These loaded scalloped potatoes are what happens when your favorite loaded baked potato and classic scalloped potatoes get together to create an all-new dish of deliciousness! What makes our recipe special is the homemade cheese sauce (no canned soup here!), crispy bacon layered throughout, and plenty of melted cheese so you get all those loaded baked potato flavors in every single bite. They’re creamy, cheesy, and absolutely irresistible!
I grew up eating classic scalloped potatoes and au gratin potatoes somewhat frequently (Midwesterners love us some potatoes!), often alongside our holiday meals or on weeknights when we had a dinner that was a little more special. These loaded scalloped potatoes take that classic comfort food and make it even better by adding bacon and extra cheese. The layers of tender potatoes in rich cheese sauce with crispy bacon bits throughout create the ultimate side dish that feels special enough for holidays but is easy enough to make any time.
This recipe is great alongside all kinds of main dishes, from roasted chicken to grilled steaks to holiday ham. The creamy, cheesy potatoes with bacon make everything feel a little more special, and it’s the kind of side dish that everyone loves and goes back for seconds!
You’ll Love These Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Bacon!
Best of both worlds. Combines the creamy layers of scalloped potatoes with all the flavors of an epic loaded baked potato (cheese, bacon, herbs, and more cheese!).
Homemade cheese sauce. No canned cream of whatever soup here! Our made-from-scratch cheese sauce is rich, flavorful, and so much better than anything from a can.
Great for gatherings. This recipe feeds a crowd, making it ideal for holidays, potlucks, and family dinners.
Ultimate comfort food. Creamy, cheesy, bacon-y potatoes are the definition of comfort food and pair well with just about any main dish.
Ingredients for Bacon Scalloped Potatoes
- Russet potatoes. The starchy texture of russets makes them ideal for scalloped potatoes because they hold their shape and absorb the creamy sauce. Be sure to wash them well as we’re not peeling them for this recipe.
- Salted butter. Forms the base of the roux that thickens the cheese sauce.
- All-purpose flour. Works with the butter to create a roux that thickens the homemade cheese sauce to the right consistency.
- Dry white wine. Adds depth of flavor to the sauce (pinot grigio works great, or you can substitute with extra milk if you prefer), and helps prevent the sauce from seizing while baking (read more about this below).
- Whole milk. Creates the creamy base of the sauce.
- Salt and black pepper. Season the sauce and enhance all the flavors.
- Cheese. Creates the rich, cheesy sauce (see notes below on cheese options!). Be sure to grate fresh from the block for best results!
- Cooked bacon, crumbled. Adds smoky, salty, crispy bits throughout the layers. We like to use oven cooked bacon for this recipe.
- Fresh chopped parsley and chives for garnish. Add a pop of color and fresh flavor when serving.
- Sour cream for serving (optional). A classic loaded baked potato topping that works great with these scalloped potatoes too!
Complete ingredient measurements and all recipe details can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
What Kind of Potatoes to Use
Russet potatoes (also called Idaho potatoes) are the best choice for scalloped potatoes. Their starchy texture helps them hold their shape during baking while still absorbing the creamy sauce. Yukon Gold potatoes can also work if that’s what you have on hand, but they’re a bit waxier and won’t absorb quite as much sauce. Avoid red potatoes or new potatoes for this recipe, as they’re too waxy and won’t give you that classic scalloped potato texture.
What Cheese to Use
For the recipe as written, I used Wood River Creamery Applewood Smoked Sea Salt Cheddar Gruyere, which is a local Wisconsin cheese that adds an incredible flavor profile and smokiness to our dish (seriously, it makes these potatoes LUXE). However, you can easily substitute with cheeses you can find at any grocery store:
- Sharp cheddar cheese (classic and always delicious).
- A blend of sharp cheddar and Gruyere (for more complex flavor).
- Smoked cheddar or smoked gouda (adds that smoky element), I’d recommend starting by using a blend of half smoked cheese and half regular cheese to ensure the smoky flavor isn’t too overpowering.
- White cheddar (for a different look but same great flavor).
Whatever cheese you choose, make sure to shred it fresh from a block rather than using pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting as smoothly.
Why Use Wine?
We experimented with this after reading an article in Cooks Illustrated about grilled cheese, where one variation used wine when making a cheese sauce to help promote smooth melting. And it worked like a charm!! Using wine in my cheese sauce has resulted in some of the best homemade cheese sauce I’ve ever made and since adding it, I haven’t had the issue of my sauce seizing up during the baking process.
Helpful Equipment
You’ll need a mandoline slicer to get those thin, even potato slices. While you can also do this by hand, a mandoline makes this job so much faster and ensures all your slices are the same thickness so they cook evenly. Be very careful when using a mandoline though, they’re super sharp (I can tell you a sad story about how I know this… learn from my mistake!). Use the hand guard that comes with it to protect your fingers. You’ll also need a 9×13 baking dish and aluminum foil for covering during baking.
A simple box grater is my go-to for freshly shredding cheese.
How to Make Loaded Scalloped Potatoes
Prep. Preheat your oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13 pan, and set it aside.
Make the cheese sauce. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter.
Then whisk in the flour to make a paste, stirring constantly.
Whisk in the wine (this will make it feel like any remaining liquid gets zapped out of the roux, making the texture feel more paste-like). Then slowly begin to add the milk.
Wlowly whisk in the milk, salt, and pepper, allowing the mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes while continuing to stir.
Stir in about three-quarters of the grated cheese (the rest will be sprinkled on top), continuing to stir until melted and the sauce has thickened (about another 5 minutes).
Carefully cut the potatoes. I like to do this while my cheese sauce cools a little, ensuring my potatoes don’t gray-up from sitting out (called the oxidation process).
Layer half the potatoes. Add rows of potato slices to the greased pan, overlapping them, and continuing to layer until you’ve used about half of your potatoes.
Add half the bacon. Sprinkle half of the crumbled bacon over the first layer of potato slices.
Layer the remaining potatoes. Like before, add rows of potato slices, overlapping them, and continuing to layer until you’ve used up the rest of your potatoes.
Pour the sauce over the potatoes. Slowly pour the cheese sauce over the layers of potatoes, allowing the sauce to settle in between the layers.
Use a spatula to spread it to the corners and edges if needed. Then sprinkle the rest of the bacon pieces over the potatoes and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Add the remaining bacon and cheese. Then sprinkle the rest of the bacon pieces over the potatoes and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Cover and bake. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Then uncover and continue baking. Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes, until the cheese on top is lightly browned and the sauce is bubbly.
Rest before serving. Allow the potatoes to rest and set up for about 15 minutes before serving. This helps the sauce thicken and makes slicing much easier.
Garnish generously with chopped fresh parsley and chives.
Serve and enjoy!
Loaded Potato Casserole Variation Ideas
- Add green onions. Layer in some sliced green onions with the bacon for extra flavor and a pop of color.
- Make it spicier. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the cheese sauce or sprinkle some diced jalapeños between the layers.
- Use different toppings. Try adding caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, or roasted garlic for different flavor profiles.
- Make it vegetarian. Skip the bacon or substitute with vegetarian bacon bits.
Expert Tips for Making Cheesy Bacon Scalloped Potatoes
Slice potatoes evenly. Using a mandoline slicer ensures all your potato slices are the same thickness, which means they’ll cook evenly. I use the 3/16-inch setting, but anywhere from ⅛-inch to ¼-inch works great.
Shred your own cheese. Always shred cheese fresh from a block rather than using pre-shredded. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting and can make your sauce grainy.
Let it rest before serving. That 15-minute rest time after baking is important! It allows the sauce to thicken up and set, making the casserole much easier to slice and serve.
Don’t skip the foil. Covering the pan during the first 40 minutes of baking prevents the top from browning too quickly and helps the potatoes cook through evenly.
How to Store Loaded Scalloped Potatoes
Store leftover scalloped potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, or reheat the entire casserole covered with foil in a 350°F oven for about 20 to 30 minutes until warmed through. The sauce may thicken as it sits in the fridge, which is totally normal.
Scalloped Potatoes with Bacon Recipe FAQs
Yes! For the best results, bake the full dish as directed, then allow it to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to serve, add fresh shredded cheese on top and reheat covered with foil in a 350°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes until warmed through.
This usually happens if the potatoes weren’t allowed to rest before serving. That 15-minute rest time is crucial for letting the sauce thicken and set up. Also, make sure you’re using russet potatoes rather than waxy varieties, as russets absorb more of the sauce.
The potatoes are done when you can easily pierce them with a fork, the cheese on top is golden brown, and the sauce is bubbly around the edges. If the top is browning too quickly but the potatoes aren’t tender yet, cover with foil and continue baking.
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Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Bacon
Equipment
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 2 + ½ pounds russet potatoes, washed well and sliced to ⅛"-¼" thick (I used the 3/16" setting on my mandolin slicer)
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons dry white wine (like pinot grigio)
- 2 Cups whole milk
- 1 + ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces cheese, freshly grated*
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- fresh chopped parsley and chives for garnish
- optional: sour cream, other favorite baked potato toppings for serving
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13 pan and set aside.
- Make the cheese sauce. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and then whisk in the all purpose flour to make a paste, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the wine, milk, salt, and pepper, allowing the mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes while continuing to stir. Stir in about ¾ of the grated cheese (the rest will be sprinkled on top), continuing to stir until melted and the sauce has thickened (about another 5 minutes).3 Tablespoons salted butter3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour2 Tablespoons dry white wine2 Cups whole milk1 + ¼ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon black pepper8 ounces cheese, freshly grated*
- Layer half of the potato discs in a greased 9×13 pan. Add rows of potato slices to the greased pan, overlapping them, and continuing to layer until you've used about half of your potatoes.2 + ½ pounds russet potatoes, washed well and sliced to ⅛"-¼" thick
- Add half of the bacon by sprinkling it over the first layers of potato discs.6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- Layer the remaining potatoes. Like before, add rows of potato slices, overlapping them, and continuing to layer until you've used up the rest of your potatoes.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes and top with the remaining bacon and cheese. Slowly pour the cheese sauce over the layers of potatoes, allowing the sauce to settle in between the layers (use a spatula to spread it to the corners and edges if needed). Then sprinkle the rest of the bacon pieces over the potatoes and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Cover and bake. Cover the pan with tinfoil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Uncover and continue baking. Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes, until the cheese on top is lightly browned and the sauce is bubbly.
- Rest before serving, garnish, and enjoy! Allow the potatoes to rest and set up for about 15 minutes before serving (this helps the sauce thicken and makes slicing much easier). Then garnish with fresh parsley and chives, serve, and enjoy!fresh chopped parsley and chives for garnish
Notes
- I used Wood River Creamery Applewood Smoked Sea Salt Cheddar Gruyere, which is a local Wisconsin cheese that adds an incredible flavor profile and smokiness to our dish.
- Sharp cheddar cheese (classic and always delicious).
- A blend of sharp cheddar and Gruyere (for more complex flavor).
- Smoked cheddar or smoked gouda (adds that smoky element), I’d recommend starting by using a blend of half smoked cheese and half regular cheese to ensure the smoky flavor isn’t too overpowering.
- White cheddar (for a different look but same great flavor).
Meredith says
Such a fun potato side dish!