Name: Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 5-6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick; 2 tbsp butter; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 cup vegetable broth; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese; 2 tbsp sour cream; 1 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; salt, to taste

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Instant pot scalloped potatoes are a popular American side dish and an easy recipe. Sliced potatoes are cooked in butter, garlic and broth in the instant pot, topped with a cheesy sauce and finished in the oven for that lovely brown crust. Vegetarian and totally yum!

Craving something warm and comforting but don’t want to go to a lot of trouble to make it? Try these scalloped potatoes or au gratin potatoes in your instant pot. If you love your spuds and don’t mind indulging a bit, this recipe is going to make you very happy indeed!

What is special about this instant pot scalloped potatoes recipe?

In my opinion, if you add oodles of butter, cream, cheese, garlic, spices and seasonings to rocks too, they will end up being quite tasty! So, with all those goodies in it, scalloped potatoes are obviously good, no?

What makes this recipe extra-special is that it is not fussy and time-consuming like other traditional baked potato recipes. The potatoes take all of one minute to pressure cook in the instant pot (no, that’s not a typo), another three minutes in the oven and they’re done. Since I’m a sucker for easy recipes that are big on taste (and I suspect you are too), I adore these potatoes!

What goes into these easy scalloped potatoes?

Note: exact amounts of ingredients are mentioned in the recipe card further down.

Russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
Butter – unsalted or salted, it doesn’t matter. Adjust the salt accordingly though.
Garlic, minced – fresh garlic works best though you can use 1/2 tsp garlic powder too.
Vegetable broth – I really like the Pacific brand though you can use any other. If you are not a vegetarian, you can sub with chicken broth too.
Heavy whipping cream
Sour cream
Cheddar cheese, grated – sharp cheddar is the one to go for. It really gives a nice kick to those potatoes.
Spices and seasonings – paprika, salt, pepper, dried oregano. These save the scalloped potatoes from being bland and boring.

And that’s about it!

How to make instant pot scalloped potatoes

Preparation

1. Peel and slice the potatoes to a thickness of 1/4 of an inch.

2. Mince the garlic.

3. Grate the cheese if using a block. I make do with pre-grated cheese that comes in a bag to save time.

Cooking

1. Press the sauté setting on your instant pot and melt the butter. Add the garlic and brown it slightly, stirring all the time.

2. Add the potatoes, broth and salt. Pressure cook the potatoes for 1 minute, followed by 5 minutes NPR.

3. Remove the potatoes with the help of a slotted spoon, leaving the liquid behind. Put them in a baking dish.

4. Add the heavy cream, sour cream, cheese, paprika, black pepper and oregano to the liquid remaining in the instant pot and stir it. The residual heat from the pot will melt the cheese slightly and you will get a thick sauce. Pour this cheesy sauce on the potatoes in the baking dish and top with some more grated cheese if you like.

5. Pre-heat the oven on the broiler setting. Then place the baking dish on the top rack and broil for 3 minutes. After 1 minute, the cheese will start to bubble and you will see those beautiful brown spots on the top. Remove the dish from the oven after the 3 minutes are up. Your scalloped potatoes are ready to be served now.

Some important tips to remember while making scalloped potatoes in the instant pot

1. Make sure the potatoes are not thinner or thicker than approximately 1/4 inch. If the slices are too thin, the potatoes might turn to mush and if they are too thick, they will not be fully cooked and will remain hard. What you want are soft potatoes that retain their shape but break easily in your mouth.

2. Do not broil the potatoes for more than 3 minutes or the tops will get charred and taste bitter. 2-3 minutes are perfect for getting a pleasing brown crust.

3. For the same reason as above (perfectly done potatoes) do not do a quick release when the timer beeps. Give the potatoes 5 minutes to soften further, then open the pot.

4. If you find that there is less liquid after opening the pot, add 1/4 cup extra broth so that the two kinds of cream and cheese are able to form a sauce and it is a pourable consistency. It will thicken a lot after cooling slighlty so don’t worry if it does not seem thick enough.

More instant pot vegetarian recipes

Butternut Squash and Chickpeas with Spinach – Healthy, vegan and very delicious when served with brown rice.

Mac and Cheese with Broccoli – All the creamy goodness and taste of the stovetop mac and cheese without the hassle!

Mushroom Pilaf – A one-pot mushroom and rice dish that comes together in 20 minutes in the instant pot.

Bombay Potatoes – Another potato side that’s simple, quick and big on taste!