Potatoes au Gratin Recipe

When it comes to classic comfort foods, Potatoes au Gratin are at the top of my list! These easy-to-make creamy, cheesy potatoes are the perfect side dish for a weeknight meal, potluck, or a fancy dinner party and are guaranteed to fulfill every potato lover’s dreams.

My potatoes au gratin make a delicious side dish for roasted chicken, roast beef, or pork roast.

The delicate balance between the creamy sauce and the starchy potatoes is a potato casserole your whole family will love!

Don’t wait for a special occasion to make my creamy au gratin potatoes recipe. You can even set them up the night before, so all you need to do is pop them in the oven.

If you love cheesy side dishes, make sure to check out my slow cooker mac and cheese, and Gouda mac and cheese recipes.

Ingredients to make Potatoes au Gratin

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my cheesy potatoes au gratin recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place.

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Can I use other types of cheese?

Absolutely. I love cheddar cheese, but you can use Gruyere cheese, Swiss, Monterey Jack, Fontina, or a combination of your favorites.
I added the parmesan cheese to boost the flavor, but if you’re watching your salt intake, you can leave it out.

If you want to make this dish completely vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

What are the best potatoes to use?

I prefer using starchy potatoes like Yukon Gold potatoes or russets to make this recipe. New potatoes and red potatoes have too much moisture and will make the sauce watery.

How to make Potatoes au Gratin

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Remove the milk from the refrigerator and set aside to let come to room temperature before cooking.
  *you can also warm the milk in a saucepan on the stovetop.

• Wash and clean the potatoes, then slice them into ⅛” to ¼” slices using a sharp knife (or mandolin slicer). Place the sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water and set aside until needed.
• Place a large saucepan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the unsalted butter, and when it has melted, add the diced onions to the pan.
• Cook until the onions are tender but not caramelized.
• Add the chopped garlic and fresh thyme to the pan, stirring the mixture, and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
• Add the all-purpose flour to the pan and mix together until the flour has been absorbed into the butter,.
• Cook the roux for 1-2 minutes.

• Add the chicken broth (or vegetable broth) and milk to the pan, stirring to combine the mixture.
• Cook over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes.
  *Don’t let the mixture get too hot or boil.
• Turn the heat down to low, then add the kosher salt (or coarse sea salt), black pepper, and sweet paprika to the mixture.
• Mix well and simmer this creamy sauce for 1 minute. Then, remove the pan from the heat and set aside until needed.

*I used sweet paprika in my recipe, but if you’d like to add a smokey flavor to the sauce, you can use smoked paprika.

*For a richer sauce, substitute ½ cup of heavy cream for ½ cup of whole milk.

Drain the potatoes and use paper towels to remove the excess moisture from them. This will keep the sauce from being too watery and help the potatoes better absorb the sauce.

• Butter a casserole dish, then add a layer of potatoes along the bottom of the dish.
• Add half of the cream sauce over top of the potatoes.
• Sprinkle half of the shredded cheddar cheese and half of the parmesan cheese over top of the sauce.
• Add a second layer of potatoes over top of the cheese.

*Some recipes add the cheese to the cream sauce to make a cheesy sauce. But it’s an extra step you don’t need, and it will thicken the sauce, making it more difficult to absorb.

• Cover the potatoes with the remaining cream sauce.
• Sprinkle the remaining cheddar and parmesan over top.
• Cover the top of the dish with aluminum foil, then place it on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes.
• Carefully remove the aluminum foil from the pan and continue to bake the potato gratin for an additional 35 minutes or until golden brown and fork tender.

Remove the pan from the oven and let the potatoes au gratin cool for 15 minutes before serving. This will allow the creamy cheese sauce to set up a bit, so it’s not too runny.

When it comes to potato recipes, you can’t go wrong with my potato casserole. The creamy cheese sauce and potato slices create a potato side dish you’re going to love to serve to your friends and family!

Store any leftover potatoes au gratin refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days. They can be frozen for up to two months.

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