This scalloped potatoes recipe is unlike any you’ve had before. Salt and vinegar flavored chips add not only the perfect crunch, but also the perfect amount of seasoning to every bite.
Serve these one-of-a-kind scalloped potatoes with the juiciest mayonnaise turkey, make ahead turkey gravy and don’t forget the pumpkin pie martini.
Salt and Vinegar Chip Scalloped Potato Recipe
Scalloped potatoes, what’s not to love? When you marry potatoes and cheese and in this case potato chips, in a fit of glorious excess, the result is down-home comfort no one can resist.
However, making scalloped potatoes can be challenging! Not only is there a balance to be achieved with everything from not ending up with a soupy mess, or making sure your potatoes did actually soften, but figuring out the right amount of seasoning (salt & pepper) to add to the dish. It is very hard to know how much to season uncooked potatoes and this isn’t a dish you want to season after it’s cooked.
This is where the idea of using salt and vinegar potato chips came into fruition. These chips already have a well-established “punch you in the face” flavor that would season the potatoes nicely.
Just to be clear, the finished scalloped potatoes do not taste like “salt and vinegar”, but instead you get a perfectly seasoned scalloped potato dish without any of the seasoning guesswork. A huge bonus is the crunch factor the chips lend to the dish. This is why I suggest using Kettle brand chips because they are thick enough not to dissolve during the baking process. The chips, along with the flour, help thicken the milk mixture – no soupy mess here.
This scalloped potatoes recipe is the one side dish that always accompanies my whole bone in ham.
If a strong salt and vinegar flavored potato is what you’re after, try my recipe for salt and vinegar smashed potatoes.
Ingredients for Scalloped Potatoes
Pantry Ingredients
- all-purpose flour
- table salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Sea Salt & Vinegar Kettle Brand Chips – Kettle has the best flavor and thickness of the chip for this recipe
Fresh Ingredients
- butter – for the best flavored butter, use a European brand like Kerrygold
- baking potatoes – Russet are best for this recipe and look for very large ones, about 10 ounces each
- whole milk – the flavor and mouthfeel of whole milk is what you want
- extra sharp cheese – not just sharp, but extra sharp is what you want
- fresh chives – adds the perfect oniony flavor to the final dish
How to Make Scalloped Potatoes
To make this scalloped potatoes recipe, simply…
Step one: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Step two: Prepare a large 12-inch cast iron skillet (or 2-quart baking dish) by greasing with 1 tablespoon of butter. Set aside.
Step three: Using the slicer blade of your food processor to process the potatoes into very thin slices. You can also use a mandolin, but a food processer works best for uniformity.
Step four: In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and pepper. Begin layering 1/4 of the potatoes in the buttered skillet. Sprinkle the first layer of potatoes with 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/4 of the crushed potato chips. Repeat with 2 more layers of potatoes, flour mixture and potato chips. Top with remaining potato slices. Dot with remaining butter then pour hot milk over potatoes.
Step five: Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle cheese and remaining chips over the top and bake for another 15 minutes, or until scallops are tender and cheese is melted.
How To Scald Milk
The purpose of scalding milk for this recipe is for the milk to be heated before adding it to the potatoes and placing it in the oven. This gives a jumpstart to the cooking process.
Milk is scalded at a temperature of 181 degrees F. If you don’t use an instant read thermometer, the milk at this temperature is heated to a near boil.
Warm the milk in a small pan over medium heat until the sides just begin to bubble. Do not bring to a boil.
Recipe Tips
- When it comes to slicing potatoes for scalloped potatoes you really want them paper thin. Using a food processor to do the slicing really helps in keeping all slices uniform, which is important for cooking.
- When it comes to melting shredded cheese into a recipe, it’s best practice if you grate the cheese yourself before adding it to the recipe. Store-bought, shredded cheese contains a coating preventing it from melting smoothly.
- You can use a cast iron skillet or a two quart baking dish for this recipe.
- Read how to scald milk above.
- You can easily substitute any type of cheese you want. My personal favorite is smoked Gouda.
Can You Leave The Skin On Scalloped Potatoes?
Yes, you can!
Since these potatoes are sliced so thin, leaving the skin on does not interfere with this recipe whatsoever.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy here.
Item To Use When Making This Recipe
- This recipe can be made in a cast iron skillet or a 2-quart baking dish.
- This food processer has the same slicing system I used to cut the potatoes for this recipe.
- I find it hard to use a mandolin and get the same thin results when slicing potatoes.
- Sea Salt & Vinegar Kettle Brand Chips
Other Potato Recipes You Might Enjoy
Sal and Vinegar Chip Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 tbsps butter, divided
- 3 very large Russet baking potatoes
- 3 tbsps all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp table salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 bag (8.5 oz) Sea Salt & Vinegar Kettle Brand Chips, crushed into small pieces
- 2-1/4 cups scalded whole milk*
- 1 cup shredded extra sharp cheese
- 1 tsp minced fresh chives for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Prepare a large 12-inch cast iron skillet (or 2-quart baking dish) by greasing with 1 tablespoon of butter. Set aside.
- Using the slicer blade of your food processor to process the potatoes into very thin slices. You can also use a mandolin, but a food processer works best for uniformity.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and pepper. Begin layering 1/4 of the potatoes in the buttered skillet. Sprinkle the first layer of potatoes with 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/4 of the crushed potato chips. Repeat with 2 more layers of potatoes, flour mixture and potato chips. Top with remaining potato slices. Dot with remaining butter then pour hot milk over potatoes.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle cheese and remaining chips over the top and bake for another 15 minutes, or until scallops are tender and cheese is melted.
Notes
Nutrition
If you try a recipe, please use the hashtag #NOBLEPIG on INSTAGRAM so we can see what you’ve made. FOLLOW Noble Pig ON FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TWITTER to keep up with all our latest recipes.
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.