Au Gratin Potatoes
These cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes are the most delicious potatoes ever! Coming from someone who loves potatoes, trust me when I say that this is a must-try recipe. This tested and perfected recipe is perfect for a holiday meal or family dinner. Just follow my step-by-step guide for perfect, creamy potatoes every time!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 cup onions, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup flour, or 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- 2 cups half and half, or whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt, + more to season the potatoes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced with a mandoline
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded gruyere cheese
Instructions
Make the creamy sauce.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Add the diced onions, cook for 4 minutes, then add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the flour to the skillet, stir to combine everything, and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth to the skillet and whisk to combine everything.
- Reduce the heat on the stove to medium-low and slowly stir in the half and half.
- Continue to cook, while stirring, until the mixture comes to a gentle boil.
- Stir in the salt, thyme and black pepper. Remove the creamy sauce from the heat and set it aside.
Prepare the potatoes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Thinly slice all of the potatoes using a sharp knife or mandoline. I used this mandoline on setting 3 to slice the potatoes, while wearing these cut-resistant gloves.
- Grease a 9” x 13” casserole dish with butter or cooking spray.
- Place ⅓ of the potatoes in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish, sprinkle about ½ teaspoon salt evenly over the potatoes, then pour ⅓ of the sauce over the potatoes. Sprinkle ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese and ½ cup shredded gruyere cheese over the sauce.
- Repeat another layer of potatoes, salt, cream sauce and cheese, then another layer of potatoes, salt and cream sauce. Reserve the remaining cheese for later.
- Cover the casserole dish with a large piece of aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Uncover the baking dish, sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese and 1 cup gruyere cheese over the potatoes, and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes.
- Turn the oven from bake to broil and continue cooking 2-3 minutes, or until the top of the cheese starts to bubble.
- Remove from the oven and let the potatoes rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Let the half and half sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes before using it in this recipe. Really cold milk, or half-and-half, will take longer to thicken in the sauce. Simply set the half and half on the counter before starting this recipe. By the time you’re ready to use the half and half in the creamy sauce, it will be good to go!
- Always shred your own cheese. I always recommend shredding your own cheese for the best flavor. Bagged pre-shredded cheeses have additives and they will not melt as well as freshly-grated cheese.
- To make this recipe gluten free, replace the 1/4 cup of flour in the creamy sauce with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
- This recipe will serve 8-10 people as a side dish at a holiday meal with 1-2 other side dishes. If serving this as the only side dish with a meal, it will serve 6-8 people.
- You can make the recipe ahead of time and store it in the fridge, covered, for up to 24 hours before baking and serving the au gratin potatoes.
- Store leftover au gratin potatoes in the refrigerator for up to 6 days in an airtight container.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 475kcal (24%)Carbohydrates 38g (13%)Protein 19g (38%)Fat 28g (43%)Saturated Fat 17g (85%)Polyunsaturated Fat 1gMonounsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 85mg (28%)Sodium 809mg (34%)Potassium 879mg (25%)Fiber 4g (16%)Sugar 5g (6%)Vitamin A 855mg (17%)Vitamin C 36mg (44%)Calcium 496mg (50%)Iron 2mg (11%)
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