The Hands-Down Best Boxed Scalloped Potatoes Are Creamy And Traditional (And You Can Find Them Anywhere)

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From hash browns to Hasselback, latkes to boxty, the potato is, without question, an incredibly versatile food. One iconic way to serve this ubiquitous root vegetable is as scalloped potatoes: Thinly sliced potatoes layered and cooked in a milk or cream sauce. (Add some cheese to turn your scalloped potatoes into potatoes au gratin, a slightly different dish.) When Chowhound reviewed six popular boxed scalloped potatoes, we pointed out that a major downside to what is otherwise a fairly simple dish is the slicing, which is best done with a hazardously sharp mandoline that many people may not have.

If you're a scalloped potato fan but haven't yet taken the plunge into mandoline ownership, having a go-to brand of boxed scalloped potatoes may be worthwhile. And thankfully, Chowhound's favorite offering, Betty Crocker Scalloped Casserole Potatoes, comes from a widely available brand, unlike some of the others on our list that may be only available at specific grocery stores like Aldi or Walmart.

Chowhound appreciated that the Betty Crocker potatoes used a ½ cup less water for cooking the potatoes than most of the other brands. As you may imagine, this made for a creamier sauce with a more concentrated flavor — and that took less time to cook. The texture and taste were superior; however, part of that taste came from the staggeringly high amounts of sodium, which, we acknowledged, may be a reason to pass up this product despite its superiority in other areas.

Boxed scalloped potatoes are versatile in terms of preparation, as they can be made on the stovetop, in the microwave, or in the oven. Whichever method you use, you simply have to stir the included sauce mix, water, and milk together, then add the potatoes. Of course, there are many ways to upgrade your basic pan of scalloped potatoes by adding canned ingredients such as ham and peas or tuna casserole. These options would give the potatoes a dash of protein, too, and potentially turn this typical side dish into the star of your meal.

Betty Crocker also has hundreds of recipes on its website that could be worth trying or taking inspiration from, like a Mexican Chicken-Scalloped Potatoes Casserole. Take your boxes of scalloped potatoes, but season them with chili powder and chopped green chilis, and add shredded chicken and cheese. For an even cheesier variation, try Betty Crocker's Cheesy Crunchy Broccoli Scalloped Potato Casserole, which incorporates the veg, Dijon mustard, and cheese-flavored crackers. (Although this recipe recommends using the brand's Three-Cheese Scalloped Potatoes product.)

One Reddit user reported that, when following the instructions for the stovetop preparation, the potatoes came out a little too stiff. Some users recommended soaking the potatoes in cold water for about 10 minutes to rehydrate them before beginning the cooking process, or just making sure to simmer them long enough to reach the desired texture.