Weeknight Herbed Creamy Scalloped Potatoes

1. Preheat Oven

Begin by adjusting your oven rack to the middle position and preheating the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Sauté Aromatics

In a large Dutch oven, melt the unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until it becomes soft and lightly browned, roughly 4 minutes. Stir in the minced fresh thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper, and let cook until the mixture is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Simmer Potatoes

To the Dutch oven, add the sliced russet potatoes along with the chicken broth, heavy cream, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and allow the potatoes to simmer until they are nearly tender, which can be checked by inserting a paring knife into a potato slice with slight resistance, about 10 minutes. Afterwards, remove and discard the bay leaves.

4. Bake with Cheese

Transfer the parboiled potato mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish, or a similar 1½-quart gratin dish. Press down to form an even layer, then top evenly with the shredded cheddar cheese. Place in the oven and bake until the cream is bubbling at the edges and the top is beautifully golden brown, approximately 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.