I’ve never been a fan of huge mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving or any other day.
Shirking what many would call a Thanksgiving staple, I’ve made scalloped potatoes — or potatoes au gratin — for the past five-plus years instead.
Thanksgiving purists may not believe me, but the texture and flavor are far superior to even the best mashed-potato recipe. Plus, with the average cost of hosting Thanksgiving this year reaching $431, according to a recent WalletHub report, I want to make every dish count.
I’ve followed several different recipes, but Half Baked Harvest, run by cookbook author Tieghan Gerard, has a recipe for cheesy scalloped potatoes with caramelized onions that has become a go-to on practically every holiday.
Here’s how to make it yourself.
I started by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and thinly slicing about six yellow-gold potatoes.
The recipe recommends either russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, but I opted for Yukon Gold potatoes.
You can find the full Half Baked Harvest recipe and ingredient list here.
After thinly slicing a small yellow onion, I added 2 tablespoons of butter and the onions to a cast-iron pan.
I cooked the onions on medium-high heat until they became golden brown and caramelized.
After about 10 minutes of cooking, and stirring frequently, I added a quarter cup of dry white wine to the pan.
The wine helped to speed up the caramelization of the onions, creating a heavenly scent in my kitchen.
Then I tossed in a clove of sliced garlic and a tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme.
I cooked the garlic, thyme, and caramelized onions together for two more minutes before removing the pan from the heat.
Next, I greased a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter and set it aside.
The butter ensures that your scalloped potatoes won’t stick to the pan, of course.
I started assembling the scalloped potatoes by pouring a third of the milk mixture into the bottom of the pan.
The milk mix is made with 2 cups of heavy cream, 1 cup of whole milk, a pinch of cayenne, salt, pepper, and a ¾ cup of shredded Gruyere cheese.
I followed the recipe’s instructions on how to layer the potatoes, onions, and milk mix.
The first layer of potatoes should use up a third of the sliced potatoes, topped with half of the caramelized onions and garlic. Then, I added another third of the milk mixture, followed by another third of the potatoes, and then the remaining onions.
I then placed the remaining potatoes in an even layer and poured the remaining mixture over the top.
I covered the dish in foil and cooked it in the oven for two hours.
After two hours, the potatoes were almost done cooking and the milk mixture was bubbling.
I finished the scalloped potatoes by layering about a cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the top and popping it back into the oven.
You can grate your own cheddar or Gruyere cheese for this recipe, or opt for store-bought, already-shredded cheese to make Thanksgiving day easier.
After another 20 minutes uncovered in the oven, the potatoes had developed a deep golden crust on top. I wish you could smell this dish.
I topped the finished scalloped potatoes with another tablespoon of fresh thyme.
These potatoes were a major hit with my roommates, and we all agreed they were better than any mashed potatoes we’ve ever had.
The potatoes had a delicious, savory crust on the top, and the caramelized onions added a lot of dynamic flavor to the dish.
The creamy layers of the potatoes complemented the crispy texture of the crust, creating a perfect balance of texture and flavor — something I’ve never experienced with grainy or bland mashed potatoes that, frankly, resemble baby food.
While I know some will never agree with my hot take that mashed potatoes have no place on the Thanksgiving dinner table, I’m perfectly content as long as I’m eating these scalloped potatoes.
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