12.08.21

Caramelized Onion Scalloped Potatoes

These Caramelized Onion Scalloped Potatoes are beyond indulgent and the perfect addition to your holiday dinner or anytime you’re hosting a nice dinner!

Caramelized Onion Scalloped Potatoes

I do think the photos speak for themselves, but just to give you an idea of the deliciousness of these scalloped potatoes, I start with caramelizing the onions — I promise it’s worth the time — the create a delicious sauce with garlic, white wine, heavy cream and butter…YUM. The potatoes are layered with this sauce and gruyere cheese resulting in bubbly, deliciousness.

Caramelized Onion Scalloped Potatoes

Pair these Caramelized Onion Scalloped Potatoes with my Herb-Crusted Beef Tenderloin and you’re on your way to a delicious meal that is sure to impress. 

 

If you are looking for a Dairy-Free Scalloped potato, I have a recipe here.

Caramelized Onion Scalloped Potatoes

Caramelized Onion Scalloped Potatoes
Serves: 8 People
Print
5 from 13 votes
Prep Time50 mins
Cook Time50 mins
Total Time1 hr 40 mins

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 medium yellow onions halved and thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 3 lb russet potatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream about 2 cups
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped thyme leaves
  • ½ tsp white pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional
  • 3/4 cup shredded gruyere cheese

Instructions

  • In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, onions and 1 tsp of salt. Stir to combine. Let the onions caramelize for 35-40 minutes, stirring often so that they brown but being careful not to burn.
  • While the onions are caramelizing, peel your potatoes and slice them into 1/4-inch rounds. I prefer to use a mandolin to ensure they are a uniform ¼ inch thickness, but if you do not have one, you can cut them carefully with a sharp knife in as even slices as you can get!
  • Add the sliced potatoes to a large bowl and fill with water until they are just covered, set aside (this helps prevent them from browning while you finish your onions).
  • Preheat your oven to 375℉ and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
  • Once the onions are caramelized, drain off any excess oil then place back over medium heat.
  • While the oven preheats, add the garlic and butter to the skillet with the onions. Melt the butter and sauté the garlic for about a minute.
  • Add the white wine to the skillet and let it cook until it has reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Once reduced, add the heavy cream and whisk to combine and bring to a simmer. Stir in the thyme, white pepper, garlic powder, cayenne (if using) and the remaining 1 tsp of salt. Stir to combine and cook, simmering and stirring often, to allow the flavors to mend and the sauce to slightly thicken, 4 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside while you begin to layer your potatoes.
  • Drain the potatoes then add ½ of the potatoes to the bottom of the greased 9 x 13 pan in an even layer. Pour ⅓ of the sauce over the first layer of the potatoes (about 1 cup) then add ¼ cup of the cheese. Next, add the remaining potatoes then pour the remaining sauce over (do not add the remaining cheese yet!)
  • Cover with foil and transfer to the preheated oven and bake until the potatoes are just fork-tender, about 40 minutes.
  • Once tender, carefully remove the potatoes from the oven and increase your heat to 425℉.
  • Remove the foil and top the potatoes with the remaining ½ cup of cheese. Place back into the oven and cook, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned over the top.
  • Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving! Enjoy!

Notes

This will actually serve 8-10 people!
If making this alongside my Herb-Crusted Beef Tenderloin, cook the potatoes at 375℉ then remove from the oven and set aside (covered) while your tenderloin is cooking at 425℉. Then, after you pull the tenderloin out of the oven and let it rest, add the potatoes into the oven uncovered to get your cheese bubbly.
Make ahead note: These really don't do that well to prep ahead, as without baking, the potatoes get pretty browned/funky. It's best made same day OR you can make it fully (potatoes are baked and all), let it cool completely, cover and refrigerate. Then, the day of serving you just need to reheat it in the oven at 350 or 375, covered, until nice and hot. But, you can caramelize the onions ahead of time! Make the day ahead then store, covered, in the fridge.

77 Comments

  • Reply
    Jenna
    January 2, 2023 at 2:12 am

    5 stars
    Delicious!! Will now be a staple dish for our Christmas dinner – was a big hit this year!

    • Reply
      Alex
      January 2, 2023 at 3:19 pm

      Yay! Thank you for sharing

  • Reply
    Erica
    December 26, 2022 at 2:50 pm

    5 stars
    These were delicious! Everyone loved them. Very creamy and tasty. They took much longer than 40 minutes to bake. More like 75 minutes.

  • Reply
    Brittany Mausolf
    December 24, 2022 at 11:46 pm

    Wow! Made these for Christmas Eve and My husband says these are the best potatoes he has ever eaten and I couldn’t agree more! And so simple to make! 10 out of 10 stars!!

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 27, 2022 at 9:35 pm

      Amazing to hear!

  • Reply
    Taylor Le Bon
    December 21, 2022 at 1:58 am

    Can you prepare the day before? And then throw in the oven the next day?

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 21, 2022 at 8:53 pm

      yes!!

      • Reply
        Krista Pagliuso
        December 22, 2022 at 4:34 am

        This looks amazing! Is there any good non dairy option to replace the heavy cream?

        • Reply
          Alex
          December 22, 2022 at 4:07 pm

          I would suggest using this recipe instead for a dairy-free alternative! You could add the caramelized onions to it to get a similar flavor.

          • Krista Pagliuso
            December 22, 2022 at 6:36 pm

            Thank you so much!

  • Reply
    Rebecca Bedard
    December 18, 2022 at 9:05 pm

    Would you be able to omit the caramelized onions and still keep the yumminess of the potatoes. Thanks!

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 19, 2022 at 9:36 pm

      I mean, they are smothered in a cheesy, heavy creamer combo– so it’s hard not to taste good!! haha, add a little extra cracked pepper for a cacio e pepe moment! Will still be delcious.

  • Reply
    Catherine
    October 9, 2022 at 8:23 pm

    5 stars
    These are delicious and easy to make!

  • Reply
    Catie
    April 18, 2022 at 1:46 pm

    5 stars
    WOW! These potatoes were fabulous and my entire family devoured them! I made them for our Easter dinner and was a perfect side. These will definitely be added to the rotation on other family meals or special occasions. Thank you for sharing such a yummy recipe Alex!

    • Reply
      Rachel
      January 1, 2023 at 7:52 am

      How do you think this would turn out with sweet potatoes instead ?

      • Reply
        Alex
        January 1, 2023 at 11:09 pm

        I’m sure it’d be delicious!!! Would be a festive twist.

  • Reply
    Scott Leo
    February 20, 2022 at 4:23 am

    5 stars
    Delicious!! And for this crew it did not serve 8 to 10 people. Three of us polished off the entire pan! 🤷‍♂️

  • Reply
    Haleigh
    January 9, 2022 at 1:13 am

    5 stars
    These potatoes were absolutely amazing! We made them for a date night in, so we halved the recipe and baked them in a 9×9 dish.

  • Reply
    Nicole
    January 4, 2022 at 9:43 pm

    5 stars
    This is incredible and a very forgiving recipe! I used cooper sharp cheese, as it’s what I had on hand and it worked well! Can’t wait to make this again and again!

  • Reply
    Kate
    January 1, 2022 at 3:17 am

    These are INSANELY delicious. Will definitely be making again!!

  • Reply
    AG
    December 29, 2021 at 3:23 pm

    5 stars
    This was fantastic. It was worth the extra time to make.

  • Reply
    Avery
    December 27, 2021 at 4:48 pm

    5 stars
    This was DELISH! My family holds nothing back when it comes to critiques and everyone loved this dish. It was the perfect addition to our Christmas dinner.

  • Reply
    CJ
    December 27, 2021 at 2:51 am

    5 stars
    This was delicious! Rave reviews from the family.

  • Reply
    Cathy
    December 26, 2021 at 8:34 pm

    5 stars
    I made this Christmas day along with the herb crusted tenderloin. Both were really delicious and easy to prepare. The scalloped potatoes were dreamy and even better the next day. Would highly recommend this recipe. Make sure to have a nice bottle of red wine on hand as well.

  • Reply
    SueEllen Muller
    December 26, 2021 at 1:16 pm

    5 stars
    ABSOLUTELY EXQUISITE ! Perhaps the best scalloped potatoes (gratin) we’ve ever enjoyed, and we frequent French restaurants both here & abroad (well… pre-Covid). Hubs considers himself a gratin connoisseur lol. Made these for an intimate Christmas dinner. Halved the recipe. Looking forward to leftovers. Soooo worth the time! And please get the Gruyère. You’ll be glad you did.

  • Reply
    Mary
    December 21, 2021 at 3:56 am

    Gruyere is expensive! Any other cheeses that would go just as well?

  • Reply
    Samantha
    December 21, 2021 at 12:28 am

    This looks amazing! Any recommendations on making this dairy free?!

  • Reply
    Emily
    December 20, 2021 at 4:42 pm

    Alex,
    Is there a way to caramelize the onions in the oven the day before?
    Thanks!

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 20, 2021 at 10:09 pm

      yes you can definitely carmelize the onions in advance and save in a jar.

  • Reply
    Kristina
    December 20, 2021 at 2:30 pm

    Hi Alex- Any recommendations to prevent curdling? I tried numerous recipes prior (not yours) and this has happened. Is your cheese and cream room temp before adding in? Thanks so much, excited to try this!

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 20, 2021 at 10:10 pm

      It wasn’t at room temperature and I didn’t have that issue! But setting it out at room temp while the onions are carmelizing is a great idea for just extra insurance that this won’t happen.

  • Reply
    Valerie
    December 17, 2021 at 6:29 pm

    Hi Alex, what White Wine do you typically use for cooking? I’ve never cooked with it before!

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 20, 2021 at 12:35 pm

      Sauvignon blanc is great! Or Chardonnay

  • Reply
    Katie
    December 17, 2021 at 6:03 pm

    Any chance you could caramelize the onions and make the cheese sauce the day before, then deal with the potatoes and assemble/bake day of?

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 20, 2021 at 12:40 pm

      You can definitely caramelize the onions in advance. The sauce is best day of– however, the sauce would be okay ahead of time. I just recommend you reheat it on the stove top– and you may need to add 1/4 cup of veggie broth if you feel like it got too thick in the fridge.

  • Reply
    Kathryn Gill
    December 15, 2021 at 11:58 pm

    Hi! Can you substitute the white wine for something different?

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 16, 2021 at 7:02 pm

      Yes– you could do additional broth with a few tablespoons of lemon to help add some acidity!!

  • Reply
    Debbie Gallinatti
    December 12, 2021 at 8:19 pm

    What do you think of using Yukon Gold potatoes instead of russets? Any adjustments??

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 13, 2021 at 5:13 pm

      yes, you can definitely use yukon! shouldn’t be much adjustment there at all.

  • Reply
    Stephanie
    December 12, 2021 at 4:17 pm

    Hi Alex! I am SURE you’ve answered this somewhere, so forgive me for not being able to find it, but is there any particular reason you use white pepper? Or is that a preference?

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 13, 2021 at 5:15 pm

      Hi! It’s really for appearances- you can definitely use black pepper. I like to use White Pepper when I want a peppery bite in recipes but where I don’t want black flecks (ex. in white sauces and potato dishes).

  • Reply
    Lauren Nutting
    December 11, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    5 stars
    Made this for a party last night and friends were raving over it! The dish was scraped clean. Thank you for always making the best food to share with special people.

  • Reply
    Jeannie
    December 9, 2021 at 10:05 pm

    Thanks for this recipe, Alex! We always have surf and turf on Christmas Eve and I try to change out the sides- this looks amazing. I’m currently looking at your Amazon shop for a Mandoline slicer 😉 Do you think this will easily slice raw potatoes?

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 10, 2021 at 10:53 pm

      yes I use the OXO brand mandolin and it works great! (just be careful!)

  • Reply
    Cassie Walker
    December 9, 2021 at 5:40 pm

    What do you think about freezing as a make-ahead option?

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 10, 2021 at 10:55 pm

      I don’t recommend freezing them. I think they could potentially be frozen– but it worries me with the amount of dairy (which doesn’t freeze well) and the potatoes not holding up well in the freezer!

  • Reply
    Stacy
    December 9, 2021 at 11:43 am

    Can this be made a day ahead?

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 9, 2021 at 12:11 pm

      IF you do– i recommend fully baking it. Without baking it, the potatoes get pretty browned/funky. Its best made same day OR you can make it fully, let it cool completely, cover amd refrigerate. Then, the day of serving you just need to reheat it in the oven at 350 or 375, covered, until nice and hot.

      • Reply
        Jessica
        December 19, 2021 at 8:35 pm

        How long do you think it will take to get hot? Trying to work out all my oven times. Thanks.

        • Reply
          Alex
          December 20, 2021 at 12:38 pm

          I would keep it covered and reheat for 20ish minutes. I haven’t done it yet, so I can’t say with 100% certainty– but this would be my guess. (this would be at 350 or 375).

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 9, 2021 at 12:14 pm

      Just added a note about this!

  • Reply
    Patty
    December 9, 2021 at 4:06 am

    Possible to make ahead? Any adjustments?

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 9, 2021 at 12:14 pm

      Just added a note about this!

  • Reply
    Cristy
    December 9, 2021 at 2:08 am

    Can you make this the night before? And bake the next day?

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 9, 2021 at 12:15 pm

      Just added a note about this!

  • Reply
    Elizabeth
    December 9, 2021 at 2:02 am

    can you make ahead of time?

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 9, 2021 at 12:14 pm

      Just added a note about this!

  • Reply
    Cynthia Surber
    December 9, 2021 at 1:25 am

    Could there be prepped ahead and baked Day of? It will the potatoes get brown?🤔

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 9, 2021 at 12:15 pm

      Just added a note about this!

  • Reply
    Mb Callahan
    December 9, 2021 at 1:06 am

    Is there any way to make/prep this ahead of time?

  • Reply
    Barbara
    December 9, 2021 at 12:22 am

    Is there anything I can use instead of the heavy cream? I would love to make these but someone in my family is allergic to heavy cream.

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 9, 2021 at 12:36 am

      You could use unsweetened full fat coconut milk, or whole milk will prob be ok.

      • Reply
        Juli Riva
        December 6, 2022 at 8:19 pm

        Alex – have you ever tried to substitute cashew cream for dairy cream? I have done this for soups but not for baking.

        • Reply
          Alex
          December 7, 2022 at 12:57 am

          For this recipe, I haven’t tried that! I know for sure unsweetened coconut milk would work- but it would add a subtle coconut flavor to the dish.

  • Reply
    Jan
    December 9, 2021 at 12:02 am

    This sounds amazing! Is it possible to make this ahead?

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 9, 2021 at 12:15 pm

      Just added a note about this!

  • Reply
    Deborah Newman
    December 8, 2021 at 11:39 pm

    Can this be made a day ahead ? Also , I’m serving 15 ( also making your tenderloin) would you make 2 recipes?
    Thanks

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 9, 2021 at 12:19 pm

      oh… I think it depends what else you’re serving and how heavy the rest is.. I do think doubling is probably best, though. As I know the potatoes will be the biggest hit!!

  • Reply
    Christina
    December 8, 2021 at 11:34 pm

    These look amazing! Do you think they’d still be good adapted to be mostly dairy free? 😬 Maybe with ghee and full fat coconut milk? I want it to be so!

  • Reply
    Dawn
    December 8, 2021 at 10:56 pm

    How can you make these dairy free?

  • Reply
    Alyssa Reid
    December 8, 2021 at 10:06 pm

    Hi Alex! Do you think this would hold well if I prepped this a few hours prior or maybe even the night before aside from the baking in oven when wanting to serve?

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 9, 2021 at 12:17 pm

      I just added a note on this!

  • Reply
    Precious Riehl
    December 8, 2021 at 9:47 pm

    Hi! Assuming the 3/4 gruyere cheese is a cup measurement? Thanks 🙂

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 8, 2021 at 11:28 pm

      Yes! Just updated

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