Best-Ever Scalloped Potatoes Recipe Perfect for the Holidays (2024)

FAQs

How far ahead can you peel and slice potatoes for scalloped potatoes? ›

If raw, once the potato is cut you can store in the refrigerator, covered with water for 12-24 hours. Be sure to keep submerged in water to prevent slices from turning gray or brown.

The difference comes down to cheese. Scalloped potato recipes are usually baked in a basic cream sauce until soft and tender, with no cheese topping. Potatoes au gratin are a bit more decadent. They are made with lots of cheese sprinkled in between the layers of potatoes and also on top of the casserole.

Potatoes or rice can remain rock-hard after prolonged cooking. Starch will not swell if it is acidic. If you have a lot of sour cream in your scalloped potatoes or add something acidic, your potatoes may not soften. You can cook the potatoes with heavy cream or milk and then, after they soften, stir in sour cream.

runny scalloped potatoes. If you find yourself faced with a soupy pan of potatoes, shake a few tablespoons of flakes into the sauce and mix them around with a fork or a small whisk. The flakes will soak up the extra liquid in a flash, and you can keep adding them until the sauce is at the proper thickness.

Knock an entire dish off of your to-do list by cooking scalloped potatoes ahead of time. Prepare the recipe as directed, then let it cool to room temperature. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, then store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Why use salt water for soaking potatoes? There's moisture naturally found in potatoes, and moisture is drawn to higher concentrations of salt. (This is a process called osmosis.) So, if you put the potatoes in a salt water bath, that will help draw out some of their moisture, resulting in crispier fries.

My sauce is watery

If you stored your potatoes in water to prevent discoloring, be sure to drain them well and pat them dry before adding to your casserole. Some of the waxier potatoes can release more water than starchier ones, so look for good baking potatoes like russet or Yukon golds.

The curdling is caused by high heat, which is hard to avoid in an oven. So to keep the sauce together, tackle it before the dish goes in the oven. Instead of simply layering grated cheese and milk or cream with the potatoes, you need to make a smooth cheese sauce.

It is called "funeral" potatoes because it is commonly served as a side dish during traditional after-funeral dinners, but it is also served at potlucks, and other social gatherings, sometimes with different names.

Potatoes gratiné

In the US, the dish is referred to variously as funeral potatoes, potatoes au gratin, scalloped potatoes, or au gratin potatoes.

Why did my scalloped potatoes turn GREY? ›

This process, which is called oxidation, happens because potatoes are a naturally starchy vegetable. And when exposed to oxygen, starches turn gray, brown, or even black. An oxidized potato is completely safe to eat. The process doesn't affect the flavor or texture of the vegetable.

Rub the skin with vegetable oil. Sprinkle with salt. Pierce the skin of the potato in several places with the tines of a fork. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the sides are soft when pressed.

The best way to prevent curdling in scalloped potatoes is to start with high starch potatoes, such as Russets, that will help to thicken the sauce, use very fresh cream or half-and-half rather than whole or low-fat milk, and thicken the cream with flour or corn starch to make a sauce rather than topping the ingredients ...

Watery scalloped potatoes are not good, and is often caused by using the wrong type of potato. This recipe requires starchy potatoes, such as russets or Yukon golds, not waxy potatoes. Another cause is washing or holding the sliced potatoes in water (as outlined in the question above).

Start by slicing the potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick slices. You could use a mandoline slicer for this step, but I actually prefer to do it with a knife. Just be careful to slice the potatoes thinly and evenly so that they cook through at the same rate.