Scalloped potatoes hold a special place in my heart. My mom would make them just once a year at Thanksgiving. This was to go with the ham, because mashed and sweet potatoes simply didn’t “mix”, according to her. Those mismatched taters were reserved for the turkey eaters.
So whenever I hear about this milky smooth casserole, I picture my mother, elbow deep in potato slices, trying to create the perfect creamy side dish.
Though there are many variations, the basic recipe is simple. Just slice up the potatoes and onions, make an easy cream sauce with milk, butter, flour, and add some seasoning, then bake.
It’s velvety, rich, and subtle, so these potatoes won’t overwhelm anything else on the plate.
Which is exactly why they pair so well with almost everything, especially very powerful recipes that should take center stage like Beef Wellington, Harissa Chicken, and lamb roast. But it doesn’t stop there.
If you’re wondering what sides go with scalloped potatoes, I’ve got that covered too.
Along with some dazzling desserts, and drinks the whole family can enjoy.
Mains
1. Harissa Roast Chicken
We eat a lot of chicken in my house, so I’m always looking for ways to spice it up. I found it in this sumptuous, spicy Harissa chicken recipe. The finished product is so visually stunning, I thought it was beyond my skills. But the recipe is super easy to follow.
Just allow 12-24 for marinating before roasting the chicken. That’s really the key to a great Harissa chicken. This tasty recipe calls for char blackened bell peppers, roasted chickpeas, rehydrated chili peppers, and then blending it all together.
After marinating the chicken for at least a half day, it’s time to roast. Soon after, you’ll be hearing cheers from all who are lucky enough to sink their teeth into this juicy, spice filled delight.
A heaping side of scalloped potatoes will go nicely with harissa and take out some of the spiciness.
2. Honey Glazed Ham
When I think about what to have with scalloped potatoes, my mind automatically goes to a juicy ham with a sweet honey glaze. The duo is an epic combination to serve at holiday dinners. This recipe comes to us courtesy of McCormick, the spice specialists. So you know it’s going to be savory and delicious.
It’s super easy to prep and takes only 10 minutes to prep. But you’ll want to put aside about 2 hours for cooking. All you need to do is make your glaze of honey, brown sugar, and a few other simple ingredients.
Put the ham on its side in the pan and brush on half the glaze. Don’t be afraid to really get in the nooks and crannies. About halfway through baking, brush in the rest of the glaze.
I personally love pouring some of the ham drippings on top of the potatoes, for a little extra flavor.
3. Grilled Steak With Garlic Butter
This recipe makes a good steak even better with a delicious homemade rub and easy garlicky butter sauce. The spice encrusted steak is sure to be a hit at BBQ’s and family dinners. The secret is a spicy rub that’s made with Ancho chili powder, paprika, cumin, and other spices.
Pro-Tip, chill the steak in the freezer for about 30 minutes before it hits the grill. This will allow the outside to get a nice char, while keeping the inside from getting overcooked.
Slather on the rub before grilling, and when done, drizzle the garlic butter on top. Creamy scalloped potatoes offer a nice texture contrast to the crispy char of the steak.
4. Seared Salmon With Dill Sauce
Salmon is the go-to fish in my house. It’s the one sea swimmer we can all agree on. It’s got more fat than other fish, so it gives it a richer, meaty taste and texture. There are fewer bones, so the kids aren’t constantly spitting bones, which is always a small victory.
If you’re searching for what main dish goes with scalloped potatoes, this herb filled recipe is the perfect pairing. It makes for a delicious and nutritious meal.
The best part is, it only takes 5 minutes to mix together the yogurt, garlic, dill, and lemon juice for the sauce, and another 5 to sear the salmon.
This is perfect for a quick midweek dinner, when you’re wondering what to do with those leftover potatoes.
5. BBQ Ribs
If you’re a meat fan like me, you will absolutely love these mouthwatering ribs. I’ll be honest, they take some time, but the combination of crispy and tender meat is worth every second.
The prep is only about 35 minutes which involves making a delicious dry rub and homemade sweet and spicy barbecue sauce.
Make sure to buy good quality, lean pork ribs. After slathering the rub all over the meat, pop them in the fridge, for at least an hour, but the longer, the better, so I’d suggest overnight.
Once on the grill baste the pork with your barbecue sauce. Everyone will be clamoring to know whose sauce you used. Scalloped potatoes are a nice mild side that will offset the savory spiciness of the ribs.
6. Lamb Roast
My family has a rocky relationship with lamb. My kids say it’s too dry, while my significant other claims it’s too gamey. But since I love it (and do the cooking), I’m always trying to find new ways to change all their minds. I found it with this succulent recipe that mixes all the complaints.
It’s perfectly seasoned with garlic, cardamom, and other mixed spices to offset any gamey flavor. Then it’s slow cooked to perfection giving it a super juicy flavor and fall of the bone texture. Serve this with some scalloped potatoes and a nice green veggie for a fabulous Sunday dinner.
The best part, while your oven will work overtime (a hood 6 hours), your prep time is a mere 10 minutes. Not bad for a dish that looks so beautiful, people will think you’ve stashed Bobby Flay in the pantry!
7. Pork Tenderloin Medallions With Apple
Pork often gets a bad rap as a fatty, unhealthy lump of uncleanliness. But the truth is, a good piece of lean pork is filled with protein, B vitamins, and is just as healthy (and sanitary) as any other type of meat.
If you’re looking for a recipe to make the pork naysayers try the other white meat, this one is guaranteed to win them over. The best part is, I don’t think there’s an easier pork dish on the planet, and, it comes with applesauce.
Start by boiling your chopped apples with the sugar and spices. Then simply cut a pork loin into medallions (2 inch circles). Season with salt and pepper, then cook them up in an oiled pan for about 3–4 minutes on each side.
When the apples are done add some thickener, and dinner is dunzo! Add some scalloped potatoes to make it a complete and tasty meal.
8. Vegetable Lasagna
I’m not a vegetarian, but I’ll take a veggie lasagna over meat any day. There’s just something comforting and uniquely satisfying about the thick noodles, smooth ricotta, and sauce cooked in with fresh vegetables.
This recipe is perfect for an easy and quick dinner, because it uses oven ready noodles. Just saute the veggies (like onions, mushrooms, and zucchini) and let the layering begin. Try to keep it at 3 layers, so it doesn’t make an overflowing mess.
Bake for 35 minutes, and you’ve got a great midweek dinner, a dish to bring to celebrations, or give to a friend in need of a night off. It’s also fabulous as part of a buffet dinner that includes scalloped potatoes.
9. Beef Wellington
I’ll admit I didn’t know much about this impressive beef tenderloin until my son sent me a picture of one he’d made. Of course, he didn’t send the recipe, so I put my Google hat on, and found this delightfully simple one.
Prep is split into 3 parts, the duxelles (mushrooms), sauce, and the beef. It takes about an hour, but the steps are not hard. Just a quick tip, use fresh pastry dough, not the stuff in the can.
After the beef cooks for an hour you’ll be left with layers of flaky pastry, juicy mushrooms, and smoky prosciutto all smothering a tender piece of perfectly cooked beef.
Top it off with the homemade sauce and serve with some scalloped potatoes and a nice root vegetable. This upscale meal is sure to rival that of any big city restaurant.
It’s the perfect dish for the holidays, date night, or family gatherings.
10. Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp scampi is one of my favorite dishes because it combines some of my ingredients like shrimp, tons of garlic, pasta, and butter. But I’ve also substituted scalloped potatoes for pasta with this recipe, the garlicky wine sauce is amazing when drizzled on them.
This recipe is awesome not only for its flavor, but it takes only 15 minutes from start to finish, and everything is done in one pan, so clean up will be a breeze.
Using all fresh ingredients for this scampi will really take it to a new, mouthwatering level.
11. Duck Confit
The first time I saw this recipe, I had no idea what “confit” means. But I found out that it simply means to cook something in its own fat or oil at low temperature.
Now, traditional duck confit takes about 2 days to cook, but before you run off, this recipe takes only two hours. The prep is a ridiculously short 5 minutes and the ingredients are just duck legs and salt.
The most important thing to do is to make several tiny holes in the skin, so the fat can escape.
Just add some salt and bake for two hours. At the end you will have succulently tender duck meat, with a delicious crispy skin.
The juicy legs match perfectly with a side of creamy, filling, scalloped potatoes.
12. Fried Chicken Wings
Who doesn’t love a crispy chicken wing? These fabulous finger foods integrate perfectly into any event. From BBQ’s to the Super Bowl.
This recipe takes the wings back to basics with good old-fashioned, deep-frying and basic pantry items for the coating. The best part is, you’ll have a platter full of crispy treats in about 12 minutes.
This recipe is a lifesaver for those times the kids announce that they’re entire friend group is coming over in 5 minutes. The key here is to make sure the oil is hot enough. A fun way to check is to flick a little flour in the pot, if it sizzles, it’s ready.
Be sure not to add too many wings at once, or they’ll soak up the oil and be soggy. These wings are a great addition to scalloped potatoes if you’re looking for a naturally flavorful meal.
Veggies & Salads
1. Teriyaki Salmon Salad
Remember that pan seared salmon you made the other night? Well this is a great way to use any leftovers, and have a healthy, easy, super quick meal that’s full of crisp spiciness.
Just make the soy dressing and quick cabbage salad. Add some scalloped potatoes on the side to even out the power of the cabbage.
If you don’t have any leftover salmon, no worries, it’s still super easy. Just grab a few fresh salmon fillets and make the quick ginger soy marinade.
Pan cooking will only take a few minutes, but you will need to marinate the salmon for about an hour.
2. Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon
If you come to my house for dinner, no matter what the occasion, rest assured that Brussels sprouts will be in attendance as well. These tiny cabbages are loaded with nutrients, and the earthy tenderness, when cooked just right, can be served with anything from pasta to fish.
Pairing Brussels with a tasty protein and scalloped potatoes is always a guaranteed success.
This recipe is so ridiculously easy, you’ll be buying Brussels in bulk. It takes only ten minutes to prep the sprouts and sprinkle the other ingredients on top. In 25 minutes you’ll be ready to serve a super nutritious and delicious veggie.
3. Asparagus With Lemon Zest
When thinking about what vegetable goes with scalloped potatoes, asparagus is at the top of my list. It’s refreshing earthiness and crunchy texture really goes with anything.
This recipe has only a few ingredients like olive oil, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and salt and pepper. It takes only 5 short minutes to prep, and 10 minutes to cook the asparagus.
You simply brush the asparagus with the olive oil mix and bake in the oven. In just 12 minutes you have a beautiful side dish to dress up any main course.
4. Green Bean Almondine
I love this veggie dish because it sounds and looks fancy, but it’s really just a quick bowl of easy peasy green beans and almonds.
Now, with great ease come the responsibility of using the best ingredients. There’s no hiding behind spices with this one. So use the best toasted almonds and the snappiest of beans.
Other than that, it takes only about 5 minutes to blanch the beans, and whip up the garlicky butter sauce.
When all is said and done there’s a bright and colorful side to serve alongside any meat and the crunchy texture makes for a nice contrast to scalloped potatoes.
5. Roasted Vegetable Medley
Roasted vegetables are quite magical, and not because a giant mouse made them in a Pixar film. Also known as ratatouille, (when done correctly), will caramelize from the natural sugars of the veggies as it bakes.
This recipe nails everything you’d expect in the perfect roasted vegetable medley. It has a delicious layering of flavors from earthy to sweet, with eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, and other ingredients.
They all combine to form a hearty, tasty dish that’s colorful and looks beautiful on the side of any plate. It’s a versatile recipe that can be paired with rice or pasta.
Serving it with velvety smooth scalloped potatoes offers a nice contrast to the texture and adds an extra layer of flavor to an already lip-smacking dish.
6. Classic Ceasar Salad
While Ceasar salad is always a treat, there’s something special about making it from scratch. By that, I mean freshly baked crunchy croutons, and a delicious, creamy dressing that packs plenty of tang.
That’s what you’ll find with this easy to make recipe that takes only about 30 minutes to make (most of that time is waiting for the croutons to crust over in the oven). While the bread is in the oven, prep your Romaine lettuce. Make sure it’s a fresh, crispy head.
Then make your dressing that includes anchovies, fresh garlic, and Dijon. When the croutons are golden brown, drizzle the dressing, toss on some croutons, and add a little Parmesan.
You’ll have a salad so flavorful, Caesar himself would be envious.
7. Beet And Goat Cheese Salad
It may sound a tad bit unusual, and granted, it’s probably not something you’ll automatically think of when wondering what vegetable goes with scalloped potatoes, but if you’re like me, and have a bit of adventure in you, then you’re going to love this salad.
Roasted beets sit on top of a bed of citrus filled salad with ingredients like mandarin oranges and mixed greens. It’s topped off with a delicious homemade zesty dressing made with orange juice, honey, and Dijon mustard.
It’s an impressive salad that looks like it took hours, but it’s only 30 minutes to make this tasty, and healthy blend of flavors.
8. Spinach And Strawberry Salad With Poppyseed Dressing
Now I’ll admit, when I first saw strawberry and spinach – I was like, huh? But I do like both, and I’m pretty adventurous when it comes to food, so I figured why not.
I’m so glad I took the leap, because this recipe is so refreshing, full of bold, contrasting flavors that come together to make a healthy salad that even the kids devour it.
The bonuses are, it’s easy to make, full of nutrients, and is full of fun colors that will dress up drab everyday dishes.
Desserts
1. Creamy New York Cheesecake
If you’re a cheese lover like me, chances are one cheesecake is at the top of your yum list. This recipe takes all the best characteristics of the New York style treat and wraps them up in one easy to make, decadent dessert.
I promise you’ll be the hit at any party when you place this creamy, rich cake on the table.
Made with cream cheese and sour cream, the cake will rest in a sweet bed of homemade graham cracker crust. My favorite part is, it takes only 15 minutes to put together.
2. Avocado And Chocolate Mousse
I’ve been searching for the dessert unicorn for years. You know that perfectly decadent confection that everyone will love? But it’s low in calories and fat, actually healthy. The bonus would be I don’t have to bake it and heat up the house.
Well, I found it, and I’m sharing because it’s too creamy and delicious. On top of all that, it takes only ten minutes. There’s no refined sugar, so it’s only 124 calories. Here’s the kicker, it’s so effortless, you just blend everything in the food processor and chill for about 15 minutes.
This tasty dessert is the perfect after dinner treat that won’t overfill your belly.
3. Tiramisu
Tiramisu means “pick me up” in Italian, and that is exactly what the rich, cocoa and coffee laden dessert does.
The other main ingredients of spongy ladyfingers and creamy mascarpone cheese team up to create a delicious velvety, light after dinner treat there sure to put some pep back in your step after a heavy meal.
This recipe looks fabulous on the dessert table, but only takes 20 minutes to make. It’s just a matter of whisking, mixing, and a little layering.
You will need a solid 3 hours to chill this delicacy.
This recipe calls for coffee liqueur, but if you’d rather not include it, you can substitute with alcohol-free options like instant coffee or coffee syrup.
Drinks
1. White Wine – Chardonnay
If you’re looking to pair your scalloped potatoes with a light adult beverage, a nice glass of Chardonnay is sure to make the taste buds dance while cleansing the palate.
Chardonnays have a crisp taste with tones of citrus and apple, that will add a layer of flavor to potatoes. I suggest Vintner’s Reserve by Kendall-Jackson. It’s refreshing and under $20.
2. Craft Beer – Amber Ale
If wine is not your style no worries, Amber ale goes great with a meal that includes scalloped potatoes. It’s a little stronger than pale ale and has delightful tones of caramel, toffee, and fruit.
With some of the best being named Fat Tire and Saber Toothed Squirrel, they’re fun conversation starters too.
3. Sparkling Iced Tea With Lemon Slices
If you’re looking for a unique non-alcohol based beverage, I’ve got just the thing. Sparkling ice tea with lemon is all the rage right now.
It’s made the same way as traditional homemade tea, with some sparkling water added at the end.
This fizzy drink is a nice choice to keep on the dinner or picnic table.
26 Sides to Serve With Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
Mains
- Harissa Roast Chicken
- Honey Glazed Ham
- Grilled Steak With Garlic Butter
- Seared Salmon With Dill Sauce
- BBQ Ribs
- Lamb Roast
- Pork Tenderloin Medallions With Apple
- Vegetable Lasagna
- Beef Wellington
- Shrimp Scampi
- Duck Confit
- Fried Chicken Wings
Veggies & Salads
- Teriyaki Salmon Salad
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon
- Asparagus With Lemon Zest
- Green Bean Almondine
- Roasted Vegetable Medley
- Classic Ceasar Salad
- Beet And Goat Cheese Salad
- Spinach And Strawberry Salad With Poppyseed Dressing
Desserts
- Creamy New York Cheesecake
- Avocado And Chocolate Mousse
- Tiramisu
Drinks
- White Wine – Chardonnay
- Craft Beer – Amber Ale
- Sparkling Iced Tea With Lemon Slices
Instructions
- Pick a main.
- Pick a veggies.
- A dessert.
- Enjoy!
My name is Beth, Elizabeth Evelyn to be exact. A native Tennessean, I was born in the South.
I am the author behind Local Milk Blog.
