Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

Love cheesy potatoes? This is the recipe for you! Creamy au gratin potatoes are the perfect side dish for any meal. They’re easy to make, and they always taste delicious. If you want something a bit more unique than the classic mashed potato casserole, this is the dish that really takes a basic meal up a level.

Serve these potatoes at your next family gathering, and watch them disappear. Everyone will love the creamy cheese sauce and tender seasoned potato layers.

spoon of au gratin potatoes held above black and white baking dish

What Pairs Well With Au Gratin Potatoes?

These potatoes can be served with just about anything. Some people like to serve it with ham in the potatoes to create a casserole that the whole family will love.

Create a perfect dinner by adding anything from ground beef to chicken to pork with au gratin potatoes. These potatoes can be served with burgers one night and this tasty pork chops casserole another. Cheesy au gratin potatoes are a classic choice with grilled or roasted chicken. I also love serving this with steak and a roasted vegetable for an upscale steakhouse-style dinner.

baking dish of casserole topped with fresh herbs sitting on cutting board by striped napkin

Ingredients

1 medium white onion
5 garlic cloves
2 ¼ pounds potatoes (1kg or approximately 7 large)
1 tablespoon butter (14g)
1 cup heavy cream (250ml)
1 ½ cups milk (375ml)
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 ½ teaspoon salt (9g)
1 teaspoon black pepper (3g)
5 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese (150g)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (17g)

Note: Salt and pepper may be added to taste, the measurements given are what I used, but you can add more or less between layers of potatoes if desired.

silver ramekins of ingredients on table next to potatoes and garlic bulbs

Useful Kitchen Tools

black trimmed baking dish of au gratin potatoes on cutting board

How to Make Au Gratin Potatoes

Prep ahead of time by peeling the onion and garlic, then slicing the onion into thin rings or small pieces. Set this aside until ready to prepare your sauce. When ready to begin cooking, you will then preheat the oven to 340°F/170°C and grease or spray the bottom and sides of a 10" baking dish with non-stick spray or butter.

In a thick-bottomed saucepan, combine the onion, garlic, thyme sprigs, milk, and cream. Cook this over low heat for 15-minutes. Stir continually to prevent it from burning. Be careful to not let the mixture boil, but just simmer, so that it does not curdle the milk.

Now, remove the thyme sprigs from the sauce and discard them. Then, use an immersion blender to blend the mixture together so it is smooth and no chunks remain. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Set the sauce aside, and prepare the potatoes by washing them, drying them, and slicing them into ⅛" thick rounds. A mandolin slicer is best for this method.

black mandolin being used to slice potatoes

Now, begin layering the au gratin potatoes by placing ⅓ of the potatoes into the casserole dish.

sliced potatoes layered in white baking dish with black edge

Top this layer with ⅓ of the sauce.

sauce being poured over potatoes in baking dish with black trim

Then repeat the potatoes, sauce, potatoes, and sauce until all have been used. It should be 3 to 4 layers.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and check to see if the potatoes are tender.

If the potatoes are not tender yet, put them back in for another 10 minutes. Once tender, remove the foil and top with the shredded Gruyere cheese and grated parmesan.

shredded cheese on top of baking dish of au gratin potatoes

Then, place it back into the oven to bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

oval black and white baking dish of creamy au gratin potatoes on cutting board

Chef's Tip

Save the wrappers your sticks of butter come in and place them in a bag in the refrigerator. When you are baking anything and need to grease a pan, just pull one from the refrigerator and use the residual butter on the inside of it to grease your baking dishes so you aren't wasting butter.

Like tips like this? Then check out my latest cookbook, The Complete Cookbook for Beginners. This book is filled with essential skills and step-by-step techniques that are ideal for new home cooks.

square of au gratin potatoes on white plate

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Difference Between Scalloped and Au Gratin Potatoes?

Both scalloped and au gratin potatoes are made with thinly sliced potatoes and a creamy sauce. The difference lies in the toppings. Scalloped potatoes are usually topped with bread crumbs, while au gratin potatoes are typically topped with cheese and sometimes bread crumbs.

What Cheese Should I Use for Au Gratin Potatoes?

With au gratin potatoes, you can use almost any cheese. I am using gruyere and parmesan. If you want a really cheesy au gratin potato dish, then use all Gruyere. If you want it to be a little lighter on the cheese, then add in some shredded Parmesan as well.

Another really popular choice is cheddar cheese. Some other recipes call for Swiss, mozzarella, or provolone cheese. Any melting cheese works well for this recipe, and different options can result in a slightly different flavor profile. Try something new every time you make this dish.

Can I Freeze Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes?

These homemade au gratin potatoes are perfect for freezing. I love portioning them into smaller serving sizes. Place the potatoes in an airtight container or freezer bag after they have cooled, then date and label them to easily reheat later.

You can also freeze these potatoes before they are baked. Follow all the steps, but instead of baking them, cover them with foil and place them in the freezer. When you’re ready to bake them, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw for about 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake as directed.

These are good for up to 3 months in the freezer. Remember that there may be a bit of excess moisture from freezing and thawing, so pat the top a bit before reheating if needed.

black and white baking dish of au gratin potatoes on top of cutting board

More Potato Casseroles

Potatoes are one of the staple ingredients found in almost every kitchen. Because it is so versatile, it is at the center of many of my favorite casseroles. Whether you use this as a side dish or an entree, or the entire meal, you are sure to be pleased. Make sure that you bookmark these, print out the recipes, or pin them to Pinterest to make soon!

Yield: 4

Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

Layers of delicious creamy au gratin potatoes are the perfect side dish to almost any meal! You'll love the easy recipe packed with flavor!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

1 medium white onion
5 garlic cloves
2 ¼ pounds potatoes (1kg or approximately 7 large)
1 tablespoon butter (14g)
1 cup heavy cream (250ml)
1 ½ cups milk (375ml)
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 ½ teaspoon salt (9g)
1 teaspoon black pepper (3g)
5 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese (150g)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (17g)

Instructions

To begin, you will peel both the onion and garlic cloves. Cut the stem and root end off of the onion, and slice or chop it into small pieces.
Preheat the oven to 340°F/170°C and butter a 10" baking dish so the bottom and sides are greased well. Set it aside.
Now, in a medium saucepan (preferably with a thick bottom) add the onion, whole garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, milk, and cream. Turn on low heat and cook, stirring continually, for 15-minutes. Do not bring to a rolling boil, but a simmer so it does not burn or curdle the milk.
After 15-minutes of cooking, remove the sauce from the heat and then remove the thyme sprigs and discard them.
Use an immersion blender to blend the onions and garlic into the creamy sauce. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper.
Now, wash and pat dry the potatoes, using a mandolin, and slice them into ⅛" thick rounds.
Once all potatoes have been sliced, place a layer of ⅓ of the potatoes into the bottom of the greased baking dish.
Top the potatoes with ⅓ of the sauce.
Then repeat this with a layer of potatoes, sauce, potatoes, sauce, and ending with potatoes. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper between each layer if desired.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and check to see if the potatoes are tender.
If the potatoes are not tender yet, put them back in for another 10 minutes. Once tender, remove the foil and top with the shredded Gruyere cheese and grated parmesan. Then, place it back into the oven to bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Notes

If you prefer to peel your potatoes, you should do so before slicing them with the mandolin. Remember to rinse after peeling to remove any skin or debris.