Smoked Scalloped Potatoes

Smoked Scalloped Potatoes are the perfect side dish for any meal. They’re cheesy, creamy, and easy to make! This is one of our favorite recipes that we think you’ll love too!

This smoked scalloped potatoes recipe only takes a little prep but tastes amazing. This is pure comfort food and goes great with chicken, steak, or pork chops.

You can even prep them ahead of time so they’re ready when you need them because they reheat so well. Leftovers are even better the next day once the flavors have had time to meld. Smoky scalloped potatoes are the perfect dish for Thanksgiving. You can make them ahead of time, they're delicious, and they pair well with other foods like turkey or ham.

We hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Let us know what you think when you try it out at home. And try our smoked cheesy potatoes next!

Ingredients

Russet Potatoes - One of my favorite types of potatoes is russet. They're cheap, versatile, and very tasty with butter or sour cream! Russet potatoes are a classic choice for mashed potatoes and scalloped potatoes, but you can also use them in potato salads or potato pancakes.

Yellow onions - Yellow onions have a mild flavor and taste sweet when cooked, although they do have a bit of an aftertaste when raw.

Milk - I used whole milk because it is so creamy but 2% also works well or a combination of heavy cream and milk.

Flour - We use a bit of flour to thicken the cheese sauce. You can sub in cornstarch for a gluten-free option.

Butter - I used salted butter in this recipe, but you can use unsalted butter if that's what you have. Just add a little more salt.

Kosher salt - Kosher salt is one of the most widely used salts because it's got a good flavor and doesn't dissolve too quickly.

Black Pepper - Black pepper is good for flavoring and adding a touch of spice to meals.

Garlic Powder - Just a bit of garlic powder enriched the flavor immensely.

Gouda cheese - Gouda cheese is incredibly delicious. I love to eat it with apples! In the world of cheese, the Netherlands is known for its Gouda. It's a type of cow's milk cheese that has been cultivated there since the 13th century.

Bacon - In our opinion, bacon is one of the best foods in the world. You can fry it, bake it, or even grill it.

How to Make Smoked Scalloped Potatoes

Step One: Peel and thinly slice the potatoes. It is best to use a mandolin so the slices all have a uniform thickness and nice round slices. You also need to peel and slice the onions. So again the mandolin will work perfectly for both.

Step Two: Layer the sliced potatoes, onions, and bacon in an aluminum foil pan.

Expert Tip: We used an aluminum foil pan for easy cleaning but you can use a cast iron skillet if you prefer.

Step Three: Heat a small pot or saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter to begin making the cheese sauce. Once the butter is melted add the flour and cook until it begins to brown. Next, add the milk and stir until it starts to thicken. Do not let it boil. It should not get hotter than slightly bubbling. Remove from the heat and add the seasonings and cheese.

Step Four: Pour the sauce mixture over the layered potatoes.

Step Five: Cook on the smoker for 2 hours uncovered and then 1-2 hours covered until the potatoes are fork-tender.

Step Six: Sprinkle with a little extra shredded cheese during the last 15 minutes of cooking time.

Variations

You can change up this recipe with many different add-ins or swaps. But honestly, this doesn't need anything else because it's so flavorful on its own!

Cheeses - There are hundreds of varieties of cheese out there, but what makes them all unique is the combination of smells and tastes that they have. Almost any soft shreddable cheese will work in this recipe. We also love it with a good Irish cheddar or a Manchego. Using a combination of cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese is another great option.

Meats - You can even add in your own twist by adding chicken or ham for a complete meal.

Herbs - A little fresh rosemary, thyme, or sage is a nice addition. Add those to the sauce when you add the shredded Gouda.

Spices - Bring on the heat by adding some cayenne pepper or chipotle powder to the cheese sauce.

Tips on Smoking Potatoes

We smoked this recipe on our Traeger grill with pecan pellets. Oak wood pellets are another good choice when smoking potatoes. If you don't have a pellet grill a regular smoker is fine.

Common Questions

What's the difference between scalloped and au gratin?

Scalloped potatoes are normally cooked in a shallow pan with cream or milk, while au gratin dishes use cheese and breadcrumbs. Instead of cooking our smoked scalloped potatoes in just milk or cream, we decided to use a thin cheese sauce flavored with Gouda to get more flavor. Does that make these smoked au gratin potatoes? Maybe. But it really doesn't matter as long as they taste good.

Why are my scalloped potatoes soupy?

Your potatoes are probably soupy because you didn't cook the sauce long enough to thicken when you added the milk to the roux.

What to serve with Smoked Scalloped Potatoes

These go great with just about anything. We enjoy them with Smoked Sirloin Steak, Balmoral Chicken, Smoked Rack of Lamb, Pellet Grill Steak, Traeger Smoked Pork Chops, Corned Beef, and Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin among other things.

Storage

You want to store leftovers in the refrigerator. They can be stored for 4-5 days in an airtight container. We have not tried freezing this recipe but if you decide to pop it in the freezer please let us know how it turns out!