Dill scalloped potatoes is an easy side dish to make from scratch. Thin sliced potatoes are coated in a creamy dill sauce and baked in the oven. It's perfect for family dinners and holidays!
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Thin sliced potatoes are coated in a creamy, homemade dill sauce that packs bright, fresh flavor.
Yield: 8 servings in a 9x13 pan.
Great for: Family meals and holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Serve with: Marmalade Glazed Ham or Juicy Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts
Similar to: Gruyere Potatoes Au Gratin and Potatoes Au Gratin with Ham
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Potatoes - Russet potatoes or yukon gold potatoes work for this recipe. They're both easy to find at your local grocer and available year round.
- Onion & garlic - Add flavor to the casserole. I don't recommend omitting either of these ingredients.
- Butter - Unsalted butter can be substituted with salted butter if desired. I'd recommend reducing the listed salt by ¼ teaspoon.
- Flour - Mixed with the butter to make a roux, which thickens the cream sauce.
- Chicken broth - Adds flavor to the cream sauce. If using a low sodium broth, you may want to add a little extra seasoning to the sauce to make up for the lost flavor.
- Milk - I recommend using whole milk for best flavor and a thick, creamy texture. Lower fat milks can work but sauce will be thinner and has a higher chance of breaking in the oven.
- Seasoning - Salt, pepper, and dill add flavor to the sauce. Dill has a fresh, bright flavor that's lovely in the spring and summer. It could be substituted with thyme or rosemary for a flavor that pairs well with Thanksgiving and Christmas dishes.
How to make scalloped potatoes
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Sauté onions and garlic, then add flour to create a roux.
- Whisk in broth and milk, and continue cooking until sauce has thickened.
- Thin slice potatoes using a mandoline slicer. Arrange about ¼ of potatoes in the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 dish, then top with about ¼ of sauce. Repeat 3x more for four total layers of potatoes and sauce.
- Cover and bake for about 45 minutes, then uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.
Tips and tricks
Use a mandoline - My secret to perfectly sliced potatoes? Use a mandoline slicer, like this version on Amazon: mandoline slicer. I recommend setting it to ⅛" to ensure your casserole cooks through within the times listed in the recipe card.
Don't have a mandoline? - Many times your food processor has an attachment to slice vegetables. Check the sides of your box cheese grater - one side may have a vegetable slicer. If all else fails, carefully slice your potatoes using a chef's knife. This option is the most time consuming.
Cook the sauce until it thickens - It may take several minutes for your sauce base to thicken on the stove top. If you've doubled this recipe to make two large casseroles, it will take even longer. Be patient, whisk occasionally, and it will slowly thicken. Your sauce is ready when it thickly coats the back of a spoon.
Make ahead
Scalloped potatoes can be assembled a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator overnight before baking. Cover your casserole dish with plastic wrap, pressing down to press out as much air as possible. Exposed potatoes may discolor slightly overnight.
While your oven is preheating the next day, bring the casserole to room temperature on the counter top. Bake as directed in the recipe card.
Frequently asked questions
Scalloped potatoes are not made with cheese, while potatoes au gratin are made with cheese. Otherwise, they're very similar dishes. The term scalloped potatoes is often used to describe both dishes, whether cheese is present or not.
There are a few reasons why a cream sauce can curdle. Most often, heat is the culprit. If the sauce is heated too high and for too long, it can cause the sauce to separate. If there's not enough fat in the sauce, like if you've used skim milk instead of whole milk, this can also cause it to separate.
Reduce the heat, then add a splash of heavy cream or a cube of butter to your sauce and stir to combine.
This recipe has a mild, creamy, herb flavor as written. The ingredients in this recipe that add flavor are onion, garlic, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and dill. Using low or no sodium broth can reduce the flavor in this recipe, so you may need to add additional seasoning to make up for the lost flavor.
To add more flavor, additional herbs can be added like thyme and oregano. For a little tang, a tablespoon of dijon mustard could be added to the cream sauce. Cheese can also be added between the layers of potatoes and sauce to make potatoes au gratin.
Yes. To reheat an entire baked casserole, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit while your casserole comes to room temperature on the counter top. Cover and bake for about 30 minutes, or until heated through in the center.
Leftover scalloped potatoes will keep for up to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Dill Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes, or yukon gold
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 8 ounces chicken broth
- 16 ounces milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9x13 casserole dish and set aside. Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Peel potatoes, rinse, and slice to ⅛" thickness. I recommend using a mandoline slicer if you have one available.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add butter. Once melted, add onions and cook until they begin to brown and turn translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds. Add flour and stir to coat and create a paste. Cook for one minute.
- Whisk in broth and milk. Continue whisking until no lumps remain. Cook sauce for another 3-4 minutes or until thickened slightly. Remove from heat. Add salt, pepper, and dill, stirring to incorporate.
- In your 9x13 pan, arrange about ¼ of sliced potatoes in the bottom of the dish, overlapping slightly. Pour ¼ of sauce over potatoes. Repeat 3x more for a total of four layers of potatoes and four layers of sauce.
- Cover casserole with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes can easily be pierced through with a fork in the center of the casserole. The thicker your potatoes are sliced, the longer it will take for them to cook through.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Fresh vs dried dill: Dried dill can be substituted with fresh dill at a 1:3 ratio. For every ½ teaspoon of dried dill called for, use 1 ½ teaspoons of fresh dill.
- Flavor variations: Dried dill can be substituted with dried thyme for a more traditional flavor. I like to use dill in the spring (for holidays like Easter), and thyme in the fall/winter (for Thanksgiving or Christmas).
- Want to add cheese?: For potatoes au gratin, sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese after your second layer of sauce (in the middle of your casserole layers), and then sprinkle the top of your casserole with another 1 cup of shredded cheese before baking. Recommended cheeses: cheddar, monterey jack, gruyere, or parmesan.
- Storage: Leftover scalloped potatoes will keep for up to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
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