A wonderful update on a classic side dish from Twin Cities food blogger greens & chocolate.

Confession: I grew up eating those metal containers of scalloped potatoes and ham with the plastic lid and pull-back top that you pop in the microwave and “enjoy” one short minute later. I also grew up on all those convenience foods like Hamburger (and Tuna) Helper, Little Debbie, microwave dinners and a fair share of drive-through fast food.

Guess what? I turned out okay. At least I think I did. That might be up for debate.

While none of these things did, in fact, kill me, I think we can all agree that the trend has turned away from convenience foods like that. Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure the day will come when my kids have a Happy Meal. I also make my fair share of boxed mac and cheese. We all have those days. I can’t say, however, that I’ll ever give those canned scalloped potatoes and ham another try. Especially after making these Leek and Gruyère Scalloped Potatoes.

Though these potatoes require a few more steps than peeling back the lid and popping them in the microwave, they are actually quite simple. A little bit of slicing, sautéing and popping in the oven, and you’ve got yourself some creamy, cheesy potatoes! They also take a little over an hour to bake, so plan accordingly.

As the title implies, the leeks and Gruyère cheese are obviously the stars of the show here. I love cooking with leeks and the flavor they give to dishes, and this is no exception. I also love the nuttiness from the Gruyère cheese. If you can’t, for some reason, get your hands on it, you can sub any sort of white cheese like white cheddar or fontina. However, the nice cheese lady at my local Lunds and Byerlys was more than happy to help me find it!

These potatoes would be perfect for a holiday dinner, spring brunch, or as a Sunday supper side dish!