A rich and creamy Easy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe that doesn't require flour to thicken. This cream of mushroom soup-based dish can be prepared in your Instant Pot or Pressure cooker this holiday season. Let's free up your oven for the turkey and pies!
The holidays are upon us and I've been busier than usual going back and forth between Montana and San Diego. I've also been updating old content on the blog, so I haven't added as much new content as usual.
So, just in time for Thanksgiving, I'd like to share this delicious Easy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe. It just might be a new favorite at your Thanksgiving dinner spread!
What Goes Into This Recipe
Recipe Ingredient Notes
- French Fried Onions — The French fried onions add a delicious flavor to these scalloped potatoes, however, you can use fresh onions if you prefer.
- Vegetarian Option — For a vegetarian option, substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth and leave out the bacon. 🙁
- Soup — You may substitute your favorite creamy soup for the cream of mushroom soup.
- Cream or Half and Half — A ¼ cup of cream or half and half can be added to the sauce ingredients in the Instant pot for extra creamy scalloped potatoes.
How to Make My Easy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
1. Wash and peel the potatoes and slice into ¼" sections.
2. Add prepared potatoes to your Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Mix pepper and thyme in with the broth and pour over the potatoes, and toss.
3. Close the Pressure Cooker lid and seal the vent. Turn the power to "on" and Choose the "Pressure" setting. Set the timer for "two minutes."
Note: It should take approximately 7 minutes until the pressure builds up and the timer begins to count down from two minutes.
4. Meanwhile, grease an 8" x 8" baking dish with one teaspoon of butter, and preheat your oven broiler.
5. Once the time is up, do a quick release to remove pressure/steam. Remove potatoes from the pressure cooker, leaving any leftover liquid inside the pot.
6. Layer the potatoes inside the prepared baking dish.
7. Set Pressure cooker to "Saute." Add cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and garlic, and cook for a few minutes until bubbly. Stir half of the cheese into the sauce, until the cheese melts.
8. Pour the sauce over the potatoes, followed by the french fried onions and bacon.
9. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese.
10. Broil on high for a few minutes until the top is browned and crispy. Serve my Easy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe with my Oven Tri-Tip for a delicious and satisfying meal!
Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips
Russet Potatoes are the best option for making Scalloped Potatoes. Russets have a high starch content which helps with thickening the sauce. They also hold up pretty well during the cooking process.
This Easy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe is perfect for reheating! Once the potatoes are layered, cover with foil and refrigerate until you want to serve them. When ready, heat the potatoes in the oven, covered, at 350 degrees F, for 30 minutes. Finish by broiling the top for a few minutes prior to serving.
When using a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot, you will want to make sure that the potato slices are no thinner than ¼" and no thicker than ⅓." Using a Mandoline helps keep the slices uniform in size so that they can cook evenly.
Follow the same steps regarding slicing the potatoes. Then make the sauce on the stovetop, and layer as instructed in the recipe. Cover with foil and bake in a 350-degree F oven for one hour. Remove foil then broil for a few minutes to brown the top.
- If you have access to a mandoline, set it to ¼" thickness and use it to slice the potatoes so that the slices are all the same thickness. This helps them to cook evenly.
- For extra creamy Scalloped Potatoes, add ¼ cup half-n-half to the sauce ingredients.
- For vegetarian Scalloped Potatoes, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth and leave out the bacon.
- When layering the potatoes, layer the overcooked slices on the bottom and leave the intact slices on top for a prettier presentation.
- If you make the potatoes ahead of time, once the potatoes are layered, refrigerate until you want to serve them. Then heat the potatoes in the oven, covered with foil, at 350 degrees F, for 30 minutes. Finish by broiling the top for a few minutes prior to serving. This is also highly recommended if you have time to spare. Finishing them off in the oven makes them even better!
Related Recipes
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Easy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
Equipment
- pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. potatoes (4 large)
- ¼ tsp. white pepper
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable)
- 1 tsp. butter
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup cooked diced bacon
- 2 cloves garlic (pressed)
- 1¾ cup sharp cheddar cheese (freshly grated)
- ¾ cup french fried onions
Instructions
- Wash and peel the potatoes and slice into ¼″ sections.
- Add prepared potatoes to your Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Mix pepper and thyme in with the broth and pour over the potatoes and toss.
- Close the Pressure Cooker lid and seal the vent.
- Turn the power on and Choose the “Pressure” setting. Set the timer for two minutes.
- Note: It should take approximately 7 minutes until the pressure builds up and the timer begins to count down from two minutes.
- Meanwhile, grease an 8″ x 8″ baking dish with one teaspoon of butter.
- Once the time is up, do a quick release to remove pressure/steam. Remove potatoes from the pressure cooker, leaving the liquid inside the pot.
- Layer potatoes inside the prepared baking dish.
- Set Pressure cooker to "Saute." Add cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and garlic, and cook for a few minutes until bubbly. Stir half of the cheese into the sauce, until the cheese melts.
- Pour the sauce over the potatoes, followed by the french fried onions and bacon.
- Top with the remaining cheddar cheese.
- Broil on high for a few minutes until the top is browned and crispy.
Notes
- If you have access to a mandoline, set it to ¼" thickness and use it to slice the potatoes so that the slices are all the same thickness. This helps them to cook evenly.
- For extra creamy Scalloped Potatoes, add ¼ cup half-n-half to the sauce ingredients.
- For vegetarian Scalloped Potatoes, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth and leave out the bacon.
- When layering the potatoes, layer the overcooked slices on the bottom and leave the intact slices on top for a prettier presentation.
- If you make the potatoes ahead of time, once the potatoes are layered, refrigerate until you want to serve them. Then heat the potatoes in the oven, covered with foil, at 350 degrees F, for 30 minutes. Finish by broiling the top for a few minutes prior to serving. This is also highly recommended if you have time to spare. Finishing them off in the oven makes them even better!
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted on November 20, 2019. It was updated on 12, 24, 2020 by removing the salt from the recipe (really didn't need it) and simplifying the instructions.
Kelly says
This recipe is perfect for a Thanksgiving side and beyond!
Can’t wait to try it! Thanks for another dinner idea!
HildaSterner says
Yes, I finally pushed out a Thanksgiving recipe, thanks for the encouragement!
Terry Smith says
Thank you for the recipe. I tried to make scalloped potatoes the other day off the top of my head (without a recipe) they didn’t come out so good.
Your recipe sounds great. I’ll try it. I have cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup in my pantry at all times. I need more creative ways to use them. Terry
HildaSterner says
Thanks, Terry, good luck and remember, NO SUBSTITUTIONS! 😉
Tommie Hargus says
This was easy, quick and tased great. Thank you!
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you so much, Tommie, I appreciate the review!