Cheesy Cast Iron Scalloped Potatoes

Sometimes the best recipes come together when you’re just trying to make a great side dish with what you already have in the kitchen. That’s exactly how these cheesy cast iron scalloped potatoes happened at the Ritter house.

Nash helped put this one together, and while the recipe is simple, the flavor is anything but. Thinly sliced gold potatoes layered with a creamy cheese sauce, a handful of spices, and plenty of Gouda made the whole kitchen smell incredible while it baked.

The result was bubbling, golden, and full of rich cheesy flavor—honestly way better than the boxed version.

And the best part? It’s a very forgiving recipe. You can adjust the cheeses and spices depending on what you have on hand.

Why We Love These Scalloped Potatoes

This version is:

Creamy and cheesy
Made with simple pantry ingredients
Cooked in a cast iron skillet for extra flavor
Easy enough for kids to help assemble

Nash handled a lot of the layering, and that’s one of the reasons recipes like this are great for cooking with kids. Once the potatoes are sliced, it’s mostly just stacking layers and pouring sauce.

Ingredients

2 pounds gold potatoes, thinly sliced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1½ cups milk
½ cup heavy cream
6 oz shredded Gouda cheese
2 tbsp cheddar cheese powder or 2 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp ground mustard
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder

Optional toppings:

Extra shredded cheese for the top
Fresh chopped parsley

Cheese Powder Substitute

If you don’t have cheddar cheese powder, you can simply replace it with more shredded cheese.

Try adding: ½ cup or 2 oz shredded sharp cheddar

The flavor will still be rich and cheesy.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven

Preheat your oven to 375°F.

2. Slice the potatoes

Thinly slice the gold potatoes using a knife or rotary slicer or madoline. Even slices help the potatoes cook evenly.

3. Make the cheese sauce

In a skillet or saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute to form a roux. Slowly whisk in the milk and heavy cream until smooth. Add your spices. Stir until the sauce thickens slightly. Then mix in the cheese (shredded and powder). Continue stirring until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy.

4. Layer the potatoes

Lightly grease a cast iron skillet.

Add a layer of sliced potatoes, then spoon some cheese sauce over top. Repeat the layers until all the potatoes and sauce are used. Sprinkle a little extra cheese on top if desired.

5. Bake

Bake uncovered for 40–50 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden and bubbling.

Let the dish cool for about 10 minutes before serving so the sauce can set slightly.

Tips for the Best Scalloped Potatoes

Slice the potatoes thin.
Thin slices cook faster and absorb the sauce better.

Don’t skip the mustard powder.
It doesn’t make the dish taste like mustard—it just enhances the cheese flavor.

Use a mix of cheeses.
Gouda gives a smooth melt while cheddar adds a sharper flavor.

Serving Ideas

These scalloped potatoes pair really well with:

meatloaf (recipe here)
grilled steak
roasted chicken
holiday dinners

They’re hearty enough to be the star side dish on the table.

A Fun Family Recipe

One of the things we love about recipes like this is how easy they are to make together as a family.

Once the potatoes are sliced, kids can help layer everything in the pan—and it’s always fun watching the cheese sauce bubble up in the oven.

And if you ask Nash, the final verdict was simple:

“Definitely better than the boxed kind.”

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If you try these cheesy scalloped potatoes, let us know how they turned out!