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    Home » Recipes » Holiday Side Dishes

    Southern Style Scalloped Potatoes

    By Chula King · December 5, 2021 · Updated November 3, 2022

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    Southern Style Scalloped Potatoes

    Southern Style Scalloped Potatoes like my mother used to make are full of cheesy goodness in every bite. They are super easy to make. These scalloped potatoes are perfect for any occasion and make awesome leftovers.

    Southern style scalloped potatoes

    I basically make them the same way that my mother made them years ago – by layering the ingredients. Then I finish the scalloped potatoes off with the addition of milk for cooking, and shredded cheese at the end for cheesy goodness.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients: Here’s What You’ll Need
    • Steps in Making this Delicious Potato Recipe
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • What to Serve with Southern-Style Scalloped Potatoes?
    • Watch How I Made These Delicious Scalloped Potatoes
    • Recipe

    Ingredients: Here’s What You’ll Need

    You probably already have all of the ingredients needed for these delicious scalloped potatoes on hand.

    Ingredients for scalloped potatoes.
    • The Potatoes: It goes without saying that it wouldn’t be scalloped potatoes without potatoes. I’ve used both russet and Yukon gold potatoes. However, I actually prefer the russet potato.
    • The Layered “Sauce”: I’ve tried making a white sauce to pour over the potatoes. However, I have found that layering the typical ingredients for a white sauce tends to work better. The ingredients include butter, all-purpose flour, and milk.
    • The Seasonings: The seasonings for this delicious dish are basic – Kosher salt and black pepper.
    • The Cheeses: The two kinds of cheese that I routinely use are Velveeta cheese and extra sharp Cheddar cheese. I know that there are those who don’t favor using Velveeta cheese. However, I grew up with Velveeta cheese being used in many dishes and personally think it’s tasty and easy to use.

    Steps in Making this Delicious Potato Recipe

    I started by peeling the potatoes and slicing them to a thickness of about ¼ inch. Then, I cooked the potatoes in salted boiling water just until they started to soften, 4 to 5 minutes, and drained them in a colander.

    This scalloped potato recipe is easy to make.

    1. First, peeled and sliced the potatoes to a thickness of about ¼ inch. Then, I cooked them in salted boiling water just until they started to soften. This took 4 to 5 minutes.
    Adding salt to boiling water with potatoes.
    1. Once the potatoes had started to soften, I drained them in a colander. I didn’t want to overcook the potatoes at this point because I knew that they would continue cooking in the oven.
    Draining the potatoes in a colander.
    1. To build the scalloped potato dish, I added about ⅓ of the drained potatoes to a large casserole dish that I had sprayed with non-stick spray. Then, I sprinkled ⅓ of the flour on the potatoes and added some freshly ground black pepper.

    Next, I dotted ⅓ of the butter on the floured potatoes. Finally, I ended the layer with several slices of Velveeta cheese.

    First layer of scalloped potatoes.
    1. I repeated the layering process two more times for a total of three layers. Then, I poured milk over the potatoes.
    Pouring milk over potatoes.
    1. I baked the scalloped potatoes uncovered in a preheated 375°F oven for 50 minutes. After 50 minutes, I removed the potatoes from the oven and sprinkled shredded Cheddar cheese on top.

    I returned the potatoes to the oven for another 10 minutes until the cheese was melted and bubbly.

    Adding shredded cheese to the scalloped potatoes.

    What can I say?  These Southern Style Scalloped Potatoes taste as good as they look!  As an added benefit, they make outstanding leftovers and go well with a lot of main dishes. 

    They would be a perfect side dish for your holiday meals. Yum!

    Serving scalloped potatoes

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Are scalloped potatoes the same as au gratin potatoes?

    I grew up calling these scalloped potatoes. In the past, scalloped potatoes did not include cheese which is a key ingredient in au gratin potatoes. Over the years, the distinction between the two has become blurred as cheese has made its way into scalloped potatoes. Often au gratin potatoes will be topped with breadcrumbs.

    Why are they called scalloped potatoes?

    Scalloped potatoes are so named from the Old English word “collop” which means “to slice thinly”. 

    Is it necessary to peel the potatoes for this recipe?

    Through the years, I’ve always peeled the potatoes used in this recipe. However, like many potato recipes, unpeeled potatoes work just as well. It boils down to a matter of preference.

    Is it really necessary to “pre-cook” the potatoes in this recipe?

    I’ve tried this recipe both ways – pre-cooking the potatoes and starting with raw potatoes. At least for me, the potatoes in the final dish using raw potatoes tend to be undercooked.

    Can ham be added to the scalloped potatoes during the layering?

    If you’d like to turn this recipe into a one-dish meal, you might consider adding chopped or sliced ham to the layering. It’s amazing!

    Why not just make a white or béchamel sauce with the Velveeta added and pour it over the potatoes instead of layering the ingredients?

    I’ve tried making the sauce rather than layering the ingredients. For some reason, it just isn’t as good.

    Can the scalloped potatoes be made ahead of time?

    I often make the scalloped potatoes ahead of time and refrigerate them, covered, until I’m ready to put them in the oven.

    How are leftovers reheated?

    These scalloped potatoes make amazing leftovers. Sometimes, I just reheat them in the microwave for several minutes. Other times, I reheat the potatoes in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes. The choice is up to you.

    What to Serve with Southern-Style Scalloped Potatoes?

    One of the beauties of these scalloped potatoes is that they are an awesome side dish for any occasion.

    Some of my favorite dishes to serve with scalloped potatoes include the following:

    • Chicken Schnitzel with Mustard Cream Sauce
    • Chris’ Lazy Man Meatloaf
    • Pork Milanese
    • Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Crème Dijon Wine Sauce
    • Tasty Meatless Burgers
    • Amazing Turkey Burgers with Mushroom Cream Sauce
    • Mushroom stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Madeira Cream Sauce
    • Sous Vide Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Cream Sauce

    Watch How I Made These Delicious Scalloped Potatoes

     I hope you liked this recipe for Southern Style Scalloped Potatoes as much as I do. If so, please consider rating it and leaving a comment. Also, if you’d like to receive notifications of new posts by email, enter your email address in the Subscribe box.

    Thank you so much for visiting Pudge Factor. I hope you’ll come back!

    Recipe

    Southern style scalloped potatoes

    Southern Style Scalloped Potatoes

    Full of cheesy goodness in every bite, Southern Style Scalloped Potatoes are perfect for any occasion.
    4.77 from 43 votes
    Print Pin
    Course: Christmas, Easter, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 259kcal
    Author: Chula King

    Ingredients

    • 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices (See Tip 1)
    • 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
    • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
    • ¼ cup (half a stick, 4-ounces) unsalted butter
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • 8 ounces Velveeta cheese (Original)
    • 1 ¼ cups milk
    • 1 ½ cups (6-ounces) shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese (See Tip 2)

    Instructions

    • Cook potatoes in large pan with water salted with 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt just until tender, 4 to 5 minutes after the water comes to a boil. Drain in colander.
    • Preheat oven to 375° F. Spray large casserole dish with non-stick spray.
    • In a large casserole dish, layer the ingredients as follows: ⅓ of the drained potatoes, ⅓ of the flour (about 1-½ tablespoons), ⅓ of the butter (about 1-½ tablespoons), freshly ground black pepper, and ⅓ of the sliced Velveeta cheese (about 2-½ ounces). Repeat for 2 additional layers. Pour milk evenly over the top.
    • Bake uncovered in a preheated 375°F oven for 50 minutes, or until top is browned and mixture is bubbly. Remove from oven and top with shredded Cheddar cheese. Return to oven and bake for 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and serve.
    • Yield: 6 to 8 servings. (See Tip 3)

    Chula’s Expert Tips

    1. May also use Yukon gold potatoes in this recipe. 
    2. Sharp or regular Cheddar cheese may be substituted for the extra sharp Cheddar cheese. Colby and Colby Jack cheese can also be substituted.
    3. This makes excellent leftovers. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for a day or 2. Reheat in the microwave for several minutes or in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes or until heated through.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 1436mg | Potassium: 817mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 540IU | Vitamin C: 19.4mg | Calcium: 275mg | Iron: 5.8mg
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment below and/or give this recipe a rating. On Instagram? Take a picture and tag @pudgefactor or #pudgefactor.

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    Filed Under: Casseroles, Christmas, Easter, Holiday Side Dishes, Potatoes, Southern, Vegetables

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