These Lazy One-Bowl Scalloped Potatoes are creamy, tender, and incredibly easy-just mix everything in one bowl and pour it into the baking dish. No layering required.
Why You'll Love This One-Bowl Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
These super easy one-bowl scalloped potatoes are a game-changer! They offer all the comfort and flavor of traditional scalloped potatoes but with significantly less effort and cleanup.
Using a mandoline slicer makes achieving those perfectly thin potato slices a breeze, ensuring even cooking and a delightful texture.
- Easy Cleanup: One-bowl preparation means less time washing dishes and more time enjoying your meal.
- Deliciously Creamy: The heavy cream creates a rich and creamy sauce that perfectly complements the tender potatoes.
- Perfect Side Dish: Scalloped potatoes are a classic side dish that pairs well with a variety of main courses.
Scalloped vs Au Gratin
What's the exact difference? Scalloped potatoes feature thinly sliced potatoes baked in a creamy sauce, usually without cheese. Au gratin potatoes are similar but include layers of cheese, which bakes into a golden, bubbly crust, defining this dish. The cheesy topping is the key distinction.
Ingredients Overview
Thinly sliced potatoes form the comforting base of this dish, bathed in a rich, creamy sauce of heavy cream. Seasoned perfectly with salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic powder, a few pats of butter dot the top. This creates extra richness and a beautiful golden-brown crust.
Complete ingredients and cooking instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make One-Bowl Scalloped Potatoes
Combine thinly sliced potatoes, heavy cream, Parmesan, and seasonings in one bowl. Pour the mixture into a baking dish, dot with butter, and bake until golden and tender. This one-bowl method ensures easy cleanup while you enjoy creamy, delicious scalloped potatoes.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish or 2 ½ quart casserole. Wash, peel, and slice the potatoes into thin slices. Using a mandoline makes this super easy!
Step 3: In a large bowl, combine thinly sliced potatoes, heavy cream, thyme leaves, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir well to ensure all the potatoes are coated in the cream mixture.
Step 4: Pour the potato mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading the potatoes out evenly. Dot the top of the potatoes with small pieces of butter.
💡 Pro Tip
If your baking dish doesn't have a lid, simply cover with some aluminum foil for the first part of the baking.
Step 5: Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown.
Check for doneness by piercing a potato slice with a fork - it should be easily pierced. Let the scalloped potatoes cool slightly to set up before serving.
Serving Suggestions
These super easy, one-bowl Scalloped Potatoes are a fantastic addition to almost any meal! They're also perfect holiday tables, complementing dishes like our bourbon maple glazed mam.
These "lazy day" potatoes pair beautifully with dutch oven turkey breast, pork tenderloin medallions, or an oven roasted tri-tip.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few delicious variations or substitutions when making this recipe.
- Dairy Choices: While milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream are traditional, you can play with the richness. For a lighter version, use all milk. For a truly decadent dish, use all heavy cream, or a blend of heavy cream and half-and-half.
- Aromatic Infusions: Elevate the flavor by infusing your dairy. Gently warm the milk or cream with a bay leaf, a few smashed garlic cloves, or a slice of onion, then strain before adding to the potatoes. This adds subtle depth.
- Herb Accents: Stir in fresh herbs for added flavor. A tablespoon of finely chopped fresh thyme, rosemary, or chives would complement the creamy potatoes beautifully. Add them in with the liquid before baking.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips to ensure making this recipe is a success:
- Slice Potatoes Evenly: Use a mandoline slicer if you have one, or a very sharp knife, to ensure your potato slices are as uniform in thickness as possible. This guarantees even cooking and a consistent, tender texture throughout the dish. A mandoline slicer makes slicing the potatoes quickly and evenly.
- Don't Skimp on Salt & Pepper: Potatoes need generous seasoning. Layering salt and freshly ground black pepper between potato layers, as well as seasoning your liquid, is crucial for a flavorful outcome.
- Prevent Curdling: To avoid your milk or cream mixture from curdling (especially if using lower-fat dairy), ensure your oven temperature isn't excessively high, or cover the dish for the first part of baking to allow the liquid to heat slowly.
- Cover for Tenderness, Uncover for Browning: For the initial baking period, cover your dish with foil. This traps steam, ensuring the potatoes become tender. Remove the foil for the last portion of baking to allow the top to get beautifully golden and bubbly.
- Rest Before Serving: Just like a good roast, letting the scalloped potatoes rest for 10-15 minutes after they come out of the oven allows the creamy sauce to set and the flavors to fully meld. This makes for cleaner slices and a more enjoyable texture.
Storage Options
Some recommended storage options for this recipe are:
- Refrigeration: Store any leftover cooled scalloped potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: While the texture can change slightly, especially becoming a bit gummier or more watery due to the dairy and potatoes, scalloped potatoes can be frozen. Allow the dish to cool completely. You can freeze the entire dish (if in a freezer-safe container) or individual portions. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, or place in freezer-safe airtight containers. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: The best method for reheating to retain texture. Preheat your oven to 300-325°F (150-160°C). Place the potatoes in an oven-safe dish, cover loosely with foil (to prevent drying), and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through and bubbling. If desired, remove foil for the last few minutes to re-crisp the top.
Related Recipes
- Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes
- Baked Sweet Potato Slices
- Sous Vide Roast Eye of Round
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use other types of potatoes, such as red potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes.
Milk can be used, but the sauce will not be as thick and creamy.
Bake for a few more minutes, checking every 5 minutes, until tender.
Increase the oven temperature slightly or broil for a few minutes to brown the top.
Easy Thanksgiving Recipes
Get The Recipe!
One-Bowl Scalloped Potatoes
Equipment
- Ceramic 9x13 Casserole Dish
- French Corning 2.5 quart casserole
Ingredients
- 2¼ pounds Russet potatoes washed, peeled, and sliced thin
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish or 2 ½ quart casserole.
- Wash, peel, and slice the potatoes into thin slices. Using a mandoline makes this super easy!2¼ pounds Russet potatoes
- In a large bowl, combine thinly sliced potatoes, heavy cream, thyme leaves, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir well to ensure all the potatoes are coated in the cream mixture.2 cups heavy cream, ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Pour the potato mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading the potatoes out evenly.
- Dot the top of the potatoes with small pieces of butter.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown. Check for doneness by piercing a potato slice with a fork - it should be easily pierced.
- Let the scalloped potatoes cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Slice Potatoes Evenly: Use a mandoline slicer if you have one, or a very sharp knife, to ensure your potato slices are as uniform in thickness as possible. This guarantees even cooking and a consistent, tender texture throughout the dish. A mandoline slicer makes slicing the potatoes quickly and evenly.
- Don't Skimp on Salt & Pepper: Potatoes need generous seasoning. Layering salt and freshly ground black pepper between potato layers, as well as seasoning your liquid, is crucial for a flavorful outcome.
- Prevent Curdling: To avoid your milk or cream mixture from curdling (especially if using lower-fat dairy), ensure your oven temperature isn't excessively high, or cover the dish for the first part of baking to allow the liquid to heat slowly.
- Cover for Tenderness, Uncover for Browning: For the initial baking period, cover your dish with foil. This traps steam, ensuring the potatoes become tender. Remove the foil for the last portion of baking to allow the top to get beautifully golden and bubbly.
- Rest Before Serving: Just like a good roast, letting the scalloped potatoes rest for 10-15 minutes after they come out of the oven allows the creamy sauce to set and the flavors to fully meld. This makes for cleaner slices and a more enjoyable texture.
Kelly Bloom says
These are the easiest and creamiest scalloped potatoes I've ever made!