These scalloped potatoes are creamy, extra cheesy, and incredibly delicious! Made with just 1 sliced medium potato and surrounded by a rich, velvety sauce. This wonderful side dish is sure to become a favorite.
A simple meal can be turned into something special when homemade scalloped potatoes make an appearance.
In this side dish, thinly sliced potatoes are layered in an easy homemade cream sauce and baked until golden and bubbly. I can't think of another dish that blends elegance and simplicity so well.
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Why This Recipe Works
- If you tend to grab and make boxed scalloped potatoes because of convenience, I urge you to put the box away and try this easy recipe. Once you taste homemade scalloped potatoes, you'll never go back to boxed. Plus, they're super easy to make!
- The flavors in this small scalloped potato recipe are amazing! It's filled with layers of potatoes and a simple yet extravagant tasting sauce. I think you'll love it too!
- It's a scaled down version of my family's favorite recipe. This is a tried and tested recipe that I've been making for years.
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Ingredient Notes
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
To make a single serving of scalloped potatoes, you will need:
- Potato: You want to use a starchy potato for this dish. It's the starch that helps the cream thicken up into a velvety sauce while cooking. Use 1 medium-sized russet potato or you can use a Yukon Gold. Russets are the most starchy and will make a creamier sauce but I love the way a Yukon holds its shape when baked.
- Butter: 1 tablespoon of salted butter
- Flour: 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour (plain flour) to thicken the sauce.
- Milk: Use ½ cup of milk for the sauce. I usually use 2% milk but any percentage will work.
- Cheese: Use ½ cup of shredded Cheddar cheese for the sauce and an additional 2 tablespoons for the delicious cheesy topping. I recommend shredding your own cheese rather than purchasing bagged pre-shredded cheese. The cheese will melt better when freshly shredded. Pre-shredded cheese contains preservatives which help to keep the shreds of cheese from clumping in the bag. This means that the cheese doesn't melt as well.
- Salt and black pepper: Use ⅛ teaspoon of salt and ⅛ teaspoon of pepper for flavor.
How To Make This Recipe
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Slice the potato into ¼-inch slices using a mandoline or a sharp knife. Make sure your slices are roughly the same thickness so they cook at the same rate.
- Place the potato slices in a small lightly buttered baking dish.
- Make the cheese sauce and pour over the potatoes.
- Bake for 25 minutes; remove from the oven and add shredded Cheddar cheese to the top. Return to the oven to bake for an additional 20 minutes.
These scalloped potatoes are so incredibly delicious! The creamy sauce between the tender layers of potatoes is heavenly.
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Expert Tips
- Be sure to slice the potatoes evenly and at roughly ¼-inch thickness. Thin potatoes cook faster and become incredibly tender.
- Feel free to experiment with this recipe to suit your tastes. Scalloped potatoes with ham is a great way to change it up.
- Consider adding a little goat cheese between the layers of potatoes. The cheese melts so well and adds a nice flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
My personal preference is to use Yukon Gold potatoes because I love the creamy texture and buttery flavor. These are the potatoes I use in our Mashed Potatoes Recipe For One.
Russet potatoes are also a good choice. Since this is a single serving recipe, choose a potato that is smaller in size.
These two potato side dishes are very similar.
Scalloped potatoes consist of thinly sliced potatoes layered in a baking dish and baked with a cheese sauce made from milk or cream and cheese.
Potatoes au gratin features shredded cheese sprinkled between the layers of potatoes. Often, you'll find bread crumbs sprinkled on top of the dish before it bakes in the oven.
It's true that our scalloped potatoes recipe is more like a gratin but it's the version I always made for my family and we always added cheese and called it scalloped potatoes.
For this mini scalloped potatoes recipe, I use a small baking dish that measures approximately 4 to 5-inches in diameter or a 10-ounce ramekin.
Also used in this recipe is a 1-quart saucepan. For best results, use a baking dish and pan of similar size.
If you would like additional information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
Serving Suggestions
You might like to consider serving one of these delicious single serving main dishes with your potatoes:
- Sweet and Spicy Baked Chicken Wings
- Turkey Cutlets
- Salisbury Steak For One
- Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetables For One
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this scalloped potatoes recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Potatoes: Potato Soup, Zuppa Toscana, Baked Cod with Potatoes, Potato Salad
- Milk: Hot Chocolate, Strawberry Milkshake, Banana Cream Pie, Biscuits
- Cheddar cheese: Macaroni and Cheese, Overnight Breakfast Casserole, Broccoli Cheese Soup, Cheese Grits
If you’ve tried these scalloped potatoes or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Recipe
Scalloped Potatoes For One
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium Yukon Gold potato , peeled, sliced, and cut into ¼-inch slices
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Place potatoes into a buttered 5-inch baking dish or a baking dish of similar size. Set aside
- Melt butter over medium heat in a 1-quart saucepan. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
- Slowly stir in milk. Cook, stirring frequently until mixture is smooth and has thickened, 2 minutes.
- Stir in ½ cup cheese, salt, and pepper and continue stirring until cheese has melted.
- Pour over potatoes; place dish on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and top with 2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese; return to oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes, until cheese has melted.
Notes
- Be sure to slice the potatoes very thin. Thin potatoes cook faster and become incredibly tender.
- Feel free to experiment with this recipe to suit your tastes. Scalloped potatoes with ham is a great way to change it up.
- Consider adding a little goat cheese between the layers of potatoes. The cheese melts so well and adds a nice flavor.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Aunt JB says
So, so good! Easy to make and creamy decadence.
Lisa says
I made this but used petite red potatoes with skins on and added chives. It was delicious!
Joanie Zisk says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Aunt JB says
First let me say that I love your recipes for one. So needed, for many reasons.
The Scalloped Potatoes for One is easy and delicious. It's a keeper.