This homemade Potatoes Au Gratin recipe is one of those side dishes everyone looks forward to at Thanksgiving. It’s made with thinly sliced potatoes layered in a rich, creamy cheese sauce and baked until tender with a golden, bubbly top.
I’ve been making these Potatoes Au Gratin for the holidays for years, and they’re always a hit. In fact, if I show up without them, I might as well turn around and go home! They’ve become on of those dishes my family expects to see on the holiday table.
And while I love a good serving of scalloped potatoes, these cheesy potatoes win every time! You can even make this recipe ahead of time by assembling everything the night before, cover it, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. Or, if you want even less to do on Thanksgiving, bake the whole dish the day before and simply reheat it the next day.
Don’t save these just for the holidays! They’re just as good served alongside chicken, steak, pork chops, or just about any family dinner.
If you’re planning your holiday menu, try some of my other favorite side dishes including Green Bean Casserole, Corn Casserole, Crockpot Mac and Cheese, and Glazed Carrots.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made with simple ingredients. Nothing fancy here! Just potatoes, cheese, milk, cream and few pantry seasonings.
- Great for feeding a crowd. A 9×13-inch baking dish makes plenty for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas or a family gathering.
- Everyone goes back for seconds. This is one of those side dishes that disappears quickly, so don’t count on leftovers!
Potatoes Au Gratin Ingredients
- Butter: I used unsalted since I added salt as one of the seasonings. You could skip adding the salt and use salted butter if you’d like.
- All-Purpose Flour: Helps thicken the sauce so it’s creamy instead of watery.
- Minced Garlic: Adds a little extra flavor to the cheese sauce. Both fresh or jarred will work.
- Milk: Whole milk works best for the creamiest sauce. You can also use 2% milk but it won’t be as creamy.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Gives the potatoes that extra-rich creamy texture.
- Shredded Cheese: Sharp cheddars gives the potatoes plenty of cheesy flavor. You can also use a combination of cheddar and Gruyère for a slightly different taste.
- Potatoes: I used Russet potatoes sliced thin using a mandoline slicer but you can also use Yukon gold potatoes.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, thyme and onion powder
How to Make Potatoes Au Gratin
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375℉ and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: Wash and peel potatoes. Cut them into thin, slices about ⅛ inch thick using a mandoline slicer. Don’t rinse the potatoes after slicing because the starch helps thicken the sauce.
Step 3: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Whisk in the flour and cook for another minutes, stirring constantly.
Step 4: Slowly pour in the whole milk whisking continuously and then slowly pour the heavy cream whisky continuously. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it starts to thicken.
Step 5: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 2 cups of shredded cheese (save the remaining for the topping) and stir until melted. Add the salt, pepper, thyme and onion powder and stir.
Step 6: Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in the prepared baking dish, overlapping them slightly. Pour half of the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Then, add the remaining potatoes and pour the rest of the sauce evenly over top.
Step 7: Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over top, cover with foil and bake for about 45 minutes, until bubbly.
Step 8: Remove foil and bake for another 20 minutes or until top is a light golden brown and the potatoes are fork tender.
Step 9: Remove from oven and let it rest for about 10-15 minutes before serving.
Helpful Tips and Variations
- Slice the potatoes thin and evenly. This is my biggest tip! Slicing them thin at ⅛ inch thick and all the same size will cook at the same rate and be able to get tender.
- Use freshly shredded cheese. Bagged cheese contains anti-caking ingredients that can keep the sauce from melting smoothly. I use a rotary cheese grater that takes seconds to do.
- Don’t rinse the potatoes. This natural starch in the potatoes helps thicken the sauce. If assembling it the night before, make sure the potatoes are completely covered in cheese sauce to prevent them from browning.
- Check the potatoes before removing them. Oven times and different sizes of baking dishes vary with cooking time. Check the potatoes with a fork to make sure they are tender. If not, give them a little more time.
- Try different cheeses. Gruyère, Monterey Jack or white cheddar are all great options and you can even use a combination of them together.
- Add bacon. If you want to change things up, sprinkle cooked, crumbled bacon between the potato layers.
How to Store Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Allow the potatoes to cool, then transfer to an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Let them cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 2 months. The cream sauce may separate slightly and the potatoes can become softer after thawing.
- Reheating: For larger portions, place in a baking dish and reheat at 350℉ until heated through. For smaller portions, microwave until desired temperature. You can add a splash of milk or cream if the sauce is too thick.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, peeling is optional. I usually peel mine because I prefer a smoother texture. If you leave the skins on, make sure to wash and scrub the potatoes well.
The big difference is the cheese. Traditional scalloped potatoes are made with a creamy milk or cream sauce, while Potatoes Au Gratin include cheese.
The potato slices may be too thick, or they may need more time in the oven. Cover the dish with foil and continue baking in 10-15 increments until a fork slides easily through the center.
Make sure the cheese sauce thickens before pouring it over the potatoes and avoid rinsing the potatoes after slicing.
Recipe
Potatoes Au Gratin
Ingredients
- 5 medium Russet potatoes, sliced thinly
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 ½ cups sharp shredded cheese, divided
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp thyme
- ½ tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉ and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- Wash and peel potatoes. Cut them into thin, slices about ⅛ inch thick using a mandoline slicer. Don’t rinse the potatoes after slicing because the starch helps thicken the sauce.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Whisk in the flour and cook for another minutes, stirring constantly.
- Slowly pour in the whole milk whisking continuously and then slowly pour the heavy cream whisky continuously. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it starts to thicken.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 2 cups of shredded cheese (save the remaining for the topping) and stir until melted. Add the salt, pepper, thyme and onion powder and stir.
- Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in the prepared baking dish, overlapping them slightly. Pour half of the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Then, add the remaining potatoes and pour the rest of the sauce evenly over top.
- Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over top, cover with foil and bake for about 45 minutes, until bubbly.
- Remove foil and bake for another 20 minutes or until top is a light golden brown and the potatoes are fork tender.
- Remove from oven and let it rest for about 10-15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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