Recipe: Maui Scalloped Potatoes from Disney World’s ‘Ohana {Polynesian Resort}

I need you to stop what you’re doing and go grab a piece of paper and a pen.  I’ll wait.

Ok, got it?  Write down these things:

4 potatoes
heavy cream
cheddar cheese
Parmesan cheese
onion

Those five ingredients, plus a few standard pantry items, is all you need to have the most OMG to-die-for potatoes.  Ever.  Seriously.  This is the throw-away-all-your-gratin-recipes-because-this-is-all-you’ll-ever-need recipe.  This is the one.  The one that stops the searches.  The one that makes the others run away in the fear.  The one and only.

And now the backstory…

Two years ago this month (I can’t believe it’s been that long already!), we took a quick trip to Disney World.  One of the restaurants we visited was ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Resort.  We ended up going back there several times during our stay because the food was outstanding and the ambiance inviting.  Just a total laid-back, family style, warm environment.  Their menu offerings were simple food selections, real comfort food really, but done so well that you couldn’t stop yourself for going back for seconds.  And maybe thirds while no one was looking.  I asked for a few recipes during our visit, and you know how accommodating those folks at Disney are.  By the time we returned home only a few days later, the recipes were already in my inbox, and this potato recipe was one of them.

The hardest part of the recipe?  Carving out the hour and a half it needs to bake in the oven.  Other than that, it could not be simpler.  This one is worth it.  Find the time.  Creamy, tender, and soft to the bite.  Surprisingly, even with the cheese in it, it doesn’t have a very heavy particularly cheesy taste.  It just really lends to the overall creaminess.  So stinkin’ good you’ll keep going back for more.  It’s 10 pm right now, and my mouth is watering just thinking about the leftovers in the fridge.

Maui Scalloped Potatoes
Recipe courtesy of ‘Ohana, Disney’s Polynesian Resort

4 Idaho Russet potatoes, medium sized
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, firmly packed
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 medium sized sweet onion, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 bunch chives, chopped

Preheat oven to 375.  Wash potatoes in cold water and clean thoroughly.  Pour heavy cream into a large mixing bowl.  Slice the potatoes 1/8 inch thick.  Add the potatoes to the mixing bowl and toss them in the heavy cream until each one is coated with cream.  Add Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, onion, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to the mixing bowl.  Toss until all ingredients are evenly mixed.  Grease a large baking dish with butter.  Add all contents of the mixing bowl into the greased pan.  Bake in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes (mine was done at about 1 hour 10 minutes).  Remove the potatoes from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes.   Garnish potatoes with chopped chives and serve.

*Chef’s Note: Maui onions are preferred when making this recipe.

Print it!