CHEESY BACON SCALLOPED POTATOES
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Cheesy Bacon Scalloped Potatoes is an easy potato recipe that has layers of soft, thinly sliced potatoes, cheese sauce, and bacon. This casserole is super easy and one of my all-time favorite side dishes!
These potatoes are creamy and cheesy, they look fancy and complicated to make but are so easy. But, shhhhhh….. let’s keep that a secret!
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CHEESY BACON SCALLOPED POTATOES
Basically, this is a traditional scalloped potato recipe with the addition of bacon. It’s also very similar to Twice Baked Potato Casserole…. potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto, yada yada… However, don’t underestimate what bacon adds. Bacon truly transforms standard Scalloped Potatoes into extraordinary potatoes!
CHEESY BACON SCALLOPED POTATOES INGREDIENTS
The ingredients in these Easy Bacon Scalloped potatoes are simple and you probably already have them.
- Potatoes – I prefer Yukon potatoes because the skin is thin and you don’t have to peel them. You can use red-skinned potatoes but because the skin can be tough on red-skinned potatoes, I recommend you peel them before slicing.
- Butter, flour, and milk – This trio makes your basic roux which is the base of a creamy sauce.
- Salt and Pepper – basic ingredients that flavor the potatoes.
- Cheese – I like medium-sharp cheddar cheese. It gives the dish a lot of flavors. However, you can use any creamy cheese you like. *I want to add a very important note about cheese. I do not recommend using pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is very convenient, HOWEVER, it is coated with corn-starch (and other ingredients) that keep it from clumping together. First, there is no need for these other ‘chemicals’. As well, pre-shredded cheese is much more expensive per ounce than block cheese. Finally, all those chemicals that coat the cheese affect the melting and creaminess of the cheese. So, just grate it yourself. Please.
Personal note: I don’t love to add garlic to everything I cook. Garlic is such a strong flavor, I find it overpowers other ingredients and leaves every dish tasting pretty much the same. Like garlic.
That said, if you love garlic, you can certainly add it to this recipe. I recommend fresh garlic over garlic salt or garlic powder every time. For this recipe, add one teaspoon of minced garlic with the onions and saute. Continue with the recipe as instructed.
CAN I MAKE THESE AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes. You can prepare these up to two days ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate, then simply bake the day of.
WHILE YOU’RE HERE, CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES
- Crock Pot Crack Hash Brown Potatoes
- 3 Ingredient Hash Brown Potatoes
- Hashbrown Potato Casserole No Cream Soup
- Hasselback Scalloped Potatoes
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Irish Pub-style Potato Nachos
- Stewed Potatoes
- Parmesan Potatoes
- Mashed Potato Cakes
I updated this post from an earlier version dated August 6, 2013. I made new photos and simplified the recipe instructions.
CHEESY BACON SCALLOPED POTATOES
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup half & half or heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup white onion sliced thin
- 2 pounds potatoes peeled and sliced thin
- 1 cup bacon cooked & crumbled, or bacon bits (approx 1 lb)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- In a large pot, saute chopped onions in butter until they're soft but not browned.
- Stir flour, salt, and pepper into the onion mixture.
- 3. Whisk in the milk and half and half. Cook over medium to low heat until the mixture begins to thicken. Stir so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. (This will take 2 to 3 minutes. Don't rush it or it can scorch on the bottom)
- After the creamy mixture begins to thicken you can turn off the heat. Next, add 1 and ½ cups cheese to the sauce and stir till melted and smooth.
- Layer half of the sliced potatoes and bacon in a 12×7-inch casserole dish. Top with half of the cheese mixture. Repeat layers.
- Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 35 minutes.
- Remove foil, sprinkle reserved cheese over top, and bake another 30 minutes or until potatoes are soft, cheese is melted and edges begin to brown. (When you put the potatoes back in the oven, you will not cover them with foil.) You can test the potatoes with a fork. The fork should easily pierce the potatoes when they're done.
- Allow the casserole to stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to thicken.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are important to you, I recommend calculating them yourself.
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