This easy old-fashioned creamed potatoes recipe features tender cubed potatoes coated in a silky homemade cream sauce made with butter, milk, and a touch of heavy cream. Like my Homemade Scalloped Potatoes, it’s a comforting, budget-friendly Southern side dish that’s perfect for holidays and weeknight suppers alike.
Follow my step-by-step method for making Southern-style creamed potatoes from scratch in just 20 minutes and learn practical tips for keeping your creamed potatoes smooth and avoiding a gluey or watery texture.
Quick Look: Old-Fashioned Creamed Potatoes
- Ready in: 20 minutes
- Serves: 6
- Difficulty: Easy; includes a step-by-step video.
- Best for: Weeknight suppers, Sunday dinners, holiday meals, and any time you need an easy Southern side dish; also a great choice for Thanksgiving dinner side dish ideas.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Yes, you can make creamed potatoes up to 24 hours ahead and reheat just before serving.
- Taste and Texture: This vintage dish tastes just as good as your grandmother's creamed potatoes, maybe even better, thanks to a touch of lemon juice and nutmeg.
- What Makes it Different? Unlike mashed potatoes, these old-fashioned creamed potatoes keep their shape and are coated in a silky homemade white sauce. A touch of lemon juice and nutmeg gives the sauce a little something extra without overpowering the buttery potatoes. I’ve been making this Southern favorite for over 50 years.
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“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Great recipe for "make-ahead" meals. For a 9×13, I doubled the potatoes & tripled the sauce (my family likes it saucey 😀)” – Cait
Main Ingredient Notes
Let's talk ingredients: what you need, what you can swap, and how to make it work with what's in your pantry. These are the main ingredients; the full list is waiting down in the recipe card.
- Russet potatoes: Their high starch content creates the creamiest texture. Yukon Golds also work well if you like a slightly buttery flavor.
- Butter & flour: Together, they form a classic roux, the base of a silky béchamel (white sauce). If you're short on time, you can use 1½ cups of prepared white sauce instead.
- Milk & heavy cream: Milk smooths out the roux, and cream adds richness. You can swap half-and-half for both if needed.
- Lemon juice: Adds subtle brightness that balances the sauce. Fresh is best.
- Nutmeg: Optional but lovely, it brings warmth and depth.
- Seasonings: A pinch of kosher salt and black or white pepper enhances every bite.
- Paprika: Optional for color. A light sprinkle makes your dish pop on the table.
Recipe Variations
- Baked creamed potatoes: Combine the cooked potatoes and sauce in a greased baking dish. Top with a cup of buttered panko or crushed Ritz crackers and a tablespoon of melted butter, and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
- Add veggies: Stir in cooked peas, chopped green beans, or broccoli for color and texture.
- Make it cheesy: Add a handful of shredded white cheddar, Gruyère, or Parmesan for a creamy mornay-style twist.
- Fresh herbs: Sprinkle in chopped parsley, thyme, or chives before serving.
- Add bacon: Sprinkle a handful of crispy bacon on top before serving.
How to Make Old-Fashioned Creamed Potatoes
This is a summary of the steps; the complete directions are in the recipe card below.
- Prep the potatoes: Scrub, peel, and cut into ¾-inch cubes.
- Cook the potatoes: Add to a large pot of cold water, covering by at least an inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and cook uncovered until tender (8-12 minutes). Drain and set aside.
- Make the roux: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add milk: Slowly pour in the milk while whisking constantly. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens (2-3 minutes).
- Finish the sauce: Remove from the heat. Stir in heavy cream, lemon juice, the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Combine: Pour the warm cream sauce over the drained potatoes. Stir gently to coat.
- Garnish: Sprinkle with paprika (if using) and serve immediately.
Sharon’s Tips
- Whisk constantly: Don't stop whisking the sauce until it's thick and smooth; this prevents lumps.
- Mind the paprika: Sprinkle paprika into your hand and then take a pinch and sprinkle it over the potatoes, not straight from the jar, to avoid heavy clumps.
- Season in stages: Taste as you go. Potatoes love salt!
- Use fresh lemon juice: It keeps the sauce bright and balanced.
- Avoid overcooking: Perfectly tender potatoes hold their shape without turning mushy.
What to Serve with Creamed Potatoes
Creamed potatoes are the ultimate Southern comfort side dish. Try them with:
- Holiday mains: Green Egg Smoked Turkey or Baked Ham with Maple Glaze
- Everyday favorites: Oven-Baked Ribs with Dry Rub, Blackened Grouper Fillets, Small Meatloaf Recipe, or Old-Fashioned Fried Chicken.
Creamed Potatoes Recipe FAQs
Mashed potatoes are whipped smooth with butter and milk, while creamed potatoes are cut into cubes, hold their shape, and are coated in a creamy béchamel-style sauce.
Yes! Prepare as directed up to 24 hours ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat or bake at 350°F until warm.
Technically, yes, but I don't recommend it; freezing changes the texture of the potatoes and sauce.
Russets are classic, yielding a creamy texture that thickens the sauce. Yukon Golds are a close second; red or new potatoes are firmer but still very tasty.
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat on the stove with a splash of milk or cream, or microwave in short bursts, stirring in between.
Béchamel is a classic French white sauce made by whisking milk into a roux of butter and flour. It’s the creamy base for dishes like these old-fashioned creamed potatoes.
Join the Conversation
If you make this easy old-fashioned creamed potatoes recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment telling me how you liked them and what you served them with. I love hearing from my readers, and your tips and family stories make my day.
More Old-Fashioned Southern Potato Recipes You’ll Love
If your family loves old-fashioned Southern potato dishes as much as mine does, you’ll find plenty more favorites here, from creamy casseroles to crispy skillet potatoes. You can also browse all my Southern side dish recipes for more inspiration.
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Easy Old Fashioned Creamed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds peeled Russet potatoes about 4-5 medium size potatoes, between 4-5 inches long
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground white or black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 pinch paprika Optional garnish
Instructions
- Scrub, peel and cut the potatoes into bite-size cubes.
- Add the potatoes to a large pot of cold water, then place the pot over medium-high heat. Make sure they are fully submerged by at least an inch, and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add one teaspoon of salt, and cook uncovered at a simmer until they are tender all the way through when pierced with a fork.
- The cooking time will be between eight and twelve minutes, but the time will vary depending on the size of the cubes. Drain them in a colander and set them aside when they are done.
- While the potatoes cook, make a roux by adding butter to a medium-size skillet over medium heat. When the butter melts, sprinkle the flour over the top and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cook for about two minutes, and slowly add the milk while continuing to whisk.
- Continue whisking the sauce until it thickens, which should take two or three minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and add the heavy cream, half of a teaspoon of salt, lemon juice, white or black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the cream sauce over the potatoes and serve immediately. Optional, before serving, garnish with a pinch of paprika.
Video
Notes
- The secret to a smooth, silky cream sauce is not to stop whisking until the sauce has thickened. When you add the milk, the flour will look like it’s clumping, but keep whisking and it will smooth out.
- Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for up to four days. You can reheat on the stove, in the oven, or in the microwave.
- For the best results, when adding paprika, pour a little in your hand and then take a pinch and sprinkle it over the dish. Sometimes, when you sprinkle it directly from the container, too much comes out, and you can end up with a big red glob of paprika.
- Some folks say you can freeze potatoes, but I think it changes the texture, and I don’t recommend it.
- If you use salted butter, leave out the salt in the sauce.
- Russet potatoes will produce the creamiest dish. However, I have also used Yukon Gold, red potatoes, baby potatoes, and fingerlings, and they all work well too. I have never tried using canned potatoes.
- I peel russets but usually don’t peel other types of potatoes. It’s up to you.
- If you prefer, you can also bake creamed potatoes in the oven. Add the cooked potatoes and sauce to a baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Top with about a cup of panko or crushed Ritz crackers mixed with a tablespoon of melted butter. Bake in a preheated 350 °F oven for about 25 minutes.
Cait McNeill
Great recipe for “make ahead” meals. For a 9×13, I doubled the potatoes & tripled the sauce ( my family likes it saucey 😀 )
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Cait, I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, and thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
All the best,
Sharon
Jerry Bullis
Enjoyed thanks