Pumpkin Scalloped Potatoes - Robust Recipes (2024)

By Emily

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The Halloween decorations are coming down, all of the Halloween candy has been devoured, and with that the Holiday season has officially begun. Ready or not, here it comes! Is it too early to start planning Thanksgiving recipes, you ask? The answer is a big fat NO!

Thanksgiving is only 3 short weeks away. Although I have yet to host a Thanksgiving feast of my own, being a food blogger, I know that recipe planning is a must for any stress-free cooking week. The same goes for Thanksgiving; I mean it’s the biggest feast of the year! Feel the pressure? Don’t worry, start planning your recipes now and I am confident you will have a stress-free and delicious holiday meal that everyone will rave about.

Pumpkin Scalloped Potatoes - Robust Recipes (2)

One of my all-time favorite side dishes for Thanksgiving is some fluffy mashed potatoes with some good home-made turkey gravy. Seriously I am drooling over the thought of some homemade gravy over here! My dear mom is a gravy-making master. She always freezes drippings from roasted or baked turkey and chicken throughout the year and then uses them to make thick, luscious, flavorful yet fat-free gravy that can’t be beat. Although all of my mom’s hard work pays off, there are times in life where you don’t want to make the effort to squirrel away turkey drippings all year long. Or if you’re like me and you don’t have room in your tiny freezer to store containers of turkey drippings all year long, but you still want some delicious, indulgent potatoes on the big T-day, then these Pumpkin Scalloped Potatoes are for you.

I know what you’re thinking: why would you put pumpkin and potatoes together? Just why? Here’s the thing: pumpkin puree is really thick and creamy. It can take the place of heavy cream or a starchy roux. Spoiler alert; it works beautifully in this recipe, the pumpkin is rich and creamy, and adds a nice subtle nutty flavor to the dish. Bonus points: we sneaked another veggie in there!

Pumpkin Scalloped Potatoes - Robust Recipes (3)

I just know you’ll love these Pumpkin Scalloped Potatoes as much as I do. They’re rich and creamy, cheesy, and the potatoes are perfectly soft. Not to mention that they look gorgeous in all their orange pumpkin sauce and baked-on cheesy glory.

Pumpkin Scalloped Potatoes - Robust Recipes (4)

Although mashed potatoes and gravy hold a special place in my heart, these Pumpkin Scalloped Potatoes do not disappoint; they will complement any Thanksgiving meal. Plus, if you are bringing Pumpkin Scalloped Potatoes to someone’s house you can easily make the sauce and assemble the potatoes in your baking dish, cover and bake at your host’s house. Easy and stress free!

Happy recipe planning, friends. What kind of recipes are you making this year? I’d love to know. I hope you give this recipe a try and if you do please leave a comment and rate the recipe; it makes my day and helps my recipes to be found by others. Cheers!

Pumpkin Scalloped Potatoes - Robust Recipes (5)

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Pumpkin Scalloped Potatoes - Robust Recipes (6)

Pumpkin Scalloped Potatoes (GF)

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  • Author: Emily Koch
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 55 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins
  • Yield: 10 to 12 1x
  • Category: Side, Holiday
  • Cuisine: Gluten-free
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Description

Pumpkin Scalloped Potatoes is a gluten-free side dish great for any Holiday table. Cheese baked onto soft potatoes with a thick and creamy savory pumpkin sauce.

Ingredients

UnitsScale

  • FOR THE SAUCE:
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 46 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 15 ounce can (2 cups) pumpkin puree (make sure to get pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 cup low fat milk (I used unsweetened, unflavored almond milk because that’s what I had on hand; cow’s milk would also work)
  • 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • Optional: 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • FOR THE POTATOES:
  • 4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds (I chose to leave the skins on. Also, I used a mandolin to slice my potatoes, but a chef’s knife would work, too)
  • 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese,shredded
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish and set it aside.
  2. FOR THE SAUCE:
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter and oil. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onion is tender and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, or until the garlic is fragrant.
  4. Add the pumpkin puree, milk, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Turn the heat up to high and bring the sauce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and clings to the spoon.
  5. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the salt and pepper to taste. Remember to season the sauce well because the potatoes won’t be seasoned. Stir in the nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Set the sauce aside.
  6. FOR THE POTATOES:
  7. Arrange half of the slices of potatoes on the bottom of your greased baking dish in an even layer. Spoon over half of the sauce, and sprinkle on 1 cup of the cheddar cheese. Arrange the remainder of the potatoes in an even layer, spoon over the remainder of the sauce and sprinkle on the remainder of the cheddar cheese and the Parmesan cheese.
  8. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly, the cheese is slightly browned, and the potatoes are tender.
  9. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

Recipeheavily Adapted fromGimme Some Oven

Recipe Card powered byPumpkin Scalloped Potatoes - Robust Recipes (7)

Pumpkin Scalloped Potatoes - Robust Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the one trick Michael Symon uses to make perfect scalloped potatoes? ›

Surprisingly, aluminum foil is his secret weapon. After beautifully shingling the potatoes (he's got a genius trick for doing this quickly, too) he covers the dish in foil before hitting the oven.

Why do my scalloped potatoes stay hard? ›

Potatoes or rice can remain rock-hard after prolonged cooking. Starch will not swell if it is acidic. If you have a lot of sour cream in your scalloped potatoes or add something acidic, your potatoes may not soften. You can cook the potatoes with heavy cream or milk and then, after they soften, stir in sour cream.

Why do my scalloped potatoes always curdle? ›

High-fat dairy products contain enough fat to keep the proteins separate, and your sauce smooth. Another common cause of curdling is your heat source being too hot. High oven temperatures can make the milk's components break apart, again leaving the proteins free to clump together.

Can I slice potatoes for scalloped potatoes the day before? ›

If raw, once the potato is cut you can store in the refrigerator, covered with water for 12-24 hours. Be sure to keep submerged in water to prevent slices from turning gray or brown.

What's the difference between scalloped potatoes and I'll gratin potatoes? ›

Au Gratin potatoes contain cheese, whereas Scalloped Potatoes do not. Scalloped potatoes typically contain cream but can also contain flavorful stock instead of dairy. Try our Classic Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe or Classic Scalloped Potatoes Recipe.

Can you overcook scalloped potatoes? ›

As soon as you can slip a fork into the potatoes without any resistance, take the casserole dish out of the oven. If you overcook scalloped potatoes, they turn to mush.

Can you make scalloped potatoes ahead of time and reheat? ›

Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before reheating. Bake at 325° for 30-40 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Why are my potatoes not getting soft in the oven? ›

Firstly, ensure you've baked it at a sufficiently high temperature (around 400°F/200°C). Secondly, make sure you've allowed enough time for baking—large potatoes may take longer. Lastly, check if your oven is calibrated accurately; an incorrect temperature setting can affect cooking.

Why do my scalloped potatoes taste bland? ›

My scalloped potatoes are bland

They are also in need of serious seasoning to ensure deliciousness. Make sure your sauce is well-seasoned, but also, season each layer of potatoes with salt and pepper before adding the sauce, to make sure they are as flavorful as you want them!

What is the best choice scalloped potatoes? ›

The best potatoes to use for a homemade scalloped potato recipes like this one are baking/frying potatoes, either russet or Idaho. They have dry, light, and fluffy interiors that hold their shape when cooked. The starch in the potatoes helps to thicken the sauce while the casserole bakes.

Why won't my scalloped potatoes get soft? ›

Why Won't My Scalloped Potatoes Get Soft? There may be a couple of different reasons that your potatoes aren't getting soft: They're too thick. Make sure you slice thinly and evenly so they cook quickly and all at the same rate.

How do you keep cream from curdling in scalloped potatoes? ›

The curdling is caused by high heat, which is hard to avoid in an oven. So to keep the sauce together, tackle it before the dish goes in the oven. Instead of simply layering grated cheese and milk or cream with the potatoes, you need to make a smooth cheese sauce.

What are the tips and tricks for potatoes? ›

Do not refrigerate or freeze fresh potatoes before cooking. Colder temperatures lower than 50 degrees cause a potato's starch to convert to sugar, resulting in a sweet taste and discoloration when cooked. There is no need to store your potatoes in a bag; you can store them loose.

How do you keep scalloped potatoes from separating? ›

The curdling is caused by high heat, which is hard to avoid in an oven. So to keep the sauce together, tackle it before the dish goes in the oven. Instead of simply layering grated cheese and milk or cream with the potatoes, you need to make a smooth cheese sauce.

Why are my scalloped potatoes not thickening? ›

Another crucial aspect to consider is the amount of external liquid introduced into the baking dish. Avoid drowning the potatoes in the sauce. Instead, add just enough liquid to graze the top layer of the ingredients. Excessive liquid will get in the way of achieving the desired thickness and creaminess.

Why do people poke holes in potatoes before baking them? ›

Poke the potatoes with a fork just enough to pierce the skin so the potato won't burst when baking, especially in the microwave. Four or five times should be plenty. A potato is composed mainly of water, so poking them helps release steam as it cooks.

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