These homemade au gratin potatoes are the perfect side dish for this year’s holiday table. Thinly sliced potatoes and onions baked in a rich, creamy sauce with a delicious cheesy crust will have the whole family smitten!
Potatoes Au Gratin
Cheesy au gratin potatoes will always be a hit whether you’re serving this casserole dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a simple family dinner. We use Yukon gold potatoes in this recipe. They hold their shape wonderfully and don’t need to be peeled, making prep time a breeze.
Take these creamy au gratin potatoes to the next level by browning the cheese in the broiler and garnishing with your favorite fresh herbs.
Why You’ll Love this Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe:
- The Best Sauce: These scalloped potatoes are baked in a decadent, creamy cheese sauce that is simply addictive.
- Easy to Make: This au gratin recipe uses simple household ingredients and will go from kitchen to table in just a few easy steps!
- Family Favorite: Cheesy potatoes are always popular, especially around the holiday season!
How to Make Au Gratin Potatoes
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.
- Layer the potatoes and onions in the baking dish. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Whisk in flour and milk according to the instructions below (in the recipe card). Bring to a simmer.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the salt, pepper, and cheese until melted. Pour over the potatoes.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45-60 minutes.
- Remove the foil and sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes more.
- Optional: to brown the cheese, broil for 1-2 minutes. Garnish with herbs and serve!
Recipe Notes
- You can also use red potatoes in this recipe.
- Try adding 1-2 teaspoons of fresh herbs to the cheese sauce.
Potatoes au gratin is a luscious side consisting of thinly-sliced potatoes and onions layered with a creamy cheese sauce and topped with crispy, bubbly cheese!
“Au gratin” basically means covered with breadcrumbs or grated cheese and browned. It refers to the bubbly, crispy cheese topping!
Au gratin potatoes are a much more decadent version of scalloped potatoes because they include the addition of cheese! Scalloped potatoes are baked in a basic cream sauce, while au gratin potatoes are made with cheese both in between the layers and on top!
The best potatoes for au gratin are waxy potatoes, such as Yukon Gold or red-skinned potatoes. Waxier potatoes hold their shape better. Plus, they are thin-skinned, so they don’t need to be peeled. Russet or baking potatoes are starchier and don’t hold their shape as well, which can lead to mushy au gratin potatoes.
There are a lot of great cheeses for au gratin potatoes, such as gruyere, cheddar, Swiss, fontina, Havarti, gouda, or mozzarella. I like a mix of cheddar and gruyere with a bit of Parmesan sprinkled on top! I recommend shredding the cheese yourself for the smoothest sauce. Pre-shredded cheeses are coated in starch to prevent sticking, and this starch makes them melt more slowly and can cause graininess in your sauce!
For au gratin potatoes, you want even ⅛-inch slices. Use a sharp knife to make these slices, or save some time (and your fingers!) by using a mandoline slicer or food processor. If your potatoes are wobbly, slice a thin layer off along the bottom so that they sit flat for easier cutting.
Make Ahead Instructions
These au gratin potatoes can be made 24 hours in advance. Once you’ve poured your cream sauce over the potatoes, tightly cover your dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Make sure to cover all the potatoes in the sauce. Otherwise, any exposed bits will become discolored.
When your au gratin potatoes are ready to eat, remove them from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking to allow them to reach room temperature. Set them in the oven, following the rest of the steps in the recipe. You may need to add 10 minutes to the baking time if necessary.
Make Ahead Instructions
Au gratin potatoes can be fully assembled through step 6, tightly covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. Let sit out of the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover au gratin potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven covered with foil for about 20 minutes, or until hot.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze au gratin potatoes in individual portions in airtight containers for up to 2 weeks. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Variations
- You can use red potatoes in place of Yukon Gold.
- For gluten-free au gratin potatoes, swap the all-purpose flour for an equal amount of gluten-free 1:1 flour.
- Feel free to switch up the cheese. Some other great cheeses include Swiss, fontina, Havarti, gouda, or mozzarella.
- Try adding 6-8 ounces of chopped cooked bacon or ham!
- Try adding 1-2 teaspoons of fresh herbs to the cheese sauce.
- Try topping your casserole with breadcrumbs or crumbled Ritz crackers.
Tips for the Best Au Gratin Potatoes
- Take care to slice the potatoes into even ⅛-inch thick slices; use a mandoline or food processor for easy even slices!
- Don’t pack in the potatoes and onions too tightly. You want to leave enough space for the cheese to penetrate all the way through.
- Shred your own cheese from a block for the smoothest sauce. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in starches that can cause the sauce to become grainy!
- If you’re short on time, wrap the baking pan (non-metal only!) in plastic wrap before adding the cheese sauce, microwave on high for 10 minutes, remove the plastic wrap, add the cheese sauce, and bake as directed for about 40-45 minutes.
More Cheesy Potato Recipes We Love
- Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- Cheesy Vegan Mashed Potatoes
- Crockpot Twice Baked Potatoes
- Loaded Mashed Potatoes
- Crockpot Potato Casserole
We hope you and your family enjoyed these tasty au gratin potatoes! They are the ultimate trusty side dish and a great addition to any dinner table. Happy cooking!
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes to Try:
- Pull Apart Cheese Bread
- Rosemary Focaccia
- Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Honey Glazed Carrots
- Classic Green Bean Casserole
- Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes thinly sliced (about 15 medium potatoes)
- ½ yellow onion thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ stick, plus more for greasing the pan
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- 1½ cups freshly shredded gruyere cheese divided
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter.
- Layer the potatoes and onions in the baking dish. Set aside.3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, ½ yellow onion
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant.4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 cloves garlic
- Sprinkle over the flour and whisk until smooth and the flour is golden, about 1 minute.¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Slowly pour in the milk while whisking, making sure to quickly whisk out any lumps. Bring to a simmer.1½ cups whole milk
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the salt, pepper, cheddar, and ¾ cup gruyere until melted. Pour over the potatoes.1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese, 1½ cups freshly shredded gruyere cheese
- Cover with foil and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife in the center of the baking dish.
- Remove the foil and sprinkle on the remaining gruyere and parmesan cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional: To brown the cheese, broil for 1-2 minutes.
- Garnish with herbs and serve.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- You can use red potatoes in place of Yukon Gold.
- For gluten-free au gratin potatoes, swap the all-purpose flour for an equal amount of gluten-free 1:1 flour.
- Feel free to switch up the cheese. Some other great cheeses include Swiss, fontina, Havarti, gouda, or mozzarella.
- Try adding 6-8 ounces of chopped cooked bacon or ham!
- Try adding 1-2 teaspoons of fresh herbs to the cheese sauce.
- Try topping your casserole with breadcrumbs or crumbled Ritz crackers.
- Take care to slice the potatoes into even ⅛-inch thick slices; use a mandoline or food processor for easy even slices!
- Don’t pack in the potatoes and onions too tightly. You want to leave enough space for the cheese to penetrate all the way through.
- Shred your own cheese from a block for the smoothest sauce. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in starches that can cause the sauce to become grainy!
- If you’re short on time, wrap the baking pan (non-metal only!) in plastic wrap before adding the cheese sauce, microwave on high for 10 minutes, remove the plastic wrap, add the cheese sauce, and bake as directed for about 40-45 minutes.
Nutrition Information
