Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes - sliced potatoes cooked in the digital pressure cooker, with creamy garlic sauce and cheesy topping. Perfect dish for holiday dinners!
This is a perfect side dish to serve with Pineapple Brown Sugar Ham or Instant Pot Turkey Breast.
If you are looking for a potato side dish that's just a little bit more exciting than plain mashed potatoes, you are going to love these Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes with a creamy sauce and cheesy topping. This dish cooks faster in the digital pressure cooker and all it needs is just a few minutes under the broiler to melt the cheese. It's a perfect time saver for your next holiday dinner!
Ingredients:
- Russet potatoes
- garlic
- salt and pepper
- dried herbs (thyme, dill, etc.)
- half and half
- cornstarch
- Monterey Jack cheese
How to make Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes?
- Simply slice potatoes thin.
- Cover with water, add minced garlic, salt and dried herbs.
- Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
- When done, drain the potatoes and arrange in a butter dish (the same you will be serving them in), alternating with shredded cheese layers.
- Make the quick sauce in the Instant Pot on the saute setting.
- Pour over potatoes, top with more shredded cheese and broil.
Best tips:
- potatoes: Slice the potatoes thin but not too thin. The slices should not be folding when you cut the potato with a knife, but stand firmly. The thickness should be about ¼". If you cut the potatoes too thin, they will fall apart as you drain the water and spoon the potatoes into the dish. If that happens, it's better to just mash them or if you don't mind they won't have the visible disk shapes, proceed with the recipe. They will still be delicious!
- sauce: for the best texture, use cornstarch and half and half.
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
If you are making this dish ahead of time, do not top with cheese but cool it completely, cover with saran wrap and refrigerate until ready. Let it come to room temperature before broiling.
Do I need to use a baking dish for this recipe?
It is not recommended to cook creamy sauce dishes in the Instant Pot, that's why I decided to not use the pot-in-pot method. I prefer to cook the potatoes first, then make the sauce and broil in the oven just so the cheese melts. You can also just cover the dish with an inverted plate or a sheet of aluminum foil right after sprinkling it with cheese and while the dish is still hot. The cheese will still melt.
More Instant Pot side dish recipes:
- Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
- Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
For more recipes using the digital pressure cooker, feel free to browse our Instant Pot Category. Also, check out my Instant Pot Guide for Beginners, filled with all the info you need to get started with your new appliance! Seeing BURN message on your IP? Read my Instant Pot Burn Message post to learn why and how to save your dish.
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀
Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 lbs russet potatoes
- 4 cups water
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried herbs thyme, dill, etc.
- 1 cup half and half
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Make sure the stainless steel insert is in the Instant Pot.
- Peel the potatoes and slice thin. (see note)
- Add potato slices to stainless steel insert, add minced garlic, salt and herbs. Add enough water to just cover the potatoes.
- Place lid on your Instant Pot, turn the valve to "sealing" position and press the "manual" button. Adjust time to 4 minutes. The Instant Pot will beep and start coming to pressure. It may take about 12 minutes to do that.
- In the meantime, butter a 2 quart baking dish and set aside.
- When the time is done, the Instant Pot will beep. Press "cancel/off" button. Carefully turn the valve to "venting" position. When done, carefully remove the lid away from your face.
- Drain the potatoes discarding the water. Spoon the potato slices on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with a little bit of cheese. Arrange another layer of potatoes and cheese. Repeat until you used all potatoes but keep some cheese for the final topping.
- In a measuring cup, whisk together half and half and cornstarch. Add salt and pepper. Whisk.
- You don't have to wash the stainless steel insert, just make sure the outside of it is dry and not wet from draining the potatoes. Place the insert back in the Instant Pot.
- Add garlic to the IP insert.
- Press "saute" button on your Instant Pot. When the garlic starts to saute, stir it a few times and cook for a minutes. Add half and half and cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook just until the sauce thickens.
- Pour the sauce over potatoes.
- Top potatoes with remaining cheese.
- Broil in your oven just until the cheese melts.
- Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate.
- Slice the potatoes thin but not too thin. The slices should not be folding when you cut the potato with a knife, but stand firmly. The thickness should be about ¼". If you cut the potatoes too thin, they will fall apart as you drain the water and spoon the potatoes into the dish. If that happens, it's better to just mash them or if you don't mind they won't have the visible disk shapes, proceed with the recipe. They will still be delicious!
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on March 19th, 2018 and updated on October 27th, 2019.
Debi says
The recipe was easy to follow and the potatoes tasted awesome. I think they were a little too soft. Next time I will reduce cooking time.
Kara says
Hi! Could I substitute flour or flour/water slurry for cornstarch? And could I use whipping cream instead of half and half or would that be too thick?
Thanks in advance!
Lisa says
This worked perfectly in my new Instant Pot I got for Christmas. The sauce was just right, even though I doubted (I know, I know) that the quantity would be right. I actually weighed the potatoes on my food scale, and the ratios were perfect. Only thing I'd change next time is that I'd probably leave out the cheese, because it just was not needed, and for my family, I'd cut back on the herbs and garlic a bit. Just a little too "herby" for our crew. Otherwise, the potatoes were perfectly tender/yet not mushy, and just right amount of saucy-ness.
As a beginning Instant-Pot-Person, I appreciate the recipe !
Anna says
Thank you so much for trying the recipe, Lisa! I am so glad it was a hit!
iris says
Have not tried this recipe yet b/c I have a question: Can this be made without a cheese topping? If so, what changes need to be made?
I used to make scalloped potatoes (in the oven) when our kids were little, and they are all over 40 yrs old now. I recall having a creamy sauce (had butter in it for sure) but NO cheese topping. Can't find that recipe anywhere. Might you be able to help? I'd like to make it in my 8 qt IP, finish off in oven for color. Please answer soon as I'd like to make this for Thanksgiving. Appreciate it!
Anna says
Hi Iris! You can definitely make the potatoes without the cheese. No additional changed needed, just simply skip it. I hope this helps! If you want to make it for Thanksgiving, I highly recommend making the recipe once as a test to know what to expect. It will make the Thanksgiving cooking easier for you!
iris says
Thank you so much for your expedient reply to my question! I do plan on making it (a smaller portion), just as I do with any new recipe. That way I'll learn what to adjust, etc. Absolutely love that it's GF, thus we can ALL enjoy it. ¡Gracias!
Anna says
Anytime, Iris! I am always happy to help! Enjoy!
Helen says
Thanks for posting this recipe. I used your method to adapt the Potatoes Grand Mere recipe for use with the Instant Pot.
Would you please clarify the cornstarch measurement? Trying to convert 1/2 tablespoon during the Easter dinner rush proved difficult.
Sarah says
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons.
So, 1/2 tablespoon = 1 & 1/2 teaspoons
🙂
Brittany says
I’d like to try this tomorrow night for dinner but I don’t have half n half. Could I use milk?
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Brittany! Yep, just make sure its whole milk.
Ken Campbell says
These were absolutely incredible. We had these for Thanksgiving dinner. My new favourite . So simple and tasty. This deserves more than 5 stars.
Pam says
These look amazing!
You don’t have to cover your potatoes in the Instant pot though. 1 cup of liquid is all you need. That should cut the time it takes for your pot to come to pressure.
I’m going to give it a try!!!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thank you so much, Pam!
Sandra says
This looks totally amazing! I need to try it asap!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
I hope you love it!
Abeer says
I would love to try this! Looks delish!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
I hope you love it!
Catalina says
One of my favorites.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
I hope you love this IP version! Thanks, Catalina!
Sabrina says
Another winning instant pot dish! Couldn't be any easier than this!!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thank you, Sabrina!
Jen says
This looks so creamy and delicious! I'm going to slice my potatoes with my mandolin to make it easier for me to get the right thickness. I don't want to risk messing it up.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Sounds great! I wish I wasn't so scared of mandolin! lol I hope you love this dish, Jen!
Dorothy says
I am so excited to be adding to my IP recipes! I think that garlic sauce is so delish!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thank you, Dorothy! I hope you love it!
Michelle says
I love scalloped potatoes and have never tried to make them any other way than in the oven...going to have to try this.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thank you, Michelle!