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Potatoes Au Gratin is the ultimate cheesy, creamy potato side dish made with tender layers of thinly sliced potatoes baked in a rich homemade cheese sauce until golden and bubbly. This recipe uses simple ingredients and delivers an impressive side dish perfect for Christmas, Easter, dinner parties, or any special occasion!
The best Potatoes Au Gratin
The best Potatoes Au GratinIf I could only pick one potatoes side dish for the holidays, it would be au gratin potatoes every time. It reminds me of delicious homemade mac and cheese, with it's creamy and cheesy sauce–with potatoes instead of pasta–but it can pass for an elegant side dish. It's a classic French recipe that requires basic ingredients everyone has, and it's always a crowd pleaser.
If you're planning your Easter dinner, don't forget Rack of Lamb, Homemade Rolls, Deviled Eggs, Frog Eye Salad, and Easy Carrot Cake!
Au Gratin Potatoes vs Scalloped Potatoes:
These two potato dishes are often confused since they are so similar. The biggest difference is that scalloped potatoes are cooked in cream, and au gratin potatoes are baked with cheese. In this recipe, we use a homemade cheese sauce and shredded cheese on top, then bake in the oven until bubbly.
How to make Potatoes Au Gratin:
Make Sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan then stir in flour, cooking for a minute or two. Stir in milk, garlic, salt, dried onions, and pepper then bring to a simmer. Whisk until smooth. Once it is slightly thickened, stir in 2 cups of shredded cheese.
Slice Potatoes: Use a mandolin or a sharp knife to slice russet potatoes very thin. You can peel the potatoes or leave it on.
Assemble and Bake: Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in the bottom of a 9×13 dish and pour half the sauce over them. Add another layer of potatoes, then the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 30 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked and the cheese is bubbly.
Serve with ham, rack of lamb, or baked salmon. Make sure to add some homemade rolls and salad too!
Serve With:
- Beef Tenderloin Roast
- Prime Rib
- Baked Ham
- Rack of Lamb
- Cedar Plank Salmon
- Marinated Flank Steak
- Meatloaf
- Easy Roast Chicken
- Thanksgiving Turkey
- Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Spatchcock Chicken
- Garlic Chicken
- Honey Mustard Chicken
Potatoes Au Gratin
Equipment
- Mandolin optional
Ingredients
- 6 medium Russet potatoes
- 6 Tablespoons butter
- 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, , minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, , to taste
- 3 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese, ,or Gruyere, (or half of each)
Instructions
- Cheese sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and stir in flour until smooth. Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly stir in the milk, cream, minced garlic, dried onions, and season with salt and pepper. Whisk sauce on low until smooth and slightly thickened. Reduce heat and stir in 2 cups of shredded cheese until melted and smooth. Taste sauce and add additional salt, pepper, garlic or onion flakes, if desired.6 Tablespoons butter, 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 cups milk, 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 cloves garlic, 1 ½ teaspoons dried onion flakes, salt and freshly ground black pepper, 3 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
- Prep Potatoes: Peel the potatoes if you'd like. Slice the potatoes into very thin 1/8'' slices.6 medium Russet potatoes
- Layer: Place half of the sliced potatoes in a lightly greased 9×13 inch casserole dish. Pour half of the cheese sauce over potatoes. Layer the remaining potatoes on top. Spoon the remaining cheese sauce over the potatoes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
- Bake: Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked, cheese is browned, and sauce is bubbly.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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*I originally shared this recipe December 2013. Updated December 2018, November 2021, September 2022 and November 2024.
I LOVE this recipe!
I had no dried onions so I sliced onions super thin, since had my mandolin slicer out anyway!…and added some on top of middle layer of potatoes. I also put a few in the cheese sauce as I cooked it and they about disappeared ( as I had hoped) as they cooked down since I had cut them so tiny after sliced so thinly. I also added some panko breadcrumbs at the removing of foil for more crunchy texture then garnished with chives after out of oven. So yummy!!!
This recipe was a big hit for Christmas dinner!
Thanks Margaret! I’m happy you liked it, and I hope you had a very Merry Christmas.
There is a cup of whipping cream in the list of ingredients, but whipping cream is not mentioned in the instructions. Does it go in with the milk??
Yes, it goes in with the milk
do you peel the potatoes?
I do 🙂
Could I cook pork chops on top of the potatoes ? How would I change the baking time? Thanks.
I’ve never tried that so I really can’t say for sure….my only thought is that the greasy-ness of the pork would be sitting on the potatoes, which doesn’t sound very appetizing. Sorry I can’t be of more help here.
I used part Gruyere cheese:)
If I wanted to put leftover ham into this, how would you suggest doing that? Layer it with the potatoes?
Hi Stephanie, absolutely! Just layer it in with the potatoes. That sounds amazing!
I made these for Easter dinner and they were SO good! I ended up making them again this weekend and added leftover ham to them. All of us loved them. Thanks so much for the recipe that will be staying with us for many future dinners 🙂
Love potatoes and these look very good!
I’m a HUGE fan of potatoes – in any form. YUM! Thanks for the recipe!