Garlic Parmesan Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Hot week. 100+ most days. I drove short runs Monday and Wednesday. Stayed close. The truck cab air conditioning did its job but my face was sunburned by Friday from the driver's window glare.

Amber had a hard Wednesday. She did not talk about it. She sat with Gayle for two hours after dinner. Gayle and she have built something I do not have access to and do not need to. They are grandmother and granddaughter and they are both Novak women and they are both survivors of loss that defines them, and they have a language.

Josie's theater camp performance is Friday. She is playing "the narrator" in a junior production of some comedy I have not heard of. She has been practicing her lines in the kitchen every morning. She walks around the house declaiming in a voice pitched higher than her own, which is a big voice to begin with.

Tyler's truck blew a hose Tuesday and he fixed it himself in the driveway in 40 minutes. Dave supervised from a lawn chair. Tyler stood up after, wiped his hands, and said, "Dad. I did it." Dave said, "Of course you did." Tyler was glowing all evening. Eventually.

Book two at 54,500 words.

Friday night Josie's theater performance. Dave, me, Justin, Tyler, Amber all in the audience. Gayle stayed home — it was too much, too long — but watched the recorded version later. Josie was wonderful. She got a solo bow at curtain call, which made her turn bright pink. Afterward she accepted compliments with a dignity I had not seen in her before.

Sunday: dinner. Gayle's fried chicken recipe from 1964 — which is different from my fried chicken. Her recipe uses paprika and garlic powder in the dredge, no buttermilk brine. It is less juicy than mine and has a better crust. I have been making mine; I switched to hers this week. Dave said, "This is different." Gayle said, "It is better." Dave said, "Not better. Different." Gayle smiled. I smiled. Both are true.

Gayle’s fried chicken deserved a side dish that could stand up to it — something that felt like Sunday, something that required actual effort. I’ve been making these Garlic Parmesan Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes for years when the occasion calls for a table that means something, and that evening, with all of us finally sitting down together after Josie’s curtain call and Tyler’s proud grin still hanging in the air, it was exactly that kind of occasion. They bubbled up golden and smelled like the best version of home I know how to cook.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 1 hr 10 min | Total Time: 1 hr 30 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons fresh chives or parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

Preheat oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
Make the garlic cream sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute until fragrant. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute more. Gradually pour in milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 3–4 minutes until thickened slightly. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
Add cheese to sauce. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in 1 cup of the cheddar and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan until fully melted and smooth.
Layer the potatoes. Arrange half the sliced potatoes in an even layer in the prepared baking dish, overlapping slightly. Pour half the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Repeat with the remaining potato slices and the rest of the sauce.
Top and cover. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/4 cup Parmesan evenly over the top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake covered. Bake for 45 minutes, until the potatoes begin to soften when pierced with a fork.
Bake uncovered. Remove foil and continue baking 20–25 minutes until the top is deeply golden, bubbling, and the potatoes are completely tender.
Rest and garnish. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving. Scatter fresh chives or parsley over the top.

Nutrition (per serving)

Garlic Parmesan Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes — The Side That Belongs at Every Sunday Table