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This single serving cheesy scalloped potatoes recipe is pure comfort food. Layers of tender potatoes in a creamy, cheesy sauce are topped with more melted cheese and baked until golden and bubbly. Easy to make and perfectly portioned for one.
Serve these scalloped potatoes with your favorite main dishes. They’re perfect alongside Baked Chicken Thighs, Turkey Cutlets, Salisbury Steak, or Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetables.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple and Easy: Made with just a few basic ingredients and no special equipment.
- Deliciously Cheesy: Tender potato slices in a creamy, cheesy sauce topped with melted cheese – pure comfort in every bite.
- Perfectly Portioned: Designed for one serving, so no leftovers to store.
- Homemade Flavor: Skip the boxed mixes and enjoy the rich taste and texture of homemade scalloped potatoes.
- Customizable: Use this recipe as a base to add your favorite cheeses, herbs, or proteins like bacon or shrimp.
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Curious about the difference between scalloped and au gratin potatoes? Scalloped potatoes use a cream-based sauce, while au gratin potatoes are rich with cheese. This recipe combines the best of both, using milk instead of cream for a lighter twist. Enjoy the creamy texture of scalloped potatoes with the cheesy goodness of au gratin, perfectly portioned for one and easy to make.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this individual scalloped potatoes recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Potato: Use a medium-sized starchy potato, such as a russet or Yukon Gold. The starch helps create a creamy, velvety sauce. Russets make the sauce creamier, while Yukon Golds hold their shape better during baking. Extra potatoes can be used in recipes like Potato Gnocchi, Shepherd’s Pie, or Mashed Potatoes.
- Butter: 1 tablespoon of salted butter adds richness and flavor to the sauce.
- Flour: 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour thickens the sauce, giving it a perfect consistency.
- Milk: 1/2 cup of milk forms the base of the sauce. You can use 2% or another milk percentage if preferred.
- Cheese: Use 1/2 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese in the sauce and 2 tablespoons for the topping. Shred your own cheese for the best results, as pre-shredded cheese often contains preservatives that can affect melting.
- Salt and black pepper: Use 1/8 teaspoon of each to season the dish and bring out the flavors.
Recipe Variations
- Ham and Asparagus: Add diced cooked ham and steamed asparagus for extra protein and vegetables.
- Sun-Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese: Swap cheddar for crumbled goat cheese and mix in chopped sun-dried tomatoes for a Mediterranean twist.
- French Onion: Caramelize a small shallot in butter before adding flour, then finish with grated Gruyere for a rich, savory flavor.
- Smoked Salmon and Dill: Mix in flaked smoked salmon and top with fresh dill for a bright, flavorful upgrade.
- Broccoli Cheddar: Stir in steamed broccoli florets for a veggie-packed version.
How To Make Scalloped Potatoes
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a single serving of cheesy scalloped potatoes. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Slice the Potato: Slice the potato into even 1/4-inch thick pieces to ensure consistent cooking.
- Arrange in the Dish: Neatly layer the potato slices in a lightly buttered 5×5-inch baking dish (or a dish with a similar size and 22-ounce capacity).
- Add Cheese Sauce: Prepare the cheese sauce as directed in the recipe, then pour it evenly over the potato slices.
- Bake: Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle additional shredded Cheddar cheese on top, and bake for another 20 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
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Expert Tips
- Slice Evenly: Cut the potato into 1/4-inch thick slices using a mandoline or a sharp knife to ensure uniform cooking.
- Layer Evenly: Arrange the potato slices and cheese in even layers for balanced flavor in every bite.
- Choose the Right Dish: Use a 5×5-inch or similarly sized baking dish to keep the layers compact and ensure proper cooking.
- Check Doneness: Bake until the potatoes are fork-tender and the top is golden brown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, assemble the dish and refrigerate it before baking. When ready to bake, bring it to room temperature and bake as directed.
The potatoes are done when they are fork-tender and the top is golden and bubbly.
A 5×5-inch baking dish or one with a similar capacity (about 22 ounces) works perfectly for this recipe.
Absolutely! Just use a 6×8 inch or a 6×6 inch baking dish and keep the baking time the same.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried these cheesy 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!
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes For One
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
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Prepare Potatoes: Arrange the sliced potatoes in a buttered 5×5-inch baking dish, or another dish of a similar size. Set it aside.
- Make the Roux: In a 1-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes.
- Create the Sauce: Gradually stir in milk, continuing to stir frequently. Cook until the mixture becomes smooth and thickens, about 2 minutes.
- Add Cheese and Seasonings: Mix in ½ cup of cheese, along with salt and pepper, stirring until the cheese is completely melted.
- Assemble for Baking: Pour the cheese sauce over the arranged potatoes. Place the dish on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
- Final Cheese Layer and Bake: After baking, remove the dish from the oven. Top it with 2 tablespoons of shredded Cheddar cheese. Return to the oven and continue baking for another 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
- Slice Evenly: Cut the potato into 1/4-inch thick slices using a mandoline or a sharp knife to ensure uniform cooking.
- Layer Evenly: Arrange the potato slices and cheese in even layers for balanced flavor in every bite.
- Choose the Right Dish: Use a 5×5-inch or similarly sized baking dish to keep the layers compact and ensure proper cooking.
- Check Doneness: Bake until the potatoes are fork-tender and the top is golden brown.
Nutrition
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.
The cooking time was way off! I sliced my potato quite thin. I cooked it with the chesse sauce in a 375F oven for a total of 45 minutes and the potatoes weren’t even close to being cooked all the way through. I had to nuke it in the microwave on high for another 10 minues before it was edible. I would strongly suggest that this recipe suggest par boiling the potatoes or pre-cooking them in the microwave for several minutes after slicing but before cooking in the oven with the cheese sauce. Big recipe misstep there.
Debba, this recipe has been tested many times with many positive reviews and the cooking time is accurate. It may be that your oven temperature may not be running as hot as it should be. This can easily be checked by using an inexpensive oven thermometer. Another possibility could be the size of the baking dish that you used. If you used a baking dish that was much smaller than the one we recommend using, the cooking time can be longer too. We always hope that readers will read the entire recipe post as there is helpful information to be found in both the Expert Tips section and the Frequently Asked Questions section.
Wow! This is yet another recipe from ODK that did not disappoint. I had some baby potatoes I needed to use up, so figured I could double the recipe. I had a misstep with the cheese, but it turned out amazing! I am thrilled to have found this site. Seems whenever I need to use something up or am craving something, thereโs a single serving recipe to help me!
Thank you, Sharon. I’m so glad you are enjoying our recipes.
I sauted a few onions in the butter before making the white sauce. I also added a pinch of caraway seed! Easy and very tasty. I’ll make this often!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you so much for your feedback!
As we grow older, it appears that our appetites have decreased as well. I have made scalloped potatoes for years for our farm hands on Saturday lunch at the farm, but now we just want a smaller version of such.
Perfection! Thank you!
This is the first time I tried this recipe. I found I needed more milk, and I used a gruyere rather than cheddar, since I had a piece I needed to use up. This is an incredibly easy and versatile recipe. It is difficult to find recipes for comfort foods in small portions. This was a great find!!!!!
Made this as a side dish for hubby tonight – after more than 40 years of nothing but potatos with every meal (to say hes picky is a huge understatement lol) I can’t bring myself to eat them anymore, so this small batch was perfect for him. He wolfed the entire thing down in pretty much record time! Thanks for this recipe, I’m sure it will be a lifesaver in the future ๐
I’m so happy your husband enjoyed the potatoes!
I usedbthis recipe since Iโm counting calories and didnโt want a bunch of scalloped potatoes. 1/2 cup milk made the sauce too thick so I ended up needing 3/4 cup milk. All I have on hand is unsweetened almond milk which worked great! I used 1 tb light butter. I also used 2 tb grated parmesan and 2 tb sharp shredded cheddar instead of 1/2 cup of cheese for one serving of and this was the perfect amount for me. I added a little more seasoning and this was so delicious I wished I could eat it again immediately after finishing.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the potatoes. Thank you so much for your feedback!
Beyond perfect. I would add no salt, just me. made this with the sausage and peppers recipe. for a full meal, I may add kielbasa or ham, maybe some mushrooms/onions, and slightly larger dish. And a little green salad on the side.
can you add ham and do it in the crock pot
Hi Gloria,
Yes, ham is a wonderful addition. I haven’t tested this recipe in the crock pot so I don’t have recipe directions for it.
I made this tonight. Absolutely delicious. Thank you
I’m so glad you enjoyed the potatoes. Thank you for taking the time to let me know.
Yum! Canโt wait to try all of these!