I love a good potato side dish. I’m always trying to mix it up and try different things (because I can only have roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes so many times lol). These scallop potatoes are oh so cheesy, creamy, and salty. There are crispy bits of bacon swimming throughout that add extra decadence to the dish. Because who doesn’t like cheese and bacon, right? No complaints over here! My family can’t get enough of bacon and cheese. Serve these alongside a juicy steak, roasted chicken, sausage, or pork. They go perfectly with just about everything.
Often times, people get scared off by making scallop potatoes. I feel like most people think they look more difficult to make than they actually are. My one recommendation: invest in a mandolin. It will make this recipe even easier than it already is. They aren’t super pricy… I think you can find them at Williams Sonoma starting at around $30-40.
These potatoes would be great with:
BEER CAN ROASTED CHICKEN + BROWN GRAVY
DATE NIGHT FILET MIGNON IN THE CAST IRON
BACON CHEDDAR SCALLOP POTATOES
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 35-40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Serves: About 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- 5 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
- 4 strips thick cut bacon
- 1 cup shark cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup white American cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup yellow onion, small dice
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1.5 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Peel and cut the potatoes as thin as possible (about 1/8 inch thick). If you have a mandolin, use it instead of a knife.
- Cut bacon in thin 1/2 inch strips and cook till crispy. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
- Heat a large pan to medium heat. Add in butter and onion. Cook for a couple minutes until the onion is translucent. At this point, sprinkle in the flour. Whisk to mix in with the butter. Allow the flour to darken in color by cooking it a minute or two. The color should be a golden brown. This allows the flour taste to cook off.
- Slowly whisk in the heavy cream, milk, salt, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Bring the mixture to a soft boil while letting it thicken slightly. Then slowly add in the cheese. Whisk until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is thick. Turn heat off.
- To prepare the scallop potatoes: Use a large baking dish (8×10) to begin the layering process. First, add a thin layer of cheese sauce. Next, stack a single layer of potatoes on top of the sauce. Sprinkle on a small amount of bacon next. Repeat till all the potatoes have been used. Once the final layer of potatoes goes on, pour the remaining sauce over the potatoes.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.