This incredible sour cream and chives scalloped potatoes recipe is the perfect side dish for Easter Sunday's dinner or a classic Sunday supper.
Everyone loves a creamy, cheesy potato dish and this one is no exception: its sauce is easy to make with three cheeses and fresh spring chives from the garden!
If you have a potatoes au gratin lover in your house, this rendition is going to make them so happy. My family loves this recipe; the sauce is super rich and cheesy, the potatoes are perfectly tender, and the flavor, honey?
Oh, between rich and tangy, the mixes of cheeses, the garlic and chives...it's a must have for us!
As you know, my hubby used to love those boxed scalloped potatoes when we first got married, and the sour cream and chive flavor was my personal favorite. So of course I was going to make it from scratch and bring it to y'all!
Creamy, Gourmet Sour Cream and Chive Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped potatoes are both fancy enough for guests alongside a roasted turkey, but also cozy and comforting enough to be a family favorite on the weekends with a roasted chicken or salmon.
The recipe is just using a mandoline to make thinly sliced potatoes, whip up a savory cheese sauce, pour it all into a baking dish and bake until golden brown and bubbly.
It really is that simple and we get plenty of flavor thanks to the tangy sour cream and cheddar, nutty parm, and creamy gruyere cheese. Sprinkle with chives before serving and we have a complete winner!
Ingredients Needed
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes - I have found that time and time again, gold potatoes are the best for scalloped potatoes. They hold their shape and don't break down and get mushy like russets do when baked...and there's no need to peel 'em!
- Yellow Onion and Garlic - classic aromatics that do a lot of flavor lifting here. The sour cream and milk coat the mouth so we need lots of flavor to push through!
- Sour Cream and Whole Milk - We want enough fat to protect the cheese from breaking while baking,
- Chicken Broth - you can also use vegetable broth to keep this ovo-lacto vegetarian friendly.
- Butter and Flour - to make the roux, of course! If you've never made one, don't worry I will show you in the post, okay? I got you!
- Fresh Chives - a classic with sour cream, they have a mild oniony-garlicky herbaceousness.
- Gruyere, White Cheddar, and Parmesan Cheeses - I didn't want anything that would alter or overpower that sour cream and chives vibe, so there's more gruyere than cheddar here.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
How to Make Delicious Sour Cream and Chive Scalloped Potatoes
Step 1 | Slice up your clean potatoes using your mandoline to about ⅛ inch thickness. This makes them thin enough to become tender without overcooking the sauce.
Step 2 | Melt the butter in your saucepan and add in the diced onions. Season with salt and pepper and stir and let that cook for a few minutes until the onions become a little golden brown on the edges. Then add in the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds to a minute, until we have very fragrant garlic.
Step 3 | Make the roux in your saucepan. Whisk in your flour to incorporate it with the butter. Keep whisking for about a minute to cook out that raw flour taste.
Step 4 | Now we splash in a little bit of our milk and broth and whisk it into the roux. Keep repeating that: a splash of milk whisked right into that roux. It will seize up and get ugly and you will look at me through the screen like we did something wrong but we didn't, honey, I promise! Just keep splashing and whisking vigorously until the sauce smooths out.
Step 5 | Stir in the sour cream and let that sauce simmer at medium heat until it thickens to a beautiful, thickened consistency, coating the back of a spoon and staying apart when you run a finger down the middle of it.
Take it off the heat and stir in half of the shredded cheeses, saving some for the top of the dish, and add in the chives for more flavor!
Step 6 | Layer the potatoes in a baking dish (I personally like shingling them for scalloped potatoes).
Step 7 | Pour the sauce over the potatoes. I mean really smother them in cheese sauce.
Step 8 | Cover the potatoes with cheese, then loosely wrap the casserole with foil and bake in the oven at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes. Your potatoes are still a little tough at this point, but we got one more step.
Step 9 | Remove the foil and bake for 30-45 more minutes or until your potatoes are tender (poke 'em with a fork!) and there's some lovely golden brown goodness on top.
Serve your homemade scalloped potatoes with a garnish of fresh chives!
Chef's Tips + Recipe Variations
- A mandoline will make consistent slices, which will make the potato slices all cook evenly. Don't have one? Carefully use a sharp knife to slice each potato thinly.
- Apart from Gruyère and Parmesan, try using smoked gouda, or blue cheese for a different flavor profile.
- Let the potatoes rest for about 10 minutes after baking. This allows the sauce to thicken up and makes serving it so much easier.
- Shred your own cheese! Pre-shredded cheese from the store is coated in cellulose (which is just wood pulp or other anti-caking agents) that make it so the cheese doesn't melt together or stick together in the bag so it also won't melt together well in your sauce. Use whatever tool you like to shred it: box grater, food processor attachment, that hand crank on TikTok, etc!
- Add in some crumbled bacon, crisp pancetta, or diced ham to the sauce or sprinkled generously over the potatoes before adding to the sauce for a savory, filling addition.
What to Serve with your Sour Cream and Chive Potatoes
Scalloped potatoes are delicious and hearty! They're excellent as your potato side for Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas (especially if you're tired of mashed potatoes), but they're also great as a cozy side to all our Sunday favorites like a southern pot roast, a pan-seared steak, or roasted lemon chicken thighs. So delish!
Equipment I Used
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Slice the potatoes a day ahead and refrigerate them until you're ready to bake. Same with the cheese sauce, just loosen it up in a saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of milk or broth, stirring until it warms up and is loose enough to pour.
Avoid high heat, especially once the cheese is in the sauce.
The potatoes are done when they are tender all the way through and the top is golden and bubbly. A knife or fork should go through the layers with little resistance.
Yellow/ gold are the best types of potatoes for scalloped potatoes. They hold their shape while becoming tender but still soak up the flavors of the sauce.
Reheat them in the oven at 325°F until they're hot throughout. Covering the dish with foil will prevent the top from burning.
More Potato Recipes You'll Love
Craving more cozy recipes? Sign up for the Sweet Tea & Thyme newsletter, save this recipe with the Pin button. If you whip it up, tag me (@sweet_tea_thyme on IG/@sweetteaandthyme on TikTok) and don’t forget to leave a star rating and note below, it helps more than you know, friend.
Cheesy Sour Cream and Chive Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced (about ⅛ inch thick)
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, small diced, about 1 cup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup milk, any type is welcome
- ½ cup chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- 1 cup sour cream, full fat preferred
- 2 cups Gruyère cheese, shredded
- 1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- Extra chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Carefully slice the clean gold potatoes to ⅛ inch thick coins. Shingle them into your 9x13 or 8x11 baking dish.2½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add your diced onions and a hearty pinch of salt. Cook until the onions start to turn golden brown on the edges, about 7-8 minutes.4 tablespoon butter, 1 medium yellow onion
- Once the onions begin turning brown at the edges, add in your minced garlic. Stir for a minute so they don't burn, we want them to be fragrant but not brown.3 cloves garlic
- Stir in a third of the flour, whisking well before adding the next third. Whisk in the last third and ensure it's completely mixed into the butter before adding the liquids.¼ cup all purpose flour
- Slowly whisk in small amounts of the milk and broth at a time. The roux you've made will seize up and look weirdly clumpy, just keep whisking in more milk and broth until the sauce smoothes out.½ cup milk, ½ cup chicken broth
- Now mix in the sour cream until it is well incorporated into the sauce. Let the sauce simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.1 cup sour cream
- Turn the heat off, then begin stirring in small handfuls 1 CUP OF the gruyere and HALF A CUP of the white cheddar cheese, stirring between each new addition. You'll need the rest of the cheese to sprinkle on the top.2 cups Gruyère cheese, 1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese
- Once all the cheese is added, season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the chives as well.3 tablespoons fresh chives, kosher salt and pepper
- Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes in your baking dish, then cover the top in the rest of the gruyere and cheddar, and sprinkle on all of the parmesan cheese.1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, 2 cups Gruyère cheese
- Cover the top loosely in foil, then bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 45 minutes, or until the cheese on top is bubbly and golden brown.
- Let your scalloped potatoes cool for at least 5 to 10 minutes before serving so it can set a bit and thicken up. Garnish with chives and enjoy hot!Extra chives
Recipe Notes
Chef's Tips
-
- Let the dish rest for about 10 minutes after baking. This allows the sauce to thicken up and makes serving it so much easier.
-
- Shred your own cheese! Use whatever tool you like to shred it: box grater, food processor attachment, that hand crank on TikTok, etc!
- Add in some crumbled bacon, crisp pancetta, or diced ham to the sauce or sprinkled generously over the potatoes before adding to the sauce for a savory, filling addition.
Leave a Reply