Description
This Instant Pot scalloped potatoes recipe is a quick and delicious way to enjoy a creamy, cheesy side dish. Baby yellow potatoes are pressure cooked, then combined with a flavorful garlic-Italian seasoning sauce and melted cheddar cheese before being broiled to golden perfection. Perfect for family dinners or holiday meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes & Broth
- 1½ pounds baby yellow potatoes, sliced into ¼-inch discs (length or widthwise)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Sauce & Cheese
- 2 tablespoons salted butter (¼ stick)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¾ cup half-and-half
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1½ cups freshly shredded marbled cheddar cheese, divided
Instructions
- Combine Potatoes and Broth: Place the sliced potatoes, chicken broth, and salt together in your Instant Pot and stir until all the potatoes are coated and wet.
- Pressure Cook Potatoes: Seal the Instant Pot lid and set it to pressure cook on high for 1 minute. It will take additional time for the pot to reach pressure before the cooking time begins.
- Release Pressure: Once cooked, turn off the Instant Pot and perform a quick release of the pressure to safely open the lid.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Gently transfer the cooked potatoes from the Instant Pot to the prepared pan, being careful to leave as much cooking liquid as possible in the pot.
- Sauté Butter and Garlic: Add the butter and minced garlic to the leftover liquid in the Instant Pot. Set the pot to the sauté function for 7 minutes, stirring frequently until the butter melts and the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add Half-and-Half: Slowly pour in the half-and-half while stirring constantly to combine it smoothly with the butter and garlic mixture.
- Season and Thicken Sauce: Mix in the Italian seasoning and continue to cook, stirring regularly, until the sauce thickens for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Melt Cheese into Sauce: Turn off the Instant Pot and stir in 1 cup of the shredded marbled cheddar cheese until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is creamy.
- Assemble Potatoes and Sauce: Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the potatoes in the baking dish and gently spread it to cover all potatoes.
- Add Remaining Cheese: Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese on top of the sauce-covered potatoes.
- Broil to Finish: Place the baking dish in the oven and broil on high for 5 to 7 minutes until the top is bubbly and golden brown.
- Serve Hot: Remove from oven and serve the scalloped potatoes warm as a comforting side dish.
Notes
- Use baby yellow potatoes for best texture and thin slicing for even cooking.
- Broiling at the end creates a crispy, golden cheese crust.
- To make this dish vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.
- Handle the hot Instant Pot liquid carefully when transferring the potatoes to avoid burns.
- The sauté step is essential for flavor development and thickening the sauce.
