Potatoes Au Gratin

A classic dish of Potatoes Au Gratin, that will have you hooked at first bite. They’re perfect for your Holiday table or even just a Sunday supper. Thinly sliced potatoes, smothered in a creamy sauce and topped with cheddar and Parmesan cheese. So good to the very last bite!

The Best Potatoes Au Gratin Recipe

These Potatoes Au Gratin are like scalloped potatoes on steroids. They really are that much better than actual scalloped potatoes. If you’re wondering what the difference is, it’s comes down to CHEESE. If you wan to get technical, my version here is a combination of a scalloped potato dish and potatoes au gratin. Regardless of what they’re called, I know one thing for sure. They’re the best creamy, buttery and cheesy potatoes!

This amazing side dish is popular with many Holiday feasts including Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter. I like it best when served with my mouth-watering Bourbon Glazed Baked Ham any time of the year. Just don’t let that stop you from making other meat dishes because these potatoes are so phenomenal, they will pair well with just about anything. This is my favorite side dish with ham but if your looking for some extremely amped up potatoes that are better served with baked chicken, pork chops, or some beef, then you should try my Loaded Scalloped Potatoes.

• Potatoes – I prefer using Yukon Gold potatoes sliced into approximately ⅛-inch rounds. Use a mandoline slicer to cut them evenly. I pretty much always use Yukon Gold potatoes, or some sort of yellow potatoes, unless I need russets for a specific recipe. I just love the texture, color and flavor of these yellow potatoes.
• Butter – I pretty much always use unsalted butter in my dishes, this way I can control how much salt goes in. You can, of course use salted butter, just reduce the amount of salt in the dish.
• Onion And Garlic – You’ll need a medium sized yellow onion chopped, a white onion also works, and lots of minced garlic. Both of these are crucial to the sauce for these potatoes for lots of great flavor.
• Flour – I use plain all-purpose white flour to help thicken the sauce. You can sub this with gluten free flour, for a gluten free version of potatoes au gratin.
• Broth – Using some chicken broth will provide some additional flavor to the sauce. I only use low sodium or no sodium added broth to control salt content. To make these vegetarian, use a vegetable broth.
• Milk – I used whole milk but use half and half cream if you prefer for a bit more creaminess, or even use half heavy cream and half milk.
• Cheese – These potatoes au gratin are loaded with cheese and that is because we know that cheese makes anything better. I use some sharp white cheddar cheese and some Parmesan. Always grate your own cheese, this way no preservatives are added. Other cheeses you can use are mozzarella, gouda, gruyere, Swiss, etc.
• Thyme – I love garnishing these potatoes with some fresh thyme for a pop of color. Feel free to use other fresh herbs you like.

Prep The Potatoes

Probably the most work here is preparing the potatoes. The easiest way to do this is to use a mandoline slicer and this will ensure that you end up with equal slices of potatoes. If prepping them ahead of time, place them in a bowl with ice cold water, fully covering them, so they stay fresh and don’t turn brown.

When you’re ready to start making these, start by preheating the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

Make The Sauce

In a medium size saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add the onion and garlic, stir and cook for about 3 minutes until softened. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and garlic and stir well. Cook for another 2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth and milk while continuously whisking to thicken. Whisk until smooth.

Bring to a boil over medium heat while continuing to whisk. Season with salt and pepper. It’s important to whisk so the sauce doesn’t burn or stick to the pan. You can also add the cheddar cheese to the sauce, but I prefer to layer it in instead, up to you.

Assemble And Bake

Layer about a pound of the potato slices on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top evenly with ⅓ of the sauce and about ½ cup of cheddar cheese. Repeat this again with another layer of potatoes, ⅓ of the sauce, and ½ cup of cheddar, the rest of the potatoes, remaining sauce, remaining cheese and finally the Parmesan cheese.

Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 50 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 45 minutes or until golden brown and the potatoes are fork tender. If needed, broil for a couple minutes until golden brown to your preference.

Garnish with fresh chopped thyme and serve with your favorite meat dish.

What Is The Difference Between Potatoes Au Gratin And Scalloped Potatoes?

When it comes down to it, the main difference here is cheese. Au gratin potatoes have cheese and are usually sliced thinner. The layers in scalloped potato dishes tend to be slightly thicker than those used in potatoes au gratin. Au gratin potatoes are typically sliced around ¼ inch thick to allow the cheese and cream to soak into the potatoes. It’s pretty common for the two terms to be used interchangeably.

What Goes With Potatoes Au Gratin?

Just about any meat goes fantastic with scalloped potatoes but probably the most popular is a baked ham. My Bourbon Glazed Ham is definitely a treat that is the perfect pairing. Also try pork chops, chicken, meatloaf or sausages.

What Potatoes Are Best?

Starchy potatoes are best, which is why I prefer Yukon Golds. Russet potatoes have the most starch and make the creamiest sauce, but Yukon Golds hold their shape better.

How To Store Leftovers

Store leftover potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezing

Freezing potatoes au gratin may cause the texture and flavor to change. However, if you must freeze them, store them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 2 weeks for best results. You can also freeze them in the dish they were baked in, but cover it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

Other Delicious Recipes To Try

• Loaded Scalloped Potatoes
• Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
• Cauliflower Au Gratin
• Candied Yams
• Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
• Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
• Funeral Potatoes
• Irish Potato Cakes (Potato Farls)