Make Healthy Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped potatoes can be a nutritionist's nightmare. Full of heavy cream, butter, and rich cheese, the potatoes are overwhelmed by high-calorie ingredients. Fortunately, you can make healthy replacements for your own flavorful scalloped potatoes. For a low-fat version, use skim milk, gold potatoes, and reduced-fat cheese. Or get more nutrients by including mushrooms, leeks, and Greek yogurt in the dish. You can even swap out standard potatoes for delicious sweet potatoes, which are great sources of vitamin A and potassium.

Ingredients

Reduced Calorie Scalloped Potatoes

• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups (473 ml) skim milk
• 2 pounds (907 g) Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup (100 g) reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Makes 8 servings

Vegetable Scalloped Potatoes With Greek Yogurt

• 6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, washed and peeled
• 1 ½ cups (354 ml) almond, soy, or skim milk
• ¼ cup (70 g) Greek yogurt
• 1 leek, washed well and thinly sliced
• 2 cups (150 g) cremini mushrooms, chopped into quarters
• ¼ cup (29 g) spelt flour
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 to 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• Sliced green onion for garnish

Makes 8 servings

Skinny Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled (if not organic)
• 1 large white onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) skim milk
• 1/2 cup (50 g) grated sharp Cheddar
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce

Makes 6 servings

Steps

Making Reduced Calorie Scalloped Potatoes

1. Preheat the oven and prepare a dish. Turn the oven on to 375 degrees F (190 C). Get out a large baking dish and spray it thoroughly with cooking spray. Set the pan aside while you prepare the potatoes.
2. Saute the onion. Heat 1 tablespoon of salted butter in a large pot or saucepan. Melt the butter over medium heat and add 1 medium thinly-sliced onion. Stir the onion and cook it for about 5 minutes. The onion should soften and turn a little golden.
3. Stir in the flour and milk. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the onion and stir the mixture so the onion is coated. Slowly stir in 2 cups (473 ml) of skim milk. The flour and onion will create a sauce for the scalloped potatoes.
4. Add the potatoes and heat the mixture. Thinly slice 2 pounds (907 g) of Yukon gold potatoes and add them to the sauce in the pan. Keep cooking the potatoes in the sauce and stir it occasionally until the mixture comes to a boil.
   • You'll need to stir the mixture, so the milk doesn't scorch on the bottom of the pan.
5. Stir in the cheese and seasoning. Turn off the heat and add 3/4 cup (75 g) of the reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese. You'll also need to stir in 1 teaspoon of table salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
   • Taste the sauce and adjust the flavorings according to your taste.
6. Bake the low-fat scalloped potatoes for 1 hour. Transfer the potato mixture to the prepared baking dish and use a spoon to even out the potatoes. Put the dish in the preheated oven and bake the casserole for 1 hour.
   • Avoid covering the potatoes at this point. This will let the potatoes become golden and thicken the sauce.
7. Cover the potatoes and bake them for 20 more minutes. Carefully remove the hot dish from the oven and cover the pan with aluminum foil. Return the pan to the oven and bake the scalloped potatoes for 20 more minutes.
   • The potatoes should be completely tender once they've finished cooking.
8. Scatter cheese and broil the top of the dish. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and take the foil off. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup (50 g) of cheese on top of the potatoes. Turn the broiler on and broil the casserole for about 1 to 2 minutes. Let the scalloped potatoes rest for 5 minutes before you slice and serve them.
   • Ensure that the potatoes are about 6 inches (15.25 cm) away from the broiler.
   • Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. Keep in mind that the potatoes will soften the longer you store them.

Making Vegetable Scalloped Potatoes with Greek Yogurt

1. Preheat the oven and prepare a baking dish. Turn the oven on to 400 degrees F (200 C). Spray a large oven-safe baking dish with cooking spray so the potatoes won't stick. Set the pan aside while you prepare the vegetable scalloped potatoes.
2. Prepare the potatoes. Scrub 6 medium Yukon gold potatoes under running water. Peel the potatoes and use a sharp knife to slice them about 1/4-inch (6 mm) thin. Set the potatoes aside while you prepare the other vegetables and the sauce.
   • If you have a mandolin, use it to quickly and evenly slice the potatoes.
3. Saute the mushrooms and leek. Melt 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Wash 1 leek really well to remove any sand or grit and slice it thinly. Add it to the pan along with 2 cups (150 g) of cremini mushrooms that you've cut into quarters. Stir the vegetables and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper.
   • To ensure the leek has been washed well, consider slicing it in half and submerging the halves in clean water. Swish the leek around to loosen any sand or grit.
4. Add and saute the garlic and seasonings. Keep the heat on medium and add 3 cloves of minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Stir the vegetables and cook them for 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the spelt flour and milk. Add ¼ cup (29 g) of spelt flour. Stir and cook the mixture for a minute or two. Slowly stir in 1 ½ cups (354 ml) of almond, soy, or skim milk. Continue to stir and cook the vegetable sauce until it thickens a little. This should take several minutes.
   • If you add the milk too quickly, the sauce may become lumpy. If it does, whisk the mixture to break up the lumps.
6. Stir in the Greek yogurt. Turn the heat off and add ¼ cup (70 g) of Greek yogurt. Stir the sauce so the yogurt is completely incorporated. You can use either whole-milk or skim Greek yogurt, just stir it well before you measure and add it to the sauce.
7. Assemble the scalloped potatoes. Spread one layer of the sliced potatoes on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. The potato slices should overlap a little. Pour 2 to 3 large scoops of the vegetable sauce over the potatoes. Spread a layer of the sliced onion (from 1 medium onion) over the sauce. Repeat the layers, so you end up with potatoes on the very top.
8. Season the top of the potatoes and cover the dish. Sprinkle the final layer of potatoes with 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of paprika. Tear off a sheet of aluminum foil and cover the baking pan.
9. Bake the casserole. Put the casserole in the oven and bake it for 45 minutes. Carefully remove the pan and take the foil off. Return the pan to the oven and bake it for 15 more minutes. The potatoes should be completely soft when you poke them with a fork.
10. Broil and serve the vegetable scalloped potatoes. Turn the broiler on and place the scalloped potatoes a few inches below the element. Broil the potatoes for 3 to 5 minutes. The top should become dark brown and crisp. Remove the pan and let the potatoes rest for 5 minutes before you serve it.
    • Consider garnishing the scalloped potatoes with sliced green onions.
    • You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Making Skinny Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

1. Preheat the oven and prepare a dish. Turn the oven on to 375 degrees F (190 C). Get out a large baking dish and spray it thoroughly with cooking spray to prevent the potatoes from sticking. Set the pan aside while you prepare the skinny scalloped sweet potatoes.
2. Slice the sweet potatoes, onion, and garlic. Scrub 3 large sweet potatoes and peel them if they're not organic. Slice the sweet potatoes as thinly as you can, at least 1/4-inch (6 mm) slices. Set these aside and slice one large white onion as thinly as you can. Set the onion aside and chop 3 cloves of garlic.
   • You can use a mandolin, if you'd like to quickly and evenly slice the potatoes and onion.
3. Combine the spice mixture. Get out a small prep bowl and measure all of your spices into it. Stir the spices well, so they're combined. You'll need:
   • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
   • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
   • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4. Assemble the casserole. Lay half of the sliced sweet potatoes across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle about one-third of the spice mixture over the potatoes. Spread all of the thinly sliced onions and chopped garlic across. Sprinkle another third of the spice mixture over the onions and garlic. Spread the rest of the sweet potatoes and sprinkle the last of the spice mixture.
   • Don't worry if some of the spice layers are a little uneven. They'll disperse a little once you pour on the milk.
5. Add the milk, cheese, and hot sauce. Slowly pour 3/4 cup (180 ml) of skim milk across the casserole, so it soaks into the sweet potatoes. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of hot sauce evenly across the potatoes and scatter 1/2 cup (50 g) of grated sharp Cheddar cheese on top.
   • For a less spicy casserole, you can leave out the hot sauce.
6. Bake the sweet potato scalloped potatoes for a total of 30 minutes. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place it in the preheated oven. Bake the potatoes for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and take the foil off. Return the potatoes to the oven to bake for 10 more minutes.
   • The sweet potatoes should be completely tender and the Cheddar cheese should be melted and bubbly.
   • Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. Keep in mind that the potatoes will soften the longer you store them.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Digital scale
• Cooking spray
• Large casserole dish
• Large pot or skillet
• Knife and cutting board
• Aluminum foil
• Mandolin, optional
• Large saucepan
• Spoon

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Buttery Mashed Potatoes
• Make Indian Potato Curry With Green Chilli Base
• Broast Potatoes
• Make Sweet Potato Nests
• Make Loaded Potato Wedges
• Cook Potatoes
• Bake a Yam
• Cook Sweet Potatoes
• Parboil Potatoes
• Cook a Sweet Potato in the Microwave

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