Weeknight Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped potatoes often means an extended bake time, however not with this technique! All the things begins on the stovetop so the potatoes are tender earlier than they even hit the oven. Meaning you get creamy, garlicky layers with a golden tacky prime in about half-hour. It’s weeknight-friendly, however fancy sufficient for vacation dinners.

These are excellent to serve alongside a roasted turkey breast or spiral ham.

Why My Recipe

• Fast stovetop begin hastens baking for a 30-minute aspect dish.
• Easy substances with Parmesan, nutmeg, and garlic for taste.
• One-pan choice retains prep and cleanup minimal.

I don’t find out about you, however as a lot as I really like scalloped potatoes, I hardly ever make them as a result of they take too lengthy. This technique is definitely tailored from a method developed by the sensible people over at Prepare dinner’s Illustrated, and let me let you know, it’s a game-changer. By simmering the potatoes first, you narrow the baking time approach down whereas nonetheless getting every part you like about scalloped potatoes. Parmesan, garlic, and a tiny pinch of nutmeg make the entire dish shine. And in order for you even fewer dishes, you possibly can preserve all of it in a small Dutch oven from begin to end.

Ingredient Notes

• Russet Potatoes: Their excessive starch content material helps thicken the sauce and retains the slices from falling aside. Slice them evenly, about 1/8-inch thick, for the most effective texture.
• Salted Butter: Utilizing salted butter simply means you gained’t want so as to add fairly as a lot salt later. In the event you solely have unsalted, simply add an additional pinch of salt.
• Minced Garlic: Freshly minced has the most effective taste, however pre-minced from a jar works too. It simply has a barely extra bitter taste.
• Heavy Cream: You possibly can substitute with half-and-half, however the sauce can be barely thinner.
• Hen Broth: Vegetable broth works if you wish to preserve it vegetarian.
• Salt: Modify to style in case your broth is salted. Begin with much less and style as you go.
• Black Pepper: Freshly cracked pepper provides essentially the most taste.
• Floor Nutmeg: Only a contact enhances the creaminess of the sauce with out overpowering it.
• Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated melts extra easily and offers higher taste than pre-shredded.

Potato Science

Potatoes aren’t all constructed the identical, and the sort you employ actually does change how your scalloped potatoes end up. The distinction comes right down to starch ranges.

Russet Potatoes (Excessive-Starch): That is the traditional selection for a motive. Russets have plenty of starch, which implies as they prepare dinner, they naturally thicken the cream into that silky sauce all of us love. Additionally they have a drier texture, so that they absorb taste and keep in good, tender layers as an alternative of sliding into mush.

Yukon Gold Potatoes (Medium-Starch): In the event you like your potatoes a bit creamier and buttery, Yukon Golds are an important choice. They don’t launch as a lot starch, so your sauce may not be fairly as thick, however they offer you a wealthy, nearly custardy chunk.

Crimson Potatoes (Low-Starch/Waxy): Reds will completely maintain their form, however they don’t offer you a lot assist with the sauce. In the event you use them, anticipate a firmer texture and a thinner cream base. Completely effective if that’s your model, however it gained’t really feel fairly like traditional scalloped potatoes.

Potato Slicing Choices

Even slices are the key to scalloped potatoes that prepare dinner evenly and get that excellent tender chunk. A mandoline gives you constant 1/8-inch slices very quickly, however if you happen to don’t have one, a meals processor with a slicing blade or a sharp chef’s knife works too. Some cheese graters even have a slicing aspect that may work.

In the event you’re slicing by hand, reduce the potato in half lengthwise first for a flat floor. It makes issues safer and simpler.

Pan Decisions

This recipe offers you two methods to bake: preserve every part in a single pot or switch to a baking dish.

When you’ve got a smaller 2 to three quart oven-safe pot, you possibly can prepare dinner and bake every part in the identical dish. That’s the simplest route and it’s tremendous handy, however lots of people don’t have such a small oven-safe pot.

Most Dutch ovens are fairly massive, often round 6 quarts, and that’s approach an excessive amount of house for this recipe. The potatoes will simply unfold out and gained’t bake up the best way you need. In that case, switch every part right into a 9×9 pan or a 1 1/2 to 2-quart casserole dish to complete baking.

Tacky Variations

Parmesan retains this dish traditional, however you possibly can have enjoyable with the cheese right here.

Sharp cheddar provides a daring taste, Gruyère offers a nutty richness, and Fontina melts so properly into the cream. You possibly can even do a mixture of any of them. Simply preserve the entire quantity of cheese round 1/2 to 1 cup so the sauce doesn’t get too heavy.

Scaling the Recipe

Want greater than 4 servings? This recipe scales simply. For about 8 folks, double the substances and use a 9×13-inch baking dish. For a crowd of 12 to 16, triple the recipe and break up it between two 9×13 pans. Remember the fact that bigger batches could take an additional 10 to fifteen minutes within the oven, so begin checking for doneness across the 30-minute mark.

Make-Forward Choice

You possibly can assemble the potatoes as much as 24 hours upfront. Observe the recipe by means of simmering and transferring to your baking dish, then cowl tightly with foil and refrigerate.

Whenever you’re able to bake, let the dish sit out for 20–half-hour whereas your oven heats, then prime with cheese and bake as directed. You might want so as to add 5–10 minutes because it’s beginning chilly.

Serving Solutions

Scalloped potatoes are a aspect dish that goes with nearly every part. They’re excellent with roasted chicken, a glazed ham steak, or a juicy beef ribeye. And truthfully? They’re so good you may simply make them the star of the plate.