Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes

A classic recipe for cheesy au gratin potatoes. This recipe brings together thinly sliced potatoes, onion, butter, cream and cheddar cheese to create a delicious side dish. This is our family recipe and it’s good enough for everyday or a special holiday.

Potatoes au Gratin is a classic, warm, cheesy, comforting French classic dish that consists of layers of potatoes nestled in between a creamy, luscious cheese sauce and then baked until golden and bubbly.

The Difference Between ‘Gratin’ and ‘Scalloped’:

There seems to be some confusion between a ‘gratin’ recipe and a ‘scalloped’ recipe.  Classic gratins involve topping a dish with either cheese or buttery breadcrumbs and baking or broiling in the final minutes until crispy.

Scalloped Potatoes are simply heavenly! They are much simpler of a dish, usually requiring only the potatoes and a basic cream sauce of milk and heavy cream. The recipe my family uses also infuses garlic and nutmeg.

What You’ll Need to Make The Best Potatoes Au Gratin:

• Potatoes – Yukon Gold or any yellow potato works best for this dish. I do not peel my potatoes, I prefer the more ‘rustic’ look. However, you can peel them if you wish.
• Onion & Garlic- I always add onions to this recipe, only to soften them not brown them. Some recipes call for adding the onion in raw, however I find taking the additional step of softening them is much better.
• The Cheesy Sauce – I believe in using full fat in recipes like this. Using only heavy cream however is a bit much on the waistline, therefore I incorporated milk in the equation. The cheese of choice is Cheddar, but you can certainly add in a little Gruyere or Parmesan cheese for more flavor.
• The Topping – A mixture of breadcrumbs and some remaining Cheddar cheese go on top with about 10-15 minutes remaining in the cooking time.

Tips for Making Potatoes Au Gratin:

• The first thing any culinary student learns in culinary school are knife cuts. Even cut food ensures it will all cook evenly and at the same time. I use a mandolin to get my potatoes as even and as thin as I can.  If you don’t have a mandolin, you can certainly do it by hand.
• Shred your cheese from a block of good quality cheese. The pre packaged cheeses have emulsifiers in them to prevent clumping.
• Lower the heat on the stove when adding the cheese (or remove it all together)
• Warm the milk and cream in the microwave until room temperature – this will help prevent any curdling.
• Season each layer of potatoes with salt and pepper before adding the cheesy sauce.
• Pour the cheesy sauce over the potatoes one layer at time.  A 9×9 baking dish can hold 4 layers, while a 9×13 will hold 3 layers.
• Cover it tightly with foil and bake it on the middle rack in a preheated oven at 350° checking it at 45 min by poking the potato with a fork.  Then remove the foil and sprinkle the breadcrumb/cheese mixture over it and place it under the broiler to get nice and bubbly. 

Can I Make these the Night Before?

• You most certainly can. Simply bake them as stated. Allow them to cool completely. Take them out of the fridge and let them stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before placing them back in the lower heated oven (300° – 325°) uncovered or until heated through. If the potatoes look dry, add a few tablespoon of milk to the SIDES of the pan and allow to trickle down.

How to Store Potatoes Au Gratin:

• To store: Simply place some aluminum foil over the potatoes and refrigerate. They will stay good for 3 days.
• To freeze: This dish is better frozen in individual portions to reheat in the microwave. However, the entire can be frozen and reheated in the oven at a very low temperature.

What to Pair with these Potatoes:

What’s so great about a comforting dish like these potatoes is that they can be made alongside your everyday dinners or front and center at Easter and Thanksgiving!

• Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
• Perfectly Roasted Garlic & Herb Whole Chicken
• Air Fryer Meatloaf
• Marinated Flank Steak
• Not Yo Mama’s Green Beans

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