These delicious Potatoes au Gratin combine tender baked slices of russet potatoes in a luscious creamy cheese sauce made with sharp cheddar and Gouda cheese. This classic potato dish is delectable with many entrees, but beef and pork are two of our favorites.
You are going to love these potatoes. They are the perfect balance of creamy, cheesy, and flavorful, all wrapped up in one ultimate comfort food dish. I love to serve these with oven-baked beef brisket, New York strip, and dry rub grilled pork tenderloin.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Butter: Unsalted or salted. If using salted butter, cut the added salt down a pinch or two. There is about 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a half cup of butter.
- Milk: It is best to use whole milk. You can turn 2% milk into whole milk by adding 1/4 cup of heavy cream to 1 3/4 cups of 2% milk.
- Cheddar cheese: I like the flavor of sharp cheddar, but you can use any cheddar cheese, such as mild, medium, extra sharp, or white.
- Gouda cheese: I like the flavor of Gouda, but sometimes it isn’t easy to find. You can substitute gruyere.
- Potatoes: Russets are my go-to potatoes for this recipe. They are starchy potatoes that add creaminess to the sauce and the casserole. My second choice is Yukon gold potatoes.
- Fresh herbs: for garnish, such as thyme, parsley, or rosemary.
How To Make Potatoes au Gratin
This is the summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
First, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes while whisking. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue cooking until slightly thickened. Then, whisk in the garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk in the cheese in several increments, whisking until melted. Reserve a 1/2 cup of shredded cheese for the top. Reduce the heat to very low and keep warm. Whisk it frequently to keep a skin from forming on the top.
Peel and slice the potatoes into thin slices. Cut the onion into thin slices. Spoon about 1/4 cup of cheese sauce into the bottom of a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Add half the potatoes and spoon about 1/3 of the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Add the sliced onion and spoon another 1/3 of the cheese sauce over the onions. Top with the remaining potatoes and spoon the remaining cheese sauce over the potatoes.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle it with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake for another 20 minutes, uncovered, or until browned and bubbling. Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh herbs like chopped parsley, thyme, or rosemary.
Preparation Tips and Storage
- Warm the milk in a microwave at reduced power for 1-2 minutes. It will help when incorporating the milk into the roux.
- Slice the potatoes thinly into 1/8-1/4 inch thick rounds. This helps them cook all the way through. Use a mandoline slicer for a consistent cut so they cook at the same pace.
- Don’t slice the potatoes too early, as they will brown. I like to slice them after I make the sauce. Use a mandolin slicer to speed up the process.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power until warm or in the oven in a covered casserole dish at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until warm.
Serving Suggestions for au Gratin Potatoes
- Meat: roast chicken, roast pork loin, steak Diane, or ham steak
- Vegetables: roasted asparagus, sautéed spinach, green beans almondine, or Brussels sprouts and bacon
- Salads: pear salad, Brussels sprouts salad, or spring mix salad
Frequently Asked Questions
Au gratin potatoes are slathered with cheese sauce, usually made with heavy cream and cheeses like sharp cheddar, gruyere, and Parmesan. The cheese is mixed in at the end of the preparation of the béchamel sauce and then layered with the potatoes in the same manner as scalloped potatoes.
Authentic classic scalloped potatoes do not contain cheese. They are made with a well-seasoned béchamel sauce.
Yes, but this is my method to ensure good consistency and texture. Up to 2 days in advance, prepare and bake the assembled casserole covered for 45 minutes, then let it thoroughly cool. Cover well and refrigerate.
When ready to finish, remove the casserole from the fridge 40 minutes ahead of time to bring it closer to room temperature. Sprinkle it with the remaining shredded cheese and bake for another 20 minutes, uncovered, or until browned and bubbling. Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with fresh herbs like chopped parsley, thyme, or rosemary.
Theoretically, you can, but potatoes contain a lot of moisture, which causes ice crystals to form when frozen. This causes the texture of the dish to change when thawed. There is a lot of dairy in this recipe, like milk and cheese, which tend to separate when frozen and thawed.
More Potato Recipes
Potatoes au Gratin
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk warmed
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1¼ cups shredded Gouda cheese
- 6 medium Russet potatoes sliced into ⅛ inch rounds
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced into thin rings
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley or thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes while whisking. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue cooking until slightly thickened. Whisk in the garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Whisk in the cheese in several increments, reserving 1/4 cup of each cheese for the top. Whisk until melted. Reduce the heat to very low and keep warm. Whisk it frequently to keep a skin from forming on the top.
- Spoon 1/4 cup of cheese sauce into the bottom of the prepared dish. Add half the potatoes and spoon 1/3 of the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Add the sliced onion and spoon 1/3 of the cheese sauce over the onions. Top with the remaining potatoes and spoon the remaining cheese sauce over the potatoes.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle it with the remaining shredded cheese and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes or until browned and bubbling.
- Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with fresh herbs like chopped parsley or thyme.
Notes
- Warm the milk in a microwave at reduced power for 1-2 minutes. It will help when incorporating the milk into the roux.
- Slice the potatoes thinly into 1/8-1/4 inch thick rounds. This helps them cook all the way through. Use a mandoline slicer for a consistent cut so they cook at the same pace.
- Don’t slice the potatoes too early, as they will brown. I like to slice them after I make the sauce. Use a mandolin slicer to speed up the process.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power until warm or in the oven in a covered casserole dish at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until warm.
Sonia
All that melty cheese and those golden edges! These were so tasty. I am so glad that I made them!
Bedabrata
This recipe was so yummy! I love anything with potatoes and cheese. Do you think it’ll work well with a bit of garlic too?
Beth Pierce
Yes I do.
Melissa
Anything with potatoes I’m sold! This was so delicious. The family loved it!
Beth Pierce
So glad that they liked it, Melissa!
Gust
I tried this Potatoes au Gratin recipe last night and it was a huge hit! The layers came out perfectly creamy and cheesy!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Gust! So happy that you liked it.
Lisa
One of my all-time favorite side dishes! My mom used to make potatoes au gratin and always added her own special touch; it was absolutely delicious. Beth, yours looks incredibly tasty, rich, and mouthwatering. I definitely need to make a batch of this soon for the family!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Lisa! Enjoy!
Jen Schreiner
GIRL!!!! Another great recipe that knocks it out of the park. LOVE this!!! And if you are on the fence about making this recipe as a side dish, don’t be. MAKE IT!!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Jen! So happy that you liked it!
Angela
These Potatoes Au Gratin turned out absolutely amazing! I can’t wait to make them again…yum!!!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Angela! I am so glad that you enjoyed them!
Claudia
I love how cheesy these potatoes were! These were perfect with my seasoned steak recipe. Thank you, Beth!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Claudia!
Claudia
I’m on a keto diet, but I made these for my husband. I can confirm they’re delicious because I made them yesterday, and they’re already gone! LOL
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Claudia! I am so glad that you and your husband liked them!
Catalina
I made this Potatoes au Gratin for a family dinner, and it was an absolute hit! Creamy, cheesy, and perfectly golden on top!
Paula
I had only ever made the box version of potatoes au gratin, but I’m never going back now. This was SO GOOD! Oh my goodness. Homemade for the win.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Paula!
Maria
You cannot EVER beat potatoes with creamy sauce and cheese! These were really good.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Maria! We love them too!