Scalloped Potatoes with Kielbasa

Scalloped potatoes with kielbasa is my version of creamy scalloped potatoes – just kicked up a notch with meat… sweet smokey meat.

This recipe for scalloped potatoes is absolutely delicious on its own, but every now and then I like to add in the sausage. It transforms them from a hearty side dish into a main course. Wyatt loves kielbasa. Of course he’d probably say no if you were to ask him. We’ve always referred to it as “hotdog” to help him be a bit more openminded. He’s prone to claiming that he doesn’t like something before he’s even tried it. It drives me nuts! I’d heard that the “I don’t like that” food days were coming… but it’s so sad to see them here already. It’s especially sad and frustrating when you’ve spent time and money preparing a meal you know your kid would love… if they’d just pop it into their stubborn little mouth! Besides, what’s not to like about potatoes, cheese, and smoked sausage?

If you have an answer for that, I don’t want to hear it.


Anyway, rest assured that this is a dish that should please everyone at your table… even your pickiest of four year olds!

Scalloped Potatoes with Sausage Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8oz cheddar cheese
  • 12oz polish kielbasa
  • 6 small-medium sized potatoes

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash and peel your potatoes.
Step 2
I made this up and it had been a long time since I'd made these. So I had no idea how many potatoes I would need to fill my dish with deliciously starchy layers. I ended up with about three extra potatoes worth of slices.

As you can see, this is by no means an exact science. But my (now experienced) guess would be about 6 small to medium sized potatoes.

I split each one in half lengthwise; then sliced the halves into thin slices.
Step 3
Speaking of inexact sciences, the success of this dish does not depend on using exactly 12 ounces of sausage. You just need the smoked polish kielbasa of your choice.

Here's what I was working with:
Step 4
Feel free to use as much or little of this to bulk up your potatoes. These things seem to last forever, so if you hold some back it'd definitely be tasty on a rainy day.
Step 5
My family never shies away from extra sausage (or "hotdog" for Wyatt) so I chopped up the whole kielbasa.
Step 6
Heat up a skillet to medium high heat, and toss in the whole bunch.
Step 7
Toss around for a few minutes to give them some nice color like this, and then pull off the heat.
Step 8
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and get ready to make the creamy sauce that really makes these potatoes "scalloped".

Heat the 2Tbs of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Step 9
Add in the flour once the butter has melted and is just beginning to bubble.
Step 10
Whisk the flour into the hot butter. It will become a thick bubbly paste.

Keep cooking and whisking for at least 30 seconds up to a minute. If you begin to add the milk/broth mixture too soon, it'll taste like raw flour... yuck.
Step 11
Be ready with your liquids.

I measure the milk and broth in the same measuring cup, and then I'm ready to slowly add the whole mix.
Step 12
Slowly pour in some of the liquid and whisk.

It will become a thick paste yet again.
Step 13
Continue adding and whisking until you're left with what appears to be a saucepan full of milk.
Step 14
Whisk regularly for about 15 minutes or until thickened.

I know this seems like it takes forever, but that's just the nature of cream sauces.

Add in the spices and you're ready to layer up this bad boy!
Step 15
Butter the baking dish of your choice.

I'm sorry I don't know the exact size of this one. I've had it for years, and it's the one I seem to use for almost everything.
Step 16
Ladle about half of the cream sauce into the the dish, and spread it around to cover the bottom.
Step 17
Shingle on potato slices into a complete layer next.
Step 18
Sprinkle over about half of your browned kielbasa.
Step 19
Now for about one cup of shredded cheddar.
Step 20
Repeat one more of each layer: cream sauce, potatoes, kielbasa, and cheese.

Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake another 30 to 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Step 21
Yum, yum, yum!
Step 22
It's insanely good!
48 replies
  1. Ruth Martin
    Ruth Martin says:

    This sounds amazing – I am trying it out for supper. I have a picky husband, so if he likes it – and I think he will, it’s definitely going into my favorite recipe collection!

    Reply
  2. Ruth Martin
    Ruth Martin says:

    An update: We have now enjoyed your recipe several times already, and I am making it yet again tonite for dinner. It’s a winner with everyone in our family of four 🙂 Thank you for sharing it! ~ Ruth

    Reply
    • kerrycolin
      kerrycolin says:

      It’s crazy, I hadn’t thought about this recipe in a long time and I just bought the stuff to make it this week! I’m so glad your family liked it!

      Reply
  3. Sandy
    Sandy says:

    This was a nice reminder of a recipe I used to use all the time. I doubled the cream sauce for an 13X9 pan. Added 6 strips of bacon chopped and sauteed, as well as 1/2 of a green bell pepper and 1/2 of a red one. I didn’t have any onions so i added some onion powder to my sauce. I had to mix cheddar and pepper jack cheeses which gave it a little zing. I used some hickory smoked links chopped in 3rds and browned. Wow, what a great taste. I did cut the potatoes in small slices as described and they did get tender fairly fast. I didn’t have a lot of milk so I used evaporated milk. Everyone raved about this. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
    • kerrycolin
      kerrycolin says:

      I’m in love with the idea of adding bell pepper to this! So glad it worked out and everyone liked it, thanks for the comment!

      Reply
  4. James
    James says:

    I (Irish kid) tried this recipe without the smoked sausage as a side dish to fresh kielbasa and sauerkraut. My (Polish) family loved it. Thanks for the tip!

    Reply
  5. Ron McWilliams
    Ron McWilliams says:

    I just made it, with my venison cheddar polish sausage. Wowza!! My whole family went back for seconds. And polished those off too. I made a two times recipe, we will have leftovers. And trust me, I’m excited about that! Thanks for the good recipe.

    Reply
  6. Linda
    Linda says:

    Sounds almost like an ancient recipe I use. Kibecisxa bechamel using cream cheese as the fat. I parboil my spuds then combine them with the bechamel and layer them w/sliced kielbasa topping the casserole with cgeddarxand parm

    Reply
    • kerrycolin
      kerrycolin says:

      It depends on whether this is your main dish or a side, and also on the type of eaters you have. For a main course I think it would easily feed 4 to 5 hungry adults (more if you’ve got some kids or light eaters). And of course as a side dish you could feed even more people. Sometimes, like at the holidays, I’ll make it as a side and leave out the meat.

      Reply
  7. Christine Cormier
    Christine Cormier says:

    Delicious! I’ve made this so many times! But, I cheated and used Betty Crocker Scalloped Potatoes and added my sausage. This recipe really was awesome! I had tons of potatoes left over, so I could have put more in the dish than I did. I’ll know next time because I will definitely make this again! Thanks for the recipe, Kerry!

    Reply
    • kerrycolin
      kerrycolin says:

      What a great shortcut! There are days when you just can’t (or just don’t want to) thin slice potatoes. I love the tip!

      Reply
    • Destiny
      Destiny says:

      That’s how I tried it myself. Forgot the onion I planned on putting in but I will try it all again soon as I believe it will be a hit.. going to find out right now.. thank you

      Reply
  8. Andrea
    Andrea says:

    This was delicious! I didn’t have cheddar so I used some sliced meunster I had in the fridge. Came out great! I also forgot to put in the chopped onion. Oh well, I guess I’ll have to make it again! Thanks for sharing a great recipe.

    Reply
  9. Miranda Moreno
    Miranda Moreno says:

    I am making this for the first time for my family. I added sauted onions and Green Chile’s. I am waiting for it now. So excited!

    Reply
  10. Liz G
    Liz G says:

    I have this in the oven. Added corn, fresh parsley and crushed red/garlic for flavor. Smells yummy. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • kerrycolin
      kerrycolin says:

      I’ll have to add corn next time… our daughter has fallen in love with corn. I really hope you like it!

      Reply
  11. James Alderson
    James Alderson says:

    Well this all started with me saying ive never made anything with polish sausage. Found this recipe and made it tonight. Thx so much it was a hit with everyone and will definitely be making it again.

    Reply
  12. Trina Healy
    Trina Healy says:

    I’m trying this tonight. It sounds so amazing.. hopefully, the kiddos like it ?. I made two pans and added sliced jalapeno to one of them. Some of us adults like spicy. Thank you so much for recipe.

    Reply
  13. Erin
    Erin says:

    This is delicious– comfort food at its best. This is a great base recipe to start with and use whatever you’ve got on hand… You could change up the type of sausage or cheese and add just about any veggie to this recipe. I cooked as written with the addition of peppers and onions. Huge hit and we’ve got a great warm lunch to look forward to tomorrow!

    Reply
  14. Aaron
    Aaron says:

    This is a great recipe! I changed it by browning onions in the rendered sausage fat and turned that into an onion gravy. I added Worcestershire sauce to browned onions and then fresh thyme to the finished cream sauce. Huge hit with the family.

    Reply
    • kerrycolin
      kerrycolin says:

      Ok, so I’ve officially decided that you should be running the blog. This sounds SO good! I love love love fresh thyme and am totally stealing all of this. All. Of. This.

      Reply
  15. Lori
    Lori says:

    I’m a cook/baker who just throws ingredients in by hand. I substituted 1/2 portion of cheddar for colby-jack and 1/2 pepper jack cheeses and always use my fave go-to beef smoked sausage made by Schweigert. THE BEST!! I added frozen peas and a mix of Panko and French-Fried Onions for some crunch and extra zip. SO good!! 🙂 Will be making again.

    Reply
    • kerrycolin
      kerrycolin says:

      Lori this sounds great! I love the idea of the panko/fried onion mix! Consider this filed away for next time.

      Reply
  16. Cheryl Semerad
    Cheryl Semerad says:

    This is a great recipe. Second time I made it I browned red onions with the smoked sausage. It added a great flavor. This is truly a great entree or side, either way, throw in a salad and you’ve got a great meal.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *