These roast scalloped potatoes are simple to make, and a great prepare-ahead side dish. Rosemary and garlic make it fragrant and delicious. Tuck in!
Do you find that when the nights are drawing in, your thoughts turn to delicious dishes of comforting potato, creamy soft within, crispy on top, and flavoured with gentle wafts of fragrant herbs and garlic? Mine do.
There’s something about these kinds of dishes that soothes the soul when it’s dark and gloomy outside.
Beautiful and delicious potatoes
It isn’t just that it’s a cosy dish of savoury carbs, although that helps! There’s really something specific about potatoes, that makes them extra restorative. They offer the perfect balance – filling without being heavy, meltingly soft but also crispy, and of course they carry flavours so well. And they look so gorgeous too – just see…
Spuds – good to eat, and good for you!
We tend to think of potatoes as providing easy carbohydrate, but they have a great deal more nutritional value than that! A single medium sized potato, including the skin, provides over 25% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C, vitamin B6 and potassium. They’re also a good source of antioxidants.
Potatoes are also far less processed than some other carbohydrate foods like bread and pasta. They are a great thing to include in a healthy balanced diet.
Roasted scalloped potatoes – ready when you are!
While I’m a big fan of potatoes in general, I particularly love a potato dish that can be part-prepared in advance, then left in a pre-set oven so it’s cooked and lovely when you’re ready to eat it.
On this occasion, my daughter Kipper and I had been out to ‘Kabbalat for Kids’ – a child-friendly start-of-shabbat service – and arrived home, ready for our Friday Night Dinner.
Even better, our Friday Night Dinner was ready for us!
The glorious scent of garlic, rosemary and roasting scalloped potatoes filled the house. What a welcome!
Delicious potato bakes and dishes
Like so many of my best ideas, this dish of roasted scalloped potatoes actually started life as something else. It was supposed to be a potato & carrot layer bake, but having peeled the potatoes, I just couldn’t be bothered to start peeling and grating carrots as well.
Then I thought I’d just make the layer bake with potatoes and onions. But I remembered that we had some fresh rosemary that needed using up. And let’s face it, garlic makes everything better. Plus, putting the slices on their side (like in this sideways gratin) makes it look so beautiful!
It also means that every single delicious slice of these scalloped potatoes is meltingly soft at one end and crisply golden at the other. Perfection.
Ingredients in garlic and rosemary scalloped potatoes
To make a dish of delicious roasted scalloped potatoes yourself, you will simply need the following ingredients:
- Potatoes – of course!
- Fresh garlic – I used 3 cloves in this dish but you can use more or less depending on your preference
- Chopped fresh rosemary – or substitute dried, just use a little less
- Olive oil
- Vegetable stock – from a cube/powder is fine!
A quick, easy, make-ahead recipe
If you slice your potatoes in the food processor, this gorgeous dish of scalloped potatoes takes mere minutes to put together. Even if you’re slicing by hand, it doesn’t take very long. Once it’s had its 10 minutes in the microwave, you can set it aside for a few hours till you’re ready to bake it, so it’s a perfect prepare ahead dish.
If you’re not bothered about preparing it advance, you can skip the microwave cooking step, but remember to add about another 20 minutes to the baking time instead.
FAQ and top tips
- Can this potato bake be frozen?
I wouldn’t recommend freezing this dish, as it tends to adversely affect the texture of the potatoes when you reheat them. However, you can prepare up to the end of step 4 and then refrigerate the dish for up to 24 hours before baking. - Do I need a food processor to make this?
I usually use my food processor to slice the potatoes, but it is absolutely not necessary! Slicing the potatoes thinly by hand, using a sharp knife, is fine – in fact, because the slices will be less uniform, they will give the finished dish a really attractive presentation. - Do I need fresh herbs and fresh garlic to make this dish?
I’ve made this using fresh rosemary and dried, and using fresh garlic and garlic granules. Honestly, it’s great any way you make it! I do prefer fresh rosemary and garlic, but dried herbs are a great standby and add a lot of flavour while avoiding potential waste. - Is this dish gluten-free?
Potatoes are naturally gluten-free, so as long as you use a suitable vegetable stock, the dish will be gluten-free. Be sure to read the labels of stock cubes and powders carefully, as some do contain flour or other gluten-containing ingredients. - Is this dish vegan?
As long as your vegetable stock is vegan, then this garlic and rosemary scalloped potato bake is completely vegan-friendly! There are plenty of plant-based stock powders/cubes available, but in a pinch you can use miso paste or even marmite, dissolved in hot water. - How many people does this serve?
As written, the recipe makes four servings. However you can use the buttons on the recipe card below to easily scale up and increase the size of the dish. Just remember that cooking time will also need to be increased – both the initial microwave step, and baking in the oven.
Kipper and DH were both very keen on these roasted scalloped potatoes. We polished off the lot between us with our dinner. The long dark nights of winter don’t seem quite so gloomy after all.
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📖 Recipe
Roasted scalloped potatoes with garlic & rosemary
Ingredients
- 750-800 g potatoes (approx. 4-6 medium large potatoes)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1½-2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 50 ml olive oil
- 150 ml hot vegetable stock
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Peel the potatoes, and cut into 5-7 mm (¼ inch) thick slices. You can do this using a sharp knife, or in the food processor.
- Rinse and drain the potato slices and transfer to a bowl. Crush the garlic into the bowl, and add the chopped rosemary and olive oil. Use your hands to mix everything together very thoroughly, so that each slice is coated with the oily mixture.
- Arrange the potato slices on their sides in a 20cm (8 inch) round baking dish. Pour the hot stock over the top, then microwave on high for 10 minutes. The dish can be set aside at this point and baked later on – when cool, cover and refrigerate until you're ready to bake it.
- Transfer the dish to the oven and roast at 180°C (350°F) for 45 minutes – 1 hour, until golden brown and crispy on top. Serve immediately!
Notes
Nutrition
More spuddy good potato recipes
Other deliciously easy potato dishes you might enjoy include:
- Comforting helzel potatoes
- Delicious Greek potatoes with garlic and lemon
- Yummy roasted baby potatoes with onions and mushrooms
- Fabulous leek and potato kugel
Christine Rothschild
I made these and they were delicious. Used up the last of my fresh rosemary. I did add some cheddar cheese to the top the last 25 minutes of baking time. I didn’t use the microwave as I was planning to bake right away. Also, used a mandolin for slicing. Definitely one I will make again. Thanks for sharing.
Helen
That’s great to hear Christine – so glad you enjoyed this. The cheese sounds like a delicious addition.
Bob- Live to eat.
I wonder how this would do with Sweet potatoes… sliced and seasoned the same way? I think the best part is the crunchy edge. Soak in water a short while then rinse to eliminate the starch that can make it soggy.
Helen
Sounds yummy to me! What a great idea. Please come back and let us know how it turns out 🙂
Morgan
Could you do this recipe in a crockpot on low all day, then right before serving put it in the oven for a few minutes to crisp the top layer?
Helen
Hi Morgan. I’ve never made this in a crockpot but I’m not sure it would survive all day cooking, even on low. I think the potatoes would turn to mush 🙁
If you try it this way, please do come back and let us know what happens! Thanks and all the best, Helen.
Actuali
I made this as it’s a good filling vegan potato dish. It was delicious. Next time I would cut the potatoes into thinner slices as mine were a bit chunky. Haven’t got a microwave so boiled them a bit first. Probably wouldn’t bother boiling them first, next time.
Kayleigh
After I microwave this can I leave it until the next day to do the oven baking?
Helen
I don’t see why not. Let it cool, refrigerate it overnight, and then add a little time in the oven as it’ll be heating up from cold. Enjoy!
Murray Lowe
This looks and sounds wonderful. But what if you only have dried spices? Are the measurements the same?
Helen
Thanks Murray! You can certainly use dried rosemary. The flavour may be a little stronger, so use a bit less and see how it goes. I hope you enjoy it!
Audra Lucas
Think thyme would be just as good as rosemary? Mine died in the heat.
Helen
I don’t see why not! I often throw in different kinds of herbs and spices – it always comes out delicious 🙂
Sheila Reeves
I love the way these can be prepped in advance, now I just need to find the right size/shape pot to cook them in!
Helen
Thanks Sheila. I hope you find a good one – the potato slices need to be snug so that they stand up.
SJ RUSSELL
Brilliant. Easy to prepare and looks great.
Ruth Harwood
this looks yummy!!
Jo Hutchinson
This looks brilliant and really tasty.
Helen
Thanks Jo!
Sarah Klinkowitz
If you don’t have a microwave (guilty as charged) how do you adjust the cooking time/ liquid? My family would love this!
Helen
Same amount of liquid but another 20+ Mins in the oven. Also you need to bake it straightaway as the potatoes will go black if left to stand while still raw.
Samantha Fernley
Love this combination in the autumn, as a veggie I love livening up potatoes.
Ange
What a lovely twist on a family favourite. I grow rosemary and am going to add it to my next scalloped potato dish!
Mandy Mazliah
Ooh this looks really lovely. As you say, mmmmmmm! I think I might have to make a sneaky veg version of this with carrots in. Thanks for linking up with #CookBlogShare this week
Helen
Thanks Mandy. Carrots sound like a great addition. I keep meaning to do something similar with sweet potatoes. I bet there’s all sorts of things you could sneak in… 🙂
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes
I love this twist on a roast potato. I’ve never thought to cook potatoes vertically like this, but why not? It really looks lovely.
Helen
Thanks Jemma. I agree it looks lovely and it has the advantage of each slice being both soft and yummy on the bottom, and deliciously crispy on top 🙂
Everyday Sarah Jane
This sounds awesome!! I will have to try it ASAP! 🙂
Helen
Thanks! I hope you enjoy it.
Pretty Practical Pantry
Looks delicious – I love the brown tips; would certainly add to the crunch factor. YUM.
Helen
The crispy crunchy edges are the best bit! And the great thing is… everyone gets some! No more fighting over the ‘crispy bits’ 😀
Celine @ Mrs Minty Cream
Nice! The recipe looks simple yet good! Especially love the addition of rose mary! yummy!
Helen
Thanks Celine. The rosemary does add an extra layer of yumminess 🙂
Amanda
This looks so simple! I can’t wait to try it. .. garlic and rosemary are some of my favorite things!
Helen
Thanks Amanda. It’s simple, but really delicious. I hope you enjoy it!
Ilona's Passion
I can eat potatoes all the time. Love the addition of rosemary and garlic!
Helen
Thanks Ilona. Garlic makes everything tastier!! 🙂
Cheryl Collett, Itty Bitty Foodies - Yummy Adventures with Kids!
This looks so yummy! The epitome of comfort food for me in the coming season.
Helen
Thanks Cheryl. I think we’re definitely getting into comfort food season now…
homemadefoodjunkie
This dish looks like perfect fall comfort food allright! I love the crispy edges and creamy underside. I can smell it cookng from here!
Helen
The crispy edges are my favourite bit 🙂
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
I have a similar recipe….perfect way to present potatoes…not to mention tasty!!
Helen
Thanks Gloria. You’re right, it’s a lovely presentation. Makes a very simple dish look really pretty!
choclette
Haha Helen, I’m getting the idea you sort of liked this dish 😉 I can quite see why of course.
Helen
You’re right, I sort of liked it! LOL! Now I just have to remember to not make it every week!!
Dalia
This is a very inviting potato dish. It is really a dish that is part of a table at a family gathering. Beautiful golden potatoes…simply YUM!
Helen
Thanks Dalia. It’s a great family recipe as it can easily be scaled up and is still pretty easy to make. Yum indeed!
Andreea
There’s nothing better than patatoes and rosemary. Deliciouuuuussss! Love the way you styled this dish! Nice toeet you!
Helen
Thanks Andrea. You’re right, it’s a delicious combination.
Adriana Kröller
This looks absolutely delicious and a perfect find for cold fall days!
Helen
Thanks Adriana. It’s lovely and warming now the weather is getting colder 🙂
Foodie Quine (@foodiequine)
I absolutely love this idea! Potato bakes and dauphinoise are a staple dish in my kitchen but I’ve never though to layer they vertically. Will definitely try it out.
Helen
Thanks. We love a good potato bake too ?.
I hope you enjoy this one!
Sadie's Nest
This is a beautiful presentation of a simple but delicious dish!
Helen
Thanks Sadie. I love the way it looks too – so pretty for such a little effort!
Elizabeth
I need this on my plate right now! What a fantastic recipe – proper comfort food, this!
Helen
Thanks Elizabeth. It is just the thing now that the nights are drawing in.
Kevin Chambers-Paston
This dish looks beautiful! I’ve never thought of standing up the potatoes like this, but then knowing my luck I wouldn’t have enough for my dish and they’d all fall over! I am going to give this a go though as I don’t think you can beat crispy potatoes in any form.
Helen
Thanks Kevin! I’ve made it a few times and there is a reasonable range of the ‘right’ amount of potatoes – sometimes I have to really wedge them tightly to fit them all in, other times there are bigger gaps (which you can see in these photos). It always seems to come out OK in the end. I guess the worst case scenario is having to get out a slightly smaller dish and move all the slices! Worth it in the end though 🙂
Anne's Kitchen
I had to giggle when you said you couldn’t be bothered to do any more peeling – I try to get away with not doing it, normally quoting they are rustic!!
The bake looks so crispy and delicious! Definitely on the list (though I will probably not peel the potatoes!!)
Helen
Rustic! I like it!!
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) our potatoes and carrots come from our organic veg box and are usually caked with mud. It’s actually quicker to peel them than to try and scrub it off.
Hope you enjoy your ‘rustic’ potato roast! H x.