Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

This Scalloped Potatoes recipe layers tender Yukon Gold potatoes with milk, heavy cream, butter, Gruyère, nutmeg, and thyme for an irresistibly rich side dish. Featured on Cook the Books: Celebrity Edition Season 3, this comforting recipe prepared by host Shahir Massoud develops a deeply golden cheese topping and velvety sauce in the oven.

The Inspiration

Scalloped potatoes are a classic comfort-food side dish, valued for their creamy consistency and ability to accompany everything from holiday roasts to simple family dinners. Thinly sliced potatoes are arranged in a baking dish, covered with a seasoned dairy mixture, and cooked until tender and golden.

This Scalloped Potatoes recipe comes directly from Martha: The Cookbook and is featured on Cook the Books: Celebrity Edition Season 3 with host Shahir Massoud. The recipe takes a refined approach by combining Yukon Gold potatoes with Gruyère cheese, freshly grated nutmeg, white pepper, cayenne, garlic, and thyme.

The result is a polished Scalloped Potatoes recipe suited to Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Sunday dinner, or any meal that calls for a comforting and impressive potato side.

Ingredients

• 3 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, and thinly sliced
• 2 cups milk
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground white pepper
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 cup)
• Whole nutmeg
• Thyme sprigs, for serving

Methods

• Preheat the oven to 325F, with a rack set in the lower third of the oven. Combine the sliced potatoes and the milk in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce the heat to low; cover and simmer until the potatoes are just tender, about 3 minutes.
• Place colander over a large bowl and drain the potatoes, reserving the milk. Add the cream to the milk and stir to combine.
• Rub a 3 ½-quart oval baking dish with the garlic and 1 tbsp butter. Arrange the slice potatoes in the baking dish; season with the salt, white pepper, and cayenne. Dot with the remaining butter and pour the reserved cooking milk and cream over the potatoes. Sprinkle the cheese over top.
• Grate the nutmeg over the top and garnish with thyme. Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake until the cheese becomes deep golden brown and the milk has reduced and thickened, 80 to 90 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, with additional thyme sprigs.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Scalloped Potatoes hot from the oven as a rich side dish for roast beef, ham, turkey, chicken, pork tenderloin, or lamb. Their creamy flavour and golden cheese topping complement roasted and braised meats particularly well.

For a holiday dinner, pair the potatoes with glazed ham, roasted turkey, green beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and a crisp salad. Their comforting richness makes them an especially natural choice for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and New Year celebrations.

The potatoes can also accompany a vegetarian meal featuring roasted mushrooms, lentils, grilled vegetables, or a substantial green salad. The Gruyère, cream, and butter make the casserole filling enough to anchor a meat-free dinner when served with several fresh vegetable dishes.

Final Thoughts

This Scalloped Potatoes recipe transforms Yukon Gold potatoes, milk, cream, butter, Gruyère, garlic, nutmeg, and thyme into an exceptionally comforting side dish. Every serving offers tender layers surrounded by velvety sauce and topped with deeply golden cheese.

Featured on Cook the Books: Celebrity Edition Season 3, the recipe allows host Shahir Massoud to recreate an elegant classic directly from Martha: The Cookbook. The brief stovetop simmer and long oven bake ensure that the potatoes become tender while the dairy mixture develops a luxurious texture.

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