Microwave Scalloped Potatoes

December 6th is National Microwave Oven Day! You must celebrate by making something in the microwave, which you very likely do every day anyways! If you want to add a delicious and easy side dish to your dinner, I recommend that you try this microwave scalloped potatoes recipe.

Share the microwave love on social media today using the hashtags #NationalMicrowaveOvenDay, #MicrowaveOvenDay and #RecipesForHolidays.

Be sure to follow my December food holidays page so you never miss a food holiday in the month of December!

The History of the Microwave:

From the Smithsonian:

The microwave was created by accident. While standing in front of an active radar set working on magnetrons, Percy Spencer noticed the candy bar in his pocket had melted. Intrigued, Spencer, a leading expert at the time in radar tube design, decided to experiment. He ended up creating a high­-density, electromagnetic field within a metal box that would go on to live in infamy as the way we heat up burritos. He developed and patented the first microwave oven. The first models were huge—about 6 feet in height and weighing more than 750 pounds. After World War II, when wartime technologies were adapted for domestic purposes, the ovens became smaller and more suitable for homes.

In the 1970s, food companies expanded their offerings of frozen, microwavable dinners and snacks to meet the demands of busy families and individuals with complex schedules or no inclination to cook. Many Americans became increasingly dependent on prepared foods, fast-food restaurants and other on-the-go meal options.

🛒 Ingredients needed:

• potatoes
• all purpose flour
• salt
• cheddar cheese
• milk
• unsalted butter
• paprika
• green onions, for garnish (optional)

✏️ How to make Microwave Scalloped Potatoes:

*The complete, printable recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post.

1. Spray an 8×8-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray.
2. Place a single layer of potatoes (overlapping a bit) in the prepared dish. Sprinkle some of the flour mixture on top. Sprinkle cheese on top of the flour mixture. Repeat layers until you’ve used up all of the ingredients (ending with cheese).
3. Pour the hot milk over everything. Dot the top of the scalloped potatoes with butter. Sprinkle with paprika.

➡️ Tips and Substitutions:

• Yukon gold potatoes (or red potatoes) hold their shape well for use in a scalloped potatoes recipe. Russet potatoes or Idaho potatoes will work but they tend to break apart more.
• I don’t recommend making trying to make more than an 8×8-inch dish of scalloped potatoes for this microwave recipe. The standard 9×13-inch pan will be too much for the microwave to handle.
• It’s perfectly okay to change up the cheese in this recipe. Use Swiss, Jack, Havarti, sharp cheddar or a combination of your favorites!
• Use half and half or heavy cream for a richer sauce.

✔️ Oven Instructions for Scalloped Potatoes:

If you prefer to cook these in the oven, you can bake them for about an hour (covered with foil) at 350 degrees F. Remove the foil at the end of baking to get the top nice and toasty.