Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped Potatoes are the perfect Thanksgiving potato!
For the longest time, I served mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving because they are the perfect vehicle for gravy and felt quintessentially ThanksgivingTM to me. However, I had a problem. I love sweet potatoes and insisted on having both them and regular potatoes as part of the spread. After trying various sweet potato dishes, I always went back to mashed. It’s just my preferred way to eat them. But, obviously, I couldn’t serve both mashed potatoes AND mashed sweet potatoes. That’d be crazy! Insane! Heretical! Luckily I discovered scalloped potatoes. Rich, creamy, and ridiculously delicious they make the perfect Thanksgiving potato.
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Potatoes
I’ve experimented with both waxy potatoes (like fingerlings) and floury/baking potatoes (like russets). Personally, I prefer baking potatoes because they are bigger, resulting in nicer slices. However, both types work well as long as they aren’t overcooked. Overcooked potatoes, regardless of type, fall apart in the sauce, and we want nice, intact slices. Choose the potato variety you enjoy most, avoid over-stirring and overcooking, and it will turn out great!
Al Dente Potatoes
Avoid overcooking the potatoes – think of them like pasta. They should be juuuust cooked, where a sharp knife can slide in and out, and the slice remains intact. Slightly undercooking is better than overcooking since the potatoes will cook further in the casserole, so they won’t remain hard.
Garlic
To achieve a subtle and sweet garlic flavor, I prefer adding the garlic before the onions. Infusing the butter with garlic first helps transfer its flavor throughout the dish, and the garlic softens, sweetens, and cooks more evenly by itself. Just a few minutes of this step can make a noticeable difference.
I’m so happy with these scalloped potatoes. This started out as a recipe I developed for Thanksgiving dinner but has evolved into something that I make semi-regularly. Whenever I want to serve a prime cut of meat or host a fancier dinner party, these are my go-to potatoes! Their rich and creamy texture, along with the subtle garlic flavor, make them a delightful side dish that compliments various main courses. They also pair perfectly with gravy. You and your guest are going to love them!
Ingredients
- 1000 g potatoes
- 1 large onion or 2 medium-small ones
- 50 g butter
- 5 big cloves of garlic
- 500 ml cream
- 100 ml milk
- 5 sprigs worth of Thyme leaves
- 15 g salt
- 100 g cheese
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and place them in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning.
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add thinly sliced garlic and let it cook until it becomes clear and perfumes the butter.
- While the garlic is cooking, peel and thinly slice the onion. Add it to the pot along with the salt and cook until the onions become soft and clear.
- Slice the potatoes into approximately ¼ inch or ⅓ cm thick slices while the onions are cooking. Do not place the potato slices back into the water. We don’t want to wash any potato starch.
- Once the onions are soft, pour in the cream and milk and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
- Add all the sliced potatoes to the pot and stir so that every slice is coated. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are al dente.
- Avoid stirring too often to keep the potato slices intact.
- Once the potatoes are al dente and the sauce is thick, transfer everything to a casserole pan.
- At this point, you can bake it immediately or refrigerate/freeze it for later.
If Cooking Immediately
- Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake at 200C/400F until bubbling and the cheese is melted and brown, about 20 minutes.
If Refrigerating
- Cover with foil and place in the fridge. When time to cook, top with cheese and bake at 175C/350°F for 40 minutes to an hour until bubbling and the cheese is melted and brown.
If Freezing
- Let it cool a bit, then wrap in foil and place in the freezer. You can bake directly from frozen.
- Place in a 175C/350F oven for about 30 minutes. Take it out, sprinkle it with cheese and place back in the oven until the cheese is melted and brown, about 20 minutes.