These creamy and savory Amish scalloped potatoes are made completely from scratch - no boxed mix here! They're rich, flavorful, and the perfect comfort-food side dish for Sunday dinner, holidays, or potlucks. These scalloped potatoes are just like the ones often found on Amish and Mennonite dinner tables. They are homemade, hearty, and full of old-fashioned goodness.
You can even make a quick version with frozen hash browns for busy days. Either way, this Amish potato dish tastes far better than anything you'll ever cook from a box.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Scalloped Potatoes with Sour Cream
- Amish Funeral Potatoes
- Shortcut Version: Easy Scalloped Potatoes Made with Hash Browns
- Turn It Into a Main Dish: Amish Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Gluten-Free Scalloped Potatoes or the Original Amish Recipe
- More Amish Potato Recipes
- 📖 Recipe Card
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Make-ahead friendly - Perfect for Sunday lunch or holiday gatherings.
- Authentic Amish flavor - Simple, hearty ingredients baked into creamy perfection.
- Gluten-free - No flour or canned soup needed.
- Versatile - Easily turns into a main dish by adding ham.
Ingredients
- Potatoes - The base of the dish. When baked, they turn tender and creamy, soaking up the rich sauce.
- Melted butter - Adds richness and flavor. Use salted butter and brown it lightly for deep flavor.
- Heavy cream - Creates a smooth, velvety texture.
- Sour cream - Adds tanginess and balances the richness.
- Minced onion flakes - Provide a savory background flavor without overpowering. (You can use fresh onions if preferred.)
- Garlic salt, salt, and pepper - Essential seasonings that enhance every bite.
- Paprika - Adds color and a touch of smoky depth.
- Shredded cheddar cheese - Melts beautifully for that irresistible cheesy flavor. (Can use Velveeta if desired.)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Cook the Potatoes
Wash the potatoes and boil them until fork-tender (soft enough to pierce, but not mushy). Drain and cover with ice water to cool, then peel.
2. Cut the Potatoes
You can dice, slice, or shred your cooked potatoes depending on your preference.
Traditional Amish scalloped potatoes are often made with diced or shredded potatoes instead of slices.
👉 Pro tip: Use an egg slicer for quick, uniform potato shreds. I prefer scalloped potatoes made with large shreds. The cheesy goodness is incorporated into every tiny piece of potato, and each bite is a delight. I don't like finely grated potatoes though, because they seem too mushy.
The way that I cut them may seem a bit complicated, but I actually cut my pre-cooked and cooled potatoes with an egg slicer (affiliate link). You will have to cut the potatoes in half or thirds to fit them in properly. Slice the potato in one direction, then put it back in and slice it in the other direction. This produces larger shreds of potatoes that are perfect for scalloped potatoes or potato salad.
3. Make the Creamy Sauce
In a saucepan, melt and lightly brown the butter. Stir in heavy cream, sour cream, onion flakes, garlic salt, salt, pepper, paprika, and shredded cheddar until smooth and creamy.
4. Assemble and Bake
Grease a 9x9" dish. Add your cut potatoes, then pour (or layer) the sauce over the top.
Cover and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 20 more minutes until bubbly and golden.
Scalloped Potatoes with Sour Cream
This Amish gluten-free scalloped potatoes recipe has a creamy sauce that is made with butter, sour cream, heavy cream, and cheese. Wow! That's a lot of fattening creamy goodness right there! But it's also what makes this side dish so amazingly delicious!
You need some fats in your diet. But, if you are concerned about your fat intake, stick with a small serving. For most of us, rich and creamy foods don't need to be eliminated from our diet, we just need to learn portion control.
Amish Funeral Potatoes
In some Amish and Mennonite communities, this same recipe is called Amish funeral potatoes because it's a comforting side dish frequently served at Amish funeral dinners. Also popular in Mennonite communities, sometimes this dish is known as Mennonite scalloped potatoes.
Shortcut Version: Easy Scalloped Potatoes Made with Hash Browns
Short on time? Use frozen shredded hash browns instead of cooked potatoes.
Fill your greased baking dish with frozen hash browns and set it in the fridge to thaw overnight. Pour the sauce over, and bake as usual. This makes a quick, delicious pan of scalloped potatoes with minimal prep.
Turn It Into a Main Dish: Amish Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
You can easily turn this side dish into a complete meal!
To make Amish scalloped potatoes and ham, simply layer cubed cooked ham between the potatoes and creamy sauce before baking.
It bakes into a hearty, one-dish meal that's comforting and satisfying - perfect for Sunday lunch or busy weeknights. Serve your scalloped potatoes and ham with a simple green salad or a vegetable side, and dinner is ready!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This recipe can easily be made a day or two in advance. When I make scalloped potatoes for Sunday lunch, I often cook and peel the potatoes on Saturday. You can either assemble the full dish and refrigerate overnight, or prep the potatoes and sauce separately - either way, the next day they just need to be baked until heated through.
Leftovers are just as delicious as fresh! Reheat in the oven at 300°F or in the microwave until warmed through. The creamy texture holds up wonderfully, making this a great dish to enjoy for several days.
You can, but this recipe is designed for pre-cooked potatoes to achieve that signature creamy, Amish-style texture. Raw potatoes will require extra baking time and may release more liquid.
Gluten-Free Scalloped Potatoes or the Original Amish Recipe
Many scalloped potato recipes use flour or cream of chicken soup to thicken the sauce, but this recipe is naturally creamy without any flour. The original Amish recipe used cream of chicken soup, but I swapped it for heavy cream to make it gluten-free for my family. With rich cream and cheddar cheese, it's naturally gluten-free and absolutely delicious. Even without flour or soup, these are some of the creamiest, most flavorful scalloped potatoes you'll ever make.
- To make the original Amish recipe: Replace the heavy cream with a can of cream of chicken, and use only ¾ - 1 cup of sour cream.
More Amish Potato Recipes
- PA Dutch Potato Filling
- The Best Amish Potato Salad Recipe
- Creamy Amish Mashed Potatoes
- Parmesan Potatoes
- Potato Soup
- Baked Potato Bar
- Potato and Chicken Casserole
If you enjoy these creamy gluten-free Amish scalloped potatoes, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you!
Serve scalloped potatoes with this amazing BBQ Meatballs Recipe or Mini Cheddar Meatloaves.
📖 Recipe Card
Amish Scalloped Potatoes Recipe (Gluten-free)
Ingredients
- 5 large potatoes
- ¼ c. melted butter (½ stick), lightly browned
- ½ c. heavy cream
- 1 c. sour cream
- 1 Tbsp. minced onion flakes
- ½ tsp. garlic salt
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ½ tsp. paprika
- 1 - 1 ½ c. shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Rinse and place whole potatoes in a large pot, almost covered in water. Bring to boil and cook over medium-low heat for about 30 - 35 minutes or until fork-tender. (Don't cook till mushy soft. You want firm potatoes, so only cook until you can easily pierce them with a fork.)5 large potatoes
- Pour off the hot water, and cover the potatoes with ice water.
- Peel the potatoes (using a knife the peels scrape off easily). Cool potatoes completely.
- Melt the butter and allow it to cook until lightly browned. Cool slightly.¼ c. melted butter (½ stick), lightly browned
- Add the cream, sour cream, and seasonings to the melted butter. Stir until creamy. Add shredded cheese and combine.1 c. sour cream, ½ c. heavy cream, 1 Tbsp. minced onion flakes, ½ tsp. garlic salt, ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. black pepper, ½ tsp. paprika, 1 - 1 ½ c. shredded cheddar cheese
- Cut or dice the potatoes however desired. *see instructions above
- Place the cut potatoes into a buttered 9 x 9" baking pan. Pour the creamy sauce over the top, or layer it with the potatoes.
- Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove the cover, stir, and continue baking for another 20 minutes or until heated through. (If your dish is refrigerator cold it may require a few additional minutes.) Stir and serve.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or the oven at 300°.
Anna
My family loves these potatoes!
Meghan
I have a KitchenAid with the slicer attachment. Is there any way to slice the potatoes raw first in the KitchenAid and then cook them?
Anna
I've never tried that. It should be ok, as long as you can get the potatoes cooked properly to where they don't just turn to mush. I make this many times with frozen(and thawed) shredded hash browns (it's so quick and handy).
Danielle McQuillen
These look delightful, something to add to our regular menu. We're huge on potatoes!
Anna
I hope you enjoy!