The Trick For Making Scalloped Potatoes When You're Low On Milk

Scalloped potatoes is a classic dish that can be made with just a few ingredients. It's a staple at holiday dinners, but can be enjoyed with relatively little effort anytime one gets the craving for potatoes and cheese. But even the simplest recipes can be made difficult by the lack of specific ingredients when that desire hits: You may not have all the cheese or milk you need for a dish like this. Luckily, that's okay, because you can still get that delicious creamy finish with the addition of something most people have stocked in their pantry: creamed corn.

Canned or homemade creamed corn makes the perfect substitute in your scalloped potatoes, not only because of its inherent buttery base, but the corn itself (or rather its starch) will make your dish smooth and velvety. Creamed corn is lightly sweet and pairs excellently with the high starchiness of russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, which work best in scalloped potato recipes.

Creamed corn is essentially corn kernels partially puréed with the white milky starch that is scraped from the cob of young corn. It's simple to make from scratch and freeze in large batches. Sometimes butter and heavy cream are used in homemade creamed corn recipes to enhance the corn's natural texture. But there's no shame in using canned creamed corn — it's convenient and a very handy item to keep stocked in your pantry.

Scalloped potatoes are meant to be rich and indulgent, making creamed corn an inspired addition to this dish. It's true that both corn and potatoes are starchy vegetables, but they complement each other beautifully. The cornstarch creates a silkier finish than the use of milk and cheese alone. Truth be told, even if you have enough milk to hand, you may try creamed corn mixed into your next batch of scalloped potatoes for the sheer pleasure of it. It just might become a favored secret ingredient.