Cheese Scalloped Potato Stacks (Printer-Friendly)
Individual potato stacks layered with sharp cheddar and Gruyère in a rich cream sauce, baked until golden with crispy edges.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled
02 - 1 clove garlic, minced
→ Dairy
03 - 1 cup heavy cream
04 - 1/2 cup whole milk
05 - 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
06 - 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
→ Spices & Seasonings
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
11 - 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin generously with butter or non-stick cooking spray.
02 - Using a mandoline slicer or a sharp knife, cut the peeled potatoes into thin, even slices approximately 1/8 inch thick.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, whole milk, minced garlic, ground nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and half of the thyme leaves until well combined.
04 - Place the sliced potatoes in a large bowl and toss with the melted butter, ensuring each slice is evenly coated.
05 - Layer 3 to 4 potato slices in the bottom of each muffin cup. Spoon approximately 1 teaspoon of the cream mixture over the potatoes, then sprinkle with a small pinch of cheddar and Gruyère cheese. Repeat the layering process—potatoes, cream, cheese—until each muffin cup is filled, pressing down gently on each layer.
06 - Finish each stack with a final generous sprinkle of both cheeses and the remaining thyme leaves.
07 - Loosely cover the muffin tin with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
08 - Allow the stacks to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Run a small knife around the edges of each stack to loosen, then carefully remove and serve warm.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- Every single stack gets a crispy golden top, no more fighting over the best corner piece of a casserole.
- The muffin tin does all the portioning work for you, so serving feels effortless and guests always ooh and aah.
- Two cheeses melting into cream soaked potatoes is the kind of combination that makes people close their eyes at the table.
02 -
- Do not skip the foil cover for the first half of baking, without it the tops brown before the potatoes cook through.
- Pressing down gently as you layer keeps the stacks compact so they hold their shape when removed from the tin.
03 -
- A mandoline slicer is the single best investment for this recipe because uneven slices lead to crunchy centers and nobody wants that surprise.
- Save a small handful of cheese for the very top layer instead of mixing it all in, that final sprinkle is what creates the irresistible crust.