Scalloped Potatoes With Caramelized Onions
Photo by Julia Gartland. Food stylist: Anna Billingskog. Prop stylist: Amanda Widis.
- Serves
- 6 to 8
- Prep Time
- 30 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 2 Hours 15 Minutes
These scalloped potatoes were a hit on Easter Sunday with friends and family, so why not Thanksgiving? These are not your average scalloped potatoes, as there are delicious caramelized onions layered in between the sliced potatoes and cheese. A lighter version can be made with milk and a béchamel sauce instead of the whipping cream; see the directions at the end of the recipe. You can also double the recipe if you have lots of guests, making the potatoes in 2 (12x8-inch) casseroles. Thanksgiving 2020 Update: I was a finalist in the 2013 recipe contest, “Your Best Potato Recipe,” with my recipe for Scalloped Potatoes With Caramelized Onions. It doesn’t seem so long ago, but the world is a very different place now with everyone dealing with covid. What hasn’t changed is my love for this comfort dish; seven years later, I still make it a few times a year. What has changed is who is at the dinner party or holiday meal. The last time I made it was this past summer, for my husband and me plus two close friends of ours—it’s a favorite dish of theirs. We felt safe with them after not having invited anyone into the house in months, a bizarre reality. We’ve already had the conversation regarding Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at our place and the email we will have to send out pre-arrival to confirm no one has symptoms of COVID-19, nor anyone they have had contact with recently. Cooking and baking have always been a comfort to me, and I’ve been doing a lot more of it through the pandemic lockdown. In almost a desperate way we ran around to grocery stores finding ingredients like flour, sugar, and yeast to feed that comfort. Many others did the same, some baking for the first time, experiencing that neat feeling of accomplishment in the finished product and sharing it with their lockdown companions. In times like this, the one constant we have is food. It’s a wonderful positive way to bring comfort to your loved ones with a familiar well-loved recipe or excitement in trying something new. How lucky are those who have just discovered this age old craft, a sweet positive during this trying time in the world.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 large Spanish or yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 large Yukon Gold potatoes (2 to 3 pounds), peeled
- 2 cup whipping cream
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 whole peppercorns
- 2 sprig thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese, divided
Featured Video
Scalloped Potatoes With Caramelized Onions
Directions
- Step 1
In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Cook the onion, stirring often, for about 45 minutes, until light brown. Meanwhile, slice the potatoes as thinly as possible (use a mandoline if available).
- Step 2
Heat the oven to 300°F. In medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream, garlic, peppercorns, thyme, and salt to just under a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside.
- Step 3
Layer one-quarter of the potatoes in greased 12x8-inch glass baking or casserole dish; top with one-third of the onion and one-quarter of the cheese. Repeat twice. Top with the remaining potatoes. Strain the reserved cream mixture over the potatoes, shaking the pan to distribute evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Step 4
Place the pan on a baking sheet (to catch drips) and bake for 1½ to 2 hours, until tender and a knife inserted into the dish pierces the potatoes easily.
- Step 5
<strong>Do Ahead:</strong> The casserole can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat, tented with foil, in a 375°F oven for 30 minutes.
- Step 6
<strong>Tip:</strong> For a lighter version, steep the garlic, peppercorns, thyme, and salt in 2 cups (500 milliliters) milk. Then make the béchamel sauce: Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in the strained milk mixture and simmer for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Pour over the potatoes.