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

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!
77 Comments
Jenna
January 2, 2023 at 2:12 amDelicious!! Will now be a staple dish for our Christmas dinner – was a big hit this year!
Alex
January 2, 2023 at 3:19 pmYay! Thank you for sharing
Erica
December 26, 2022 at 2:50 pmThese were delicious! Everyone loved them. Very creamy and tasty. They took much longer than 40 minutes to bake. More like 75 minutes.
Brittany Mausolf
December 24, 2022 at 11:46 pmWow! 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!!
Alex
December 27, 2022 at 9:35 pmAmazing to hear!
Taylor Le Bon
December 21, 2022 at 1:58 amCan you prepare the day before? And then throw in the oven the next day?
Alex
December 21, 2022 at 8:53 pmyes!!
Krista Pagliuso
December 22, 2022 at 4:34 amThis looks amazing! Is there any good non dairy option to replace the heavy cream?
Alex
December 22, 2022 at 4:07 pmI 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 pmThank you so much!
Rebecca Bedard
December 18, 2022 at 9:05 pmWould you be able to omit the caramelized onions and still keep the yumminess of the potatoes. Thanks!
Alex
December 19, 2022 at 9:36 pmI 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.
Catherine
October 9, 2022 at 8:23 pmThese are delicious and easy to make!
Catie
April 18, 2022 at 1:46 pmWOW! 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!
Rachel
January 1, 2023 at 7:52 amHow do you think this would turn out with sweet potatoes instead ?
Alex
January 1, 2023 at 11:09 pmI’m sure it’d be delicious!!! Would be a festive twist.
Scott Leo
February 20, 2022 at 4:23 amDelicious!! And for this crew it did not serve 8 to 10 people. Three of us polished off the entire pan! 🤷♂️
Haleigh
January 9, 2022 at 1:13 amThese 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.
Nicole
January 4, 2022 at 9:43 pmThis 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!
Kate
January 1, 2022 at 3:17 amThese are INSANELY delicious. Will definitely be making again!!
AG
December 29, 2021 at 3:23 pmThis was fantastic. It was worth the extra time to make.
Avery
December 27, 2021 at 4:48 pmThis 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.
CJ
December 27, 2021 at 2:51 amThis was delicious! Rave reviews from the family.
Cathy
December 26, 2021 at 8:34 pmI 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.
SueEllen Muller
December 26, 2021 at 1:16 pmABSOLUTELY 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.
Mary
December 21, 2021 at 3:56 amGruyere is expensive! Any other cheeses that would go just as well?
Samantha
December 21, 2021 at 12:28 amThis looks amazing! Any recommendations on making this dairy free?!
Alex
December 21, 2021 at 12:35 pmHere is an alternative scalloped potato recipe that is great for a Dairy-Free option — You could add carmelized onions to each layer to amp it up, too!
https://thedefineddish.com/whole30-scalloped-potatoes/
Emily
December 20, 2021 at 4:42 pmAlex,
Is there a way to caramelize the onions in the oven the day before?
Thanks!
Alex
December 20, 2021 at 10:09 pmyes you can definitely carmelize the onions in advance and save in a jar.
Kristina
December 20, 2021 at 2:30 pmHi 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!
Alex
December 20, 2021 at 10:10 pmIt 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.
Valerie
December 17, 2021 at 6:29 pmHi Alex, what White Wine do you typically use for cooking? I’ve never cooked with it before!
Alex
December 20, 2021 at 12:35 pmSauvignon blanc is great! Or Chardonnay
Katie
December 17, 2021 at 6:03 pmAny chance you could caramelize the onions and make the cheese sauce the day before, then deal with the potatoes and assemble/bake day of?
Alex
December 20, 2021 at 12:40 pmYou 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.
Kathryn Gill
December 15, 2021 at 11:58 pmHi! Can you substitute the white wine for something different?
Alex
December 16, 2021 at 7:02 pmYes– you could do additional broth with a few tablespoons of lemon to help add some acidity!!
Debbie Gallinatti
December 12, 2021 at 8:19 pmWhat do you think of using Yukon Gold potatoes instead of russets? Any adjustments??
Alex
December 13, 2021 at 5:13 pmyes, you can definitely use yukon! shouldn’t be much adjustment there at all.
Stephanie
December 12, 2021 at 4:17 pmHi 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?
Alex
December 13, 2021 at 5:15 pmHi! 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).
Lauren Nutting
December 11, 2021 at 3:55 pmMade 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.
Jeannie
December 9, 2021 at 10:05 pmThanks 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?
Alex
December 10, 2021 at 10:53 pmyes I use the OXO brand mandolin and it works great! (just be careful!)
Cassie Walker
December 9, 2021 at 5:40 pmWhat do you think about freezing as a make-ahead option?
Alex
December 10, 2021 at 10:55 pmI 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!
Stacy
December 9, 2021 at 11:43 amCan this be made a day ahead?
Alex
December 9, 2021 at 12:11 pmIF 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.
Jessica
December 19, 2021 at 8:35 pmHow long do you think it will take to get hot? Trying to work out all my oven times. Thanks.
Alex
December 20, 2021 at 12:38 pmI 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).
Alex
December 9, 2021 at 12:14 pmJust added a note about this!
Patty
December 9, 2021 at 4:06 amPossible to make ahead? Any adjustments?
Alex
December 9, 2021 at 12:14 pmJust added a note about this!
Cristy
December 9, 2021 at 2:08 amCan you make this the night before? And bake the next day?
Alex
December 9, 2021 at 12:15 pmJust added a note about this!
Elizabeth
December 9, 2021 at 2:02 amcan you make ahead of time?
Alex
December 9, 2021 at 12:14 pmJust added a note about this!
Cynthia Surber
December 9, 2021 at 1:25 amCould there be prepped ahead and baked Day of? It will the potatoes get brown?🤔
Alex
December 9, 2021 at 12:15 pmJust added a note about this!
Mb Callahan
December 9, 2021 at 1:06 amIs there any way to make/prep this ahead of time?
Barbara
December 9, 2021 at 12:22 amIs 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.
Alex
December 9, 2021 at 12:36 amYou could use unsweetened full fat coconut milk, or whole milk will prob be ok.
Juli Riva
December 6, 2022 at 8:19 pmAlex – have you ever tried to substitute cashew cream for dairy cream? I have done this for soups but not for baking.
Alex
December 7, 2022 at 12:57 amFor 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.
Jan
December 9, 2021 at 12:02 amThis sounds amazing! Is it possible to make this ahead?
Alex
December 9, 2021 at 12:15 pmJust added a note about this!
Deborah Newman
December 8, 2021 at 11:39 pmCan this be made a day ahead ? Also , I’m serving 15 ( also making your tenderloin) would you make 2 recipes?
Thanks
Alex
December 9, 2021 at 12:19 pmoh… 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!!
Christina
December 8, 2021 at 11:34 pmThese 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!
Alex
December 9, 2021 at 12:17 pmHere is a recipe that you might prefer– you can add carmelized onions!
https://thedefineddish.com/whole30-scalloped-potatoes/
Dawn
December 8, 2021 at 10:56 pmHow can you make these dairy free?
Alex
December 9, 2021 at 12:17 pmhttps://thedefineddish.com/whole30-scalloped-potatoes/
Alyssa Reid
December 8, 2021 at 10:06 pmHi 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?
Alex
December 9, 2021 at 12:17 pmI just added a note on this!
Precious Riehl
December 8, 2021 at 9:47 pmHi! Assuming the 3/4 gruyere cheese is a cup measurement? Thanks 🙂
Alex
December 8, 2021 at 11:28 pmYes! Just updated