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Au Gratin Potatoes are cheesy, creamy side dish perfection everyone is sure love. Tender sliced potatoes smothered in a luscious cream sauce made with two kinds of cheese and baked until golden and bubbly!
I am not sure how much more perfect a side dish can get! Au Gratin Potatoes make a wonderful holiday dish as well as a superb Sunday supper side! Serve them along with ham, roast beef, or even your favorite southern fried pork chops! Any way you serve them they will be a hit!
Why We Love This Recipe!
- Classic Dish: It’s hard to beat a cheesy potato recipe. A favorite all around when I serve this dish!
- Perfect Side: This dish pairs well for a Holiday meal or an everyday meal. A delicious potato dish goes with just about any meat you will serve.
- Versatile: Although the combination of cheeses in the recipe is spot on, you can change it up with what you have on hand or what you love.
Honestly, I can’t think of a more perfect thing in the whole entire world to eat than these Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes. I guess you can see where I stand on the matter! They are full of creaminess and rich cheesy flavor in every bite.
Here’s what you need to get started:
Ingredients
How To Make Au Gratin Potatoes!
Step 1 | Prep Potatoes, Cheese, and Casserole Dish
Preheat the oven and butter a baking dish or cast iron skillet.
Wash and thinly slice Potatoes with a knife or mandoline slicer.
Place sliced potatoes fanned out in rows (slanted rows) in the bottom of the casserole or baking dish. Don’t pack them overly tight. You want the sauce to get all around the potatoes.
In a medium bowl mix together the cheeses. Reserve 1 cup for the top.
Step 2 | Make the cheese Sauce
Melt butter in a saucepan or skillet over medium heat; slowly whisk in flour and cook.
Slowly whisk in heavy cream, milk, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme leaves (optional).
Heat until thick and bubbly.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese mixture per the recipe until melted and creamy.
TIP: Taste the sauce and add more seasoning as desired. Everyone’s taste is different (especially on the salt factor).
Step 3 | Assemble the Gratin & Bake
Spoon or pour cheese sauce over the potatoes. Spray the inside of aluminum foil and cover the baking dish. Bake until the potatoes are tender. (Test with a knife to fork tender)
Remove cover and top with remaining cheese. Then bake uncovered until the cheese is golden and bubbly. You can also turn on broil for a minute or two to get that top extra crispy if you like.
Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Then enjoy!
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Tips
- Shredding your own cheese makes for a smoother sauce.
- Evenly slice your potatoes so that they cook evenly. A mandoline makes this really easy.
- These au gratin potatoes can be made with skins on or off (peeled or unpeeled). It really is a matter of preference.
- Want to shorten cook time, while making the sauce cover place the potatoes in the casserole dish (make sure it is microwave safe), cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the plastic wrap and finish as directed for about 50 minutes.
- Like the top extra crispy, turn on the broiler for a minute or two to get a nice bubbly brown on the top. Just keep an eye on it – it can burn quickly.
Variations and Substitutions
Here are a few ideas on how to customize this dish a bit.
Frequently Asked Questions
In my opinion, a starchy potato such as a russet is perfect for this dish. A wax potato separates slightly from the sauce
Actually, they are very similar. Scalloped potatoes are often cooked with onions and baked in a creamy sauce. The definition of Au Gratin is to be topped or covered with cheese or breadcrumbs. Scalloped means to be “baked in a sauce or milk.”
The difference in this recipe is the cheese. However, you often see recipes for scalloped potatoes that contain cheese in the dish. Confusing – right?
Storage and Make Ahead
Make Ahead: Make these potatoes a day in advance! Simply pour the sauce over the potatoes as directed, then cover the pan with foil and place in the fridge until ready to bake (reserving divided cheese for the topping as directed).
Remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking. They may take a bit longer, around 10 to 15 minutes, to bake as the sauce will be cold.
Storage: Cover with foil or plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
Reheat: To reheat individual servings, place desired amount on a microwave-safe dish and reheat. Start with 1 minute and stir. Then add 30-second intervals until heated to your liking.
You can also place the pan back into a 350°F oven until heated through.
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Au Gratin Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds russet potatoes (starchy potatoes), sliced thinly (about ⅛ inch thick) into rounds
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided (reserving 1 cup for top)
- 1 ½ cups shredded Gruyere cheese
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons flour
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons thyme leaves, optional
- butter for baking dish, about 1 tablespoon
- fresh chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and butter a 2.5 to a 3-quart baking dish or cast iron skillet.
- Wash and thinly slice Potatoes with a knife or mandoline slicer. Place sliced potatoes fanned out in rows (slanted rows) in the bottom of the casserole or baking dish.
- In a medium bowl mix together the cheeses. Reserve ¾ cup for the top.
- Melt butter in a saucepan or skillet over medium heat, slowly whisk in flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in heavy cream, milk, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme leaves (optional). Heat until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in 1 ¾ cups cheese mixture until melted and creamy.
- Spoon or pour cheese sauce over the potatoes. Spray the inside of aluminum foil and cover the baking dish. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until potatoes are tender. (Test with a knife to fork tender)
- Remove cover and top with remaining cheese. Then bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving
- Garnish with thyme leaves or parsley and serve.
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Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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