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Potatoes Au Gratin is a creamy, cheesy potato side dish that’s perfect for holidays, Sunday dinners, and special family meals. Thinly sliced red potatoes are layered with a homemade cheddar cream sauce and parmesan, then baked until tender, bubbly, and golden on top. It’s truly so cheesy and delicious.
We love serving this with Ham, Turkey, Roast Chicken, steak, or pork chops because it feels a little fancy but is still made with simple ingredients. Letting it rest before serving helps the sauce thicken and makes each scoop extra creamy.
If you love classic potato recipes, be sure to try Funeral Potatoes, Scalloped Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, and Twice Baked Potatoes for even more family favorites.
Why you’ll love it + Why it works:
- Homemade Cheese Sauce: The rich roux-based sauce bakes into every layer for incredible flavor.
- Perfect Holiday Side: This classic recipe belongs on every holiday table and Sunday dinner.
- Simple Ingredients: Everyday pantry staples create a side dish that feels extra special.
- Feeds a Crowd: It’s easy to make ahead and perfect for family gatherings and potlucks.
Potatoes Au Gratin Ingredients
- Red potatoes (6 medium red potatoes sliced thinly): Creates tender layers that hold their shape while baking. Yukon Gold potatoes also work well for an extra creamy texture.
- Butter (4 tablespoons butter): Forms the rich base of the homemade cheese sauce.
- All-purpose flour (4 tablespoons all-purpose flour): Thickens the sauce so it coats every layer of potatoes.
- Milk (2 cups milk): Creates a creamy sauce without making it too heavy. Whole milk provides the richest results.
- Heavy whipping cream (½ cup heavy whipping cream): Adds richness and gives the sauce a silky texture.
- Salt (2 teaspoons salt): Enhances the flavor of both the potatoes and the cheese sauce.
- Pepper (¼ teaspoon pepper): Adds gentle seasoning and balances the richness.
- Shredded cheddar cheese (2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided): Melts into the sauce and between the layers for cheesy flavor. Freshly shredded cheddar melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese): Adds a savory, nutty flavor and creates a delicious golden top.
Did you know?
“Au Gratin” is French, and it literally means “by grating”. So you’ll see “au gratin” recipes topped with either bread crumbs, shredded cheese, or both, and then browned.
Au gratin or scalloped potatoes. Americans typically use the term interchangeably for sliced potatoes baked in a creamy sauce. If you want to get technical, au gratin potatoes have cheese, whereas scalloped potatoes traditionally don’t.
How to Make Au Gratin Potatoes
POTATOES. Start by slicing your potatoes thinly (use a mandolin or chef’s knife). Spread them in a baking dish. I like to do the whole process in layers so I can maximize the amount of cheesy goodness.
PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 9 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
CHEESE SAUCE. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Slowly add the milk and cream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook an additional 5-6 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in the salt, pepper, and one cup of the cheddar cheese.
LAYER Layer ⅓ of the potato slices, as evenly as possible, in the prepared baking dish. Pour ⅓ of the sauce over the potatoes, and spread to cover. Sprinkle ⅓ of the parmesan cheese and ⅓ of the remaining cheddar cheese over the top. Repeat the layers twice more.
BAKE. Cover with foil, and bake for one hour. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown, and bubbling on top. Let cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.
It’s a good idea to let them sit before serving because the sauce will thicken up a little bit, so also account for 10-15 minutes of cool time after they come out of the oven.
Crockpot Directions
Layer the potatoes, sauce, and cheese in the crockpot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on the low setting for 6-8 hours.
This may yield a slightly different texture. It won’t have a crunch on the top as it would get from being in the oven, but the taste will be the same.
These au gratin potatoes are unbelievably delicious! They’re a little too rich to eat on a daily basis, but they’re perfect for a holiday or special dinner. They’re so tasty that you’ll be craving them constantly.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Slice the potatoes as evenly and thinly as possible so they bake at the same rate.
- Whisk the milk and cream in slowly to help keep the sauce smooth.
- Remove the sauce from the heat before adding cheese so it melts without becoming grainy.
- Cover the dish for the first hour so the potatoes soften before browning the top.
- Make-ahead tip: assemble the dish earlier in the day, cover and refrigerate, then bake when ready, adding extra time if it starts cold.
Potatoes Au Gratin Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 6 medium red potatoes sliced thinly
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, and cook 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Slowly add the milk and cream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook an additional 5-6 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the salt and pepper and one cup of the cheddar cheese.
- Layer one-third of the potato slices as evenly as possible in the prepared baking dish. Pour one-third of the sauce over the potatoes and spread to cover. Sprinkle ⅓ of the parmesan cheese and ⅓ of the remaining cheddar cheese over the top. Repeat the layers twice more.
- Cover with foil and bake for one hour. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling on top. Let cool 15-20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Slice the potatoes as evenly as possible with a mandoline or sharp knife so they cook at the same rate. I recommend ⅛ inch thick.
- Freshly shred both cheeses for the smoothest, creamiest sauce.
- Cover tightly with foil for the first hour to steam the potatoes until tender.
- Let the casserole rest before serving so the sauce thickens and slices hold together better.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Assemble this dish the day before. Be sure to cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the top of the casserole. Store in the fridge and bake according to directions.
Store leftover easy au gratin potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Whether you are making them ahead of time, or have leftovers, allow the baked potatoes to cool before wrapping them tightly with plastic wrap and again with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Keep in mind the texture of potatoes does change when frozen.
Smaller portions are easy to reheat in the microwave, whereas larger portions should be reheated in the oven. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Set the oven to 325°F and heat for about 25-30 minutes until warm throughout.
More Like This
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Twice Baked Potatoes
1 hr 40 mins
Funeral Potatoes
1 hr 5 mins
Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes
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Baked Mashed Potatoes
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I love potato dishes & these look amazing! Thank you Alicia for sharing! For more delicious recipes from Alicia, check out, The Baker Upstairs.
This recipe was first shared October, 2017.
This was the best recipe ever! I made them for Easter in 2021 and I’m going to make them for Christmas this year. I used Gruyer instead of cheddar and added 1/2 tsp. Of mustard powder to the cream sauce and topped with fresh chives. Thank you for a great recipe!