These easy scalloped potatoes are sure to win best Thanksgiving side dish this year! The starch from the potatoes thickens the cream sauce, making these scalloped au gratin potatoes extra creamy and delicious. Layers and layers of potatoes + plenty of cheese on top = the ultimate casserole dish for the holidays!

Easy Scalloped Potatoes: Best Side Dish

Thanksgiving is less than a week away! And I’m dying to know: what side-dishes are you going to make this year? Because we all know Thanksgiving is all about the sides, right? So what’s it going to be…

Mashed potatoes? Cranberry Sauce? Green Bean Casserole? Sweet Potatoes? Biscuits? So many choices…I might literally just make an entire meal out of sides!

With so many side dishes already swirling around, I hope you’ll forgive me for throwing one more option in the ring. But I would be remiss if I didn’t share this heavenly au gratin potatoes recipe with you! Russet potato slices + heavy cream cheese sauce + more cheese… baked until golden brown in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

The results are too-die-for delicious. And don’t tell anyone, but I might like these easy scalloped potatoes even more than mashed potatoes! Shh!

Thinly Sliced Potatoes are Key

The key to the best scalloped potatoes? Make sure to use very thinly sliced potatoes!

And making sure you use russet potatoes, which will give us the texture we’re looking for. Other potatoes, such as yukon gold, won’t hold up well in the cream sauce. And turn to mush or release too much water and turn the sauce into soup.

Just watch your fingers when you’re slicing the potatoes. Whether you’re using a sharp knife or a mandolin, you need to take care not to cut your fingers while slicing. I’ve been there before and it’s not fun or pretty, so slice with care.

Au Gratin Potatoes Ingredients & Subs

• Butter: You’ll melt the butter before adding the shallots. I like unsalted butter but salted butter will work in a pinch, just reduce the amount of salt called for. 
• Shallots: Sweet and subtle, and cooked until golden brown… I just love the flavor that shallots add. But in a pinch, you can use sweet yellow onion or white instead.
• Spices & Herbs: Fresh garlic and thyme, plus ground nutmeg and cayenne pepper, and Dijon Mustard. Plus, salt and pepper, make this scalloped potatoes recipe incredibly flavorful. 
• Heavy Cream: Do not substitute heavy cream with milk or even half and half! Heavy cream helps thickens the cream sauce and makes this casserole dish incredibly flavorful. 
• Chicken Broth: I really love using bone broth here because it adds a great flavor. But in a pinch, regular chicken broth works fine. And if you’re a vegetarian household, feel free to use vegetable broth.
• Potatoes: As I mentioned earlier, it’s essential you use russet potatoes here. You’ll want to peel the russet potatoes with a mandolin or sharp knife to cut them into 1/8-inch slices. If you must sub in a potato, yukon gold potatoes will taste great. But will be more creamy/mushy.
• Cheese: Fontina, gruyere cheese, and finely grated parmesan cheese make our cheesy creamy sauce flavorful and so delicious! This cheese combo is *chef’s kiss* perfect, and sets this apart from other au gratin recipes. If you can’t find gruyere, sharp cheddar is a nice replacement. 

How to Make Potatoes Au Gratin

1. Cream Sauce: Melt the butter, toss in the shallots, and sauté until softened and slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. But this could take longer, so don’t skimp here on time, as this step adds a ton of flavor. Add the garlic and thyme and continue cooking for another minute, but don’t let the garlic brown. Pour in the cream, broth and remaining herbs and seasonings.
2. Potatoes: Add the thinly sliced potatoes and cook until the potatoes are tender. This will only take about 10 minutes, so don’t over cook them or it’ll yield a mushy casserole. The potatoes bake again in the oven and will soften more.
3. Bake: Scrape the thinly sliced potatoes and all cream sauce into a shallow large casserole dish. Sprinkle with the cheeses then bake until the potatoes are tender and the cream sauce is bubbling and golden brown. Unlike many au gratin potatoes recipes, there’s no need to cover the casserole dish with foil and bake. This is because the bake time is quite short, and because we want the top to get crispy and golden brown.
4. Garnish: You can garnish with a few sprigs of thyme, for an extra pretty presentation! Or add some freshly cracked black pepper or extra caramelized shallots. 
5. Serve: You can serve warm this scalloped potatoes recipe straight from the baking dish. And it’s delicious warm or at room temperature. I don’t suggest serving this cold because the cheese firms up and looses it’s gooey cheesy appeal.

Jump to recipe box below for the full recipe! This post may include affiliate links!

Ready between 35 to 40 minutes, this scalloped potatoes recipe is quick, easy, and the ultimate comfort food. Whether you’re an au gratin potatoes fanatic – or new to this classic casserole dish. I hope you’ll give my easy scalloped potatoes recipe a try! 

Delicious with turkey of course, but these scalloped potatoes are also great with ham, chicken, lamb, or just a simple side salad! You can’t go wrong when serving these easy scalloped potatoes for dinner.

More Potato Side Dish Recipes:

• Bacon Cheddar Mashed Potato Casserole
• German Potato Salad
• Extra Crispy Baked Garlic and Herb Potato Wedges
• Broccoli Cheddar Twice-Baked Potatoes
• The Best Sweet Potato Casserole
• Extra Crispy Sweet Potato Wedges