from Browning?

If you aren’t using the peeled or sliced potatoes right away, you can keep them in a bowl of water to keep them from browning.

Can I Make Scalloped Potatoes Ahead?

Bake as directed but do not broil. Bring to room temperature then cover and refrigerate for 1-2 days. To reheat, bake covered with foil at 350˚F for 30-35 minutes until heated through.

Can I use a Different Ranch?

We love using ranch from the refrigerated section of the grocery store, like the yogurt ranch pictured above (which we also used on our Ranch Potatoes). A homemade ranch, or combining a dressing mix with sour cream according to the package instructions also works great. You can experiment using your favorite ranch dressing.

Can I make this Dish Lighter or Skinnier?

Great news! We have Skinny Scalloped Potatoes with a homemade easy roux sauce.

Easy Scalloped Potatoes served on a spoon

What to Serve with Scalloped Potatoes:

Scalloped potatoes pair well with just about any main course. We love it during the holidays with Prime Rib, our juicy Roast Turkey (don’t forget the Cranberry Sauce) or Baked Ham. Since this is such a decadent side dish, we love to pair it with simple veggie sides like:

Plated scalloped potatoes side dish

Everything about this easy scalloped potatoes recipe is good. This cheesy potato casserole always disappears fast and gets rave reviews.

Love Potatoes? Try these Potato Recipes:

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Easy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

4.97 from 149 votes
Author: Natasha Kravchuk
Easy Scalloped Potatoes in Casserole Dish
The easiest scalloped potatoes recipe! This potato side dish has just a few ingredients and comes together quickly. It's perfect for a busy weeknight but is also great for special occasions.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 18 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 38 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 8 people as a side dish
  • 1/2 cup ranch dressing , (we used refrigerated yogurt ranch)
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups medium cheddar cheese, shredded (8 oz), divided
  • 3 lbs russet potatoes, (5 large potatoes), peeled and thinly sliced less than 1/8" thick
  • 1/4 cup chives, finely chopped, to garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375˚F with the rack in the center of your oven. You'll need a buttered 9×13 casserole dish.
  • In a large mixing bowl, stir together ranch, mayonnaise, milk, minced garlic and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Add thinly sliced potatoes and stir until every slice is coated in the creamy sauce.
  • Spread the potatoes evenly into the casserole dish, patting them evenly into the dish, then sprinkle on remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese.
  • Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375˚F for 65-75 minutes or until tender when pierced with a knife. then remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes. Broil on high heat for about 2-3 minutes at the end to lightly brown the cheese crust. Rest for 10-15 minutes then garnish with chives to serve.

Nutrition Per Serving

427kcal Calories33g Carbs12g Protein28g Fat9g Saturated Fat42mg Cholesterol444mg Sodium771mg Potassium2g Fiber3g Sugar371IU Vitamin A11mg Vitamin C250mg Calcium2mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Easy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
427
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
28
g
43
%
Saturated Fat
 
9
g
56
%
Cholesterol
 
42
mg
14
%
Sodium
 
444
mg
19
%
Potassium
 
771
mg
22
%
Carbohydrates
 
33
g
11
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
12
g
24
%
Vitamin A
 
371
IU
7
%
Vitamin C
 
11
mg
13
%
Calcium
 
250
mg
25
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy scalloped potatoes, ranch scalloped potatoes
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 427

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Heather Saviage
    December 6, 2023

    I loved the super easy prep and deliciousness. No extra salt needed with both ranch and mayo. I prepared this dish in 15 minutes and we ate 3/4 of the pan between a family of 3 adults.

    What I did not love was the high sodium and saturated fat content and the processed food ingredients of the mayo and ranch. Scalloped potatoes are not traditional heart healthy but this recipe is quite unhealthy at least for me.

    Nice job with the true nutritional chart. Fresh potatoes and garlic were nice but these reminded me of box scalloped potatoes with a layer of grease on top. But super easy and satisfying! Thanks Natasha💕

    Reply

  • ANN JAMISON
    December 2, 2023

    Absolutely delicious! Everyone loved these potatoes and I will definitely make again and again.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      December 2, 2023

      That’s wonderful to hear, Ann!

      Reply

  • Sue-Ellyn
    May 3, 2023

    Great dish – it certainly disappeared quite quickly! So easy. I will admit, I added an onion I thin-sliced with the mandolin and it was perfect. Love the way it made the house smell so good while cooking!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 3, 2023

      Great to hear that it was a success, Sue!

      Reply

  • Alena
    April 29, 2023

    These were delicious and easy! Would just add salt to the recipe next time. Definitely needed it

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 29, 2023

      Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Alena. The medium cheddar cheese should add a decent amount of saltiness to the recipe, so if another cheese was used that may have altered the flavor, Alena!

      Reply

  • Tony wsre
    April 21, 2023

    Love recipes. But the page is nearly impossible to navigate due to hundreds of items popping up and page jumping all over the place

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 21, 2023

      Hi Tony, Thank you for sharing your concerns and feedback. The only way we can continue providing free recipes is by having ads on our site, so we are not able to remove those at this time. We find that most people would rather see the ads than pay to see the recipes. But we will definitely take note of your feedback and use it to improve our website.

      I appreciate your feedback, and I hope you love every recipe you try.

      Reply

      • Anne
        July 1, 2023

        Definitely needs salt as potatoes take a lot of salt to season well.

        Reply

  • Karen J eslinger
    April 15, 2023

    easy and delicious.It is quite greasy but my family ate every crumb.I added 1/2 tsp.salt and 1/4tsp. pepper

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      April 15, 2023

      Thank you for sharing, Karen! I’m glad it was eaten up! 🙂

      Reply

  • Vin
    April 10, 2023

    Was just okay for me. I don’t think the addition of the ranch dressing to the mixture did anything to enhance the recipe. But that just my taste.

    Reply

  • Tanya
    March 25, 2023

    Could I substitute the mayo for anything? I don’t eat plain mayo so I never have it on hand

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      March 25, 2023

      Hi Tanya! I haven’t tested a substitute but you could experiment with it. Let us know how it turns out.

      Reply

  • B
    December 27, 2022

    This recipe for Easy Scalloped Potatoes was just fabulous! I did as the instructions said (except for a tiny bit of salt added) and baked them the night before serving and refrigerated. Baked/reheated next day and they tasted even better than the taste test I did the night before! Your recipes are just wonderful and super trustworthy!! Thank you!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      December 27, 2022

      Aww, thank you! I’m so glad you love my recipes. I appreciate the feedback.

      Reply

  • Leslie
    November 27, 2022

    Can I make these ahead and freeze? If so do you know the reheat/baking times?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 27, 2022

      Hi Leslie, please check our instructions for making ahead in the section titled: “Can I Make Scalloped Potatoes Ahead”

      Reply

  • Lori Kfoury
    November 15, 2022

    Hello, can I prepare this a few hours prior to baking and cover with Reynolds wrap and then bake 4 to 5 hours later? Thanks

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      November 15, 2022

      Hi Lori! Yes, you can prepare everything into your dish and cover it tightly with plastic wrap then refrigerate. Some discoloration may happen on the top of the potatoes, this is normal.

      Reply

  • Vanessa Edwards
    November 3, 2022

    Hi I just love your recipes, I want to try these potatoes but I don’t know what is ranch or from where to buy it. Can I do it at home the ranch I mean? Thank you

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      November 3, 2022

      Hi Vanessa! I am not sure where you live but in the US, you can buy ranch at your local grocery store. It’s a dressing, but can also be bought as a packet of seasoning that you can add to yogurt or sour cream to make a dip. Here is a link to the ranch seasoning. You could make your own using this seasoning with sour cream to use in the recipe. If you are not able to buy seasoning, then I would recommend looking at the ingredient list for this seasoning or looking for a recipe online to create your own homemade ranch seasoning mix using garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, dill, chives, etc. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  • Pam
    November 2, 2022

    I love all your recipes…easy and tasty. I stop and read each one when i see a
    new post..then of course I have to save it.
    Thanks Natasha

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 2, 2022

      Hi Pam, we have a new save feature on our website. You may click the heart button to add a recipe to your favorites and click the magnifying class to see your saved reciped. Hope that helps!

      Reply

      • Kelley
        April 5, 2023

        Love that new feature!! The potatoes look amazing. I will have to switch up the ranch, not a fan.

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          April 5, 2023

          I’m glad you’re enjoying it, Kelley!

          Reply

  • Teresa Sikorski
    October 11, 2022

    Made these scalloped potatoes and everyone loved them. 💖😁

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      October 11, 2022

      So glad they were enjoyed!

      Reply

  • Karenf
    September 5, 2022

    I made this as written, thinking the ranch dressing might fulfill all of the seasoning requirements. In the end, this was very tasty, but it really needed salt, and next time I will also add a layer of slivered onion.

    Reply

  • Jerry
    September 2, 2022

    Made these last week family loved them so much I just put another dish in the oven. Thank you.
    Jerry

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 2, 2022

      You’re welcome! I’m so happy you all enjoyed it, Jerry!

      Reply

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