Dinner Ideas, Holiday Festivities, Sides

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Bacon

April 22, 2019April 9, 2021 by Jackie's Eats & Treats

I love scalloped potatoes and on this Easter, that was the side dish for our Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham. However, this isn’t your typical scalloped potatoes, it has layers of creamy cheesy goodness, crispy bacon, thinly sliced white onion and green onions 😋 Yum!

This dish could easily be created ahead of time, which is perfect if you’re entertaining because no one wanted to stress when hosting 👍

Instructions

1. Start by boiling potatoes slightly because that will help speed up the cooking process and helps create that creamy goodness. To prepare your potatoes, wash and scrub the skins to remove any dirt. I like leaving the skins on my potatoes because it keeps the nutrients in the potato. Once the potatoes have been cleaned, add them to a ice water bath.

2. Now slice each potato into thin slices. I suggest using a mandoline slicer because it will keep the cut consistent for cooking and it saves you time and patiences. As you slice the your potatoes, return them to the ice bath. Once the potatoes are sliced, rinse and add to a pot and boil for 7-10 minutes. It will take some time to create the boil since your potatoes have been in cold water. I would suggest adding salt to your potatoes because it will help breakdown the starches. Keep an eye on the potatoes once they boil because you don’t want them mushy and they should still be firm to the touch. Once they’re done, return them to a ice bath or rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.

3. Meanwhile, let’s create that yummy cheese sauce. I start by frying bacon in a large saucepan. Cook the bacon on medium and cook until the fat has been released from the meat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the crispy bacon and place on a paper towel to remove the excess oil.

4. Now add your onions and the whites from the green onions to the bacon fat and season with salt and pepper and cook until the onions are soft, ~10 minutes.

5. Now add some flour to the onions and cook for a few minutes to cook your flour.

6. Add your milk and/or cream to the flour and onion and create a thick bechamel. Add some Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce to your liking (I did a couple splashes) and continue whisking. Now add your cheeses, reserving some of the shredded cheese for the top of your casserole. I used shredded cheddar cheese and cream cheese, but you could easily use any type of cheese. Note: After whisking, if you want a creamier sauce, add more milk and/or cream; if you want a thicker sauce, add more cheese.

7. Now grab a casserole dish and start to create those layers of goodness. Butter the sides of the casserole dish to prevent any sticking. Place a layer of the potatoes on the bottom and add 1/4 of the cheese sauce. Spread the cheese sauce evenly across the potatoes.

8. Now repeat that layer. On top of the second layer, add slices of American cheese. You’ll still have creamy potatoes without this extra later, but I like adding American cheese because it helps create extra creaminess. Now repeat those layers again and top with extra shredded cheese, crispy bacon and your green onions.

9. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 if you’re cooking immediately. If you plan to refrigerate your potatoes and you’re cooking from cold, I would remove the casserole from the refrigerator 1/2-1 hour before you plan to bake to allow the potatoes to return to room temperature and add 15 minutes to our cook time, cook covered with foil for the first 15 minutes.

10. You’ll know the potatoes are ready if they’re bubbling in the center and the top is crispy. You can also slip a knife into the center to determine if it’s cooked. I would recommend removing the potatoes from the oven and covering with foil for 10-15 minutes because this will allow the potatoes to firm up a bit.