Potatoes au gratin might seem like one of those fancy holiday side dishes that only seasoned cooks can master, but let me tell you, it's easier than you think! Inspired by my grandmother’s recipe and refined in culinary school, this creamy au gratin potatoes recipe is all about layers of tender, creamy potatoes topped with a golden, bubbly crust. It's just whisk, layer, put into the oven and bake! My family couldn’t help but finish the pan of this homemade version—it’s just that good!
This potatoes au gratin recipe was originally posted in November 2018, but has been recently updated with better photography, helpful content, step-by-step process in post, and clearer recipe. Thanks for supporting Sweet Tea + Thyme!
Y’all, growing up, my grandma’s scalloped potatoes full of butter and cheese were everything. I wanted all the crispy edges and a big ol' helping every Christmas and Easter!
But when my husband and I first got married, we were too broke to buy the fancy cheeses and heavy cream that really make it holiday-worthy. So, it was boxed scalloped potatoes for us! And you know what? He actually loved them—go figure!
Fast forward to culinary school, where I finally learned how to make proper potatoes au gratin when we were doing nothing but learning how to peel and slice potatoes. Of course, I had to bring those skills home and whip up my own version.
When I finalized this recipe, my husband took one bite and said it was insanely good. He and bubby even polished off the whole dish! I’d say that’s the ultimate sign of approval, right?
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Jump to:
- Insanely Cheesy Potatoes au Gratin
- Dauphinoise, Scalloped, or Gratin?
- The Best Types of Cheese for au Gratin Potatoes
- What are the best potatoes to use?
- Ingredients Needed
- How to Make Potatoes au Gratin
- Variations and Pro Tips
- What to Serve with Au Gratin Potatoes
- Storage and Reheating
- Equipment
- FAQs
- More Potato Side Dishes You Will Love
- Creamy, Cheesy Potatoes au Gratin Recipe
Insanely Cheesy Potatoes au Gratin
You guys told me in the last survey of my newsletter that y'all really, really wanted to find some potato recipes for the holidays that weren't just mashed potatoes. Honey, I've got you!
While au gratin potatoes seem super fancy, I promise they really are super simple! Use a safety mandoline to make light work of slicing those potatoes super thin, then make an easy cheese sauce on the stove top, layer it up like a lasagna and bake!
The secret to how good it is, is really in the sauce. See, the sauce is flavored up to the max with just garlic and thyme but they are amplified by infusing the butter before creating the roux. That's a little cheffy tip for you: infuse the fat of whatever sauce or gravy you're making with herbs and aromatics to make it 10 times more flavorful.
Dauphinoise, Scalloped, or Gratin?
There are so many names and people get confused on what exactly is potatoes au gratin (or dauphinoise?!). I get it, here's a breakdown.
The origins of Potatoes au Gratin actually start with Gratin Dauphinoise, a creamy potato dish that doesn't include cheese from in Dauphiné, France. Over time, we ended up with gratin savoyard, using Gruyere cheese, stock, and butter, from the Savoy area of the French Alps.
The super-cheesy American version, sometimes called scalloped potatoes when made without the cheese, hit mainstream popularity in the mid 20th century as cheese became more affordable, French cooking was the hot new thing for housewives and home cooks (thanks Julia Child!) and convenience foods and boxed mixes made the dish easier than ever to prepare.
The Best Types of Cheese for au Gratin Potatoes
When it comes to au gratin, you want cheeses that are a great blend of melty and flavorful. Here are my top picks:
- A young gruyere cheese, I'm talking a 4-6 month aged at most so it isn't too funky. Mild gruyere has a nutty flavor and melts well, it's the classic au gratin potatoes cheese.
- Sharp white cheddar is perfect (I like mixing it with the gruyere to add a mild tang and sharp flavor!). Cheddar is what my grandma always used in her scalloped potatoes.
- Parmesan cheese, but only for the top because that's where we get that amazing crispy cheese situation happening. Parm is an aged cheese it doesn't have that meltiness from the liquids and fats like in a young cheese, so it won't go in the cheese sauce.
What are the best potatoes to use?
The best potatoes are ones that both hold structure and yet breakdown slightly to have some creaminess to them. My choices?
- Yukon Gold Potatoes - this is a go-to type for me when it comes to almost anything potato. They are slightly starchy, so your au gratin is less likely to be liquidy, and have a naturally buttery flavor. Use yukon gold potatoes to really impress your in laws during the holidays.
- Russet Potatoes - or other brown baking potatoes, if you're outside the U.S. These breakdown slightly but still keep their shape, lending more starch to the sauce and making it thicken even more. Use russet potatoes if you're a beginner cook or this is your first time making au gratin potatoes, you're guaranteed a super creamy, indulgent side dish as long as you .
Do not use a waxy potato like red potatoes, fingerling potatoes, or baby potatoes. They have very little starch and fold their structure firmly, so they won't give a creamy mouthfeel to our dish.
They also won't absorb any of the sauce as well, so they won't be flavored by it, and because they hold their shape firmly they'll be much chewier.
Ingredients Needed
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
The ingredients are actually super simple and you only need a handful of 'em.
- Russet Potatoes or Yukon Gold Potatoes - you want a nice starchy potato, and scrub 'em up real good so you can keep the skin on them. It's less work for you in the long run (no peeling!).
- Butter and Flour - we are making a roux for the creamy sauce, don't worry I'll walk you through it below.
- Fresh Thyme and Garlic - we're using these to flavor the cheese sauce, they really make such a difference, y'all.
- Milk or Heavy Cream or Half and Half - that heavy cream adds so much richness, and I know someone will have a fit if I tell you to use 1.5 cups of heavy cream. It's okay, it's the holidays!
- Gruyere and White Sharp Cheddar Cheeses - these are the ones I used and like the best; that classic french gruyere and that american must have cheddar.
- Salt and Pepper!
How to Make Potatoes au Gratin
Step 1 | Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat, then add in the thyme leaves and garlic. Let that cook for 1-2 minutes, until the garlic is very fragrant.
Step 2 | Now we're going to make the roux. I know some people get freaked out by a roux, but I promise it's easier than you think. So we have 4 tablespoon of butter in the pot nice and hot, just sprinkle in 4 tablespoon of flour (in other words, an equal amount) while whisking it in. Don't just dump it all in at once, you could end up with clumps that will be dry powder inside and glumpy on the outside.
Step 3a | Now splash in the cream a little at a time, whisking all the while. It will seize up and look like this, but keep splashing in the liquids, keep whisking!
Step 3b | Until you have a smooth, liquidy cream sauce. Let it reduce until nappé, that's when the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Step 4 | Turn the heat off and stir in the cheese a handful at a time. Heat is cheese's enemy, honey, and is the main cause of that gritty, greasy cheese clumping that comes from over-baked mac and cheese and the like. This will also help thicken up the sauce even more.
Step 5 | Now we're going to layer the potatoes in the bottom of our baking dish. Because we are using a safety mandoline (riiight? Not a normal one!), I prefer to slice up the potatoes as I'm layering so they don't brown, though this can be done before making the sauce.
Step 6 | Pour on some of the sauce and some of the cheese on top of that first layer of thinly sliced potatoes. I like to cover it generously with both sauce and cheese.
Step 7 | Repeat until you get ot the top of your baking dish (about 3-4 layers) make sure to really cover those top potato slices in the sauce and add the cheese to cover it well.
Step 8 | Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes uncovered until the top is golden brown and bubbly!
Variations and Pro Tips
- Make ahead tips: chop your garlic and grate your cheese ahead of time so your cheese sauce is fast and easy to make.
- Don't soak the potatoes in water while you slice them. Starchy potatoes love soaking up water and will release that water while baking, making the soupiest au gratin potatoes ever. It's okay if they brown a little, we're covering them in cheese anyway!
- Add extras: I love adding in about 8 ounces of ham to the layering, topping with chopped bacon so it gets nice and crispy (oh, yum!), or adding shredded cooked chicken to the mix.
- Try different cheeses: while gruyere is the classic, you can use any cheese you want...except like super aged ones, they don't melt well and break really easily. I suggest monterey jack, colby/colby jack, the cheddars of all times, pepper jack if you want some spice, gouda, havarti, I mean go nuts!
What to Serve with Au Gratin Potatoes
These potatoes certainly are the kind we save for special occasions. Here are some of my favorite dishes to put on the menu:
- Foolproof Juicy Dry Brined and Spatchcocked Turkey (my #1 recommendation for a Thanksgiving beginner!)
Storage and Reheating
To store potatoes au gratin, let the casserole dish cool to room temperature before covering it tightly with foil or plastic or transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
When it’s time to reheat, the oven is your best option. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/Gas Mark 4/160ºC fan). If the dish has been stored in the fridge, cover it with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through.
If you’re short on time, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave. Place a portion in a microwave-safe dish, cover with a damp paper towel, and heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through for even warming.
Equipment
- A Saucepan and Whisk
- A Safety Mandoline - I link to the one I use in the recipe card. I love this guy, it made me get over my fear of the mandoline!
- A Casserole Dish
FAQs
Au Gratin potatoes are always covered with a cheesy crust and is layered with cheese and a cheese sauce, while scalloped potatoes have a little more leeway to the recipe. They often come with a breadcrumb topping, the sauce usually doesn't have cheese, and are a bit more 'everyday' than the very rich and decadent au gratin.
The biggest reason for runny au gratin potatoes is the potatoes themselves. If you put the potatoes in water while slicing, they'll soak it up and release it while baking. If they are too thickly sliced, they won't break down and release the starch that thickens up the sauce.
Au gratin literally translates to "with a crust" which perfectly describes this decadent dish that’s all about that crispy, cheesy topping!
More Potato Side Dishes You Will Love
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Creamy, Cheesy Potatoes au Gratin Recipe
Equipment
- Mandoline this is the one I use
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed well and sliced into ⅛-th inch thick coins
Cheese Sauce
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1½ cups cream, or half and half or milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 cups shredded gruyere cheese, ½ cup divided for the topping
- 2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese, ½ cup divided for the topping
Instructions
Make Cheese Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat. As it's melting, add in the thyme leaves and garlic and let cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.4 tablespoon butter, 3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, 3 cloves garlic
- Sprinkle in the flour, a little at a time, while continuously whisking. Don’t dump it all at once, this helps prevent clumps. Cook for about 1 minute to cook out the raw flour.¼ cup all purpose flour
- Gradually pour in the cream, whisking constantly. The mixture will seize up at first and turn into a paste, but keep whisking and adding cream until it forms a smooth, liquidy sauce. Allow it to simmer gently over medium heat and reduce until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (nappé). Because we're not using a lot of liquid compared to the roux, it won't take very long, around 3 minutes.1½ cups cream
- Turn off the heat and stir in ½ cup of shredded gruyere and ½ cup of shredded white cheddar, a handful at a time. Stir until melted before adding another handful. Be careful not to add the cheese while the heat is on to avoid a broken, gritty, greasy cheese sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper.1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 2 cups shredded gruyere cheese, 2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
Layer and Bake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Layer the sliced potatoes in a baking dish, covering the entire bottom of the dish with one single layer.3 pounds russet potatoes
- Pour a layer ⅓ cup of the cream sauce over the first layer of potatoes, then cover evenly with a mixture of the cheddar and gruyere. Repeat until you've reached almost the top of your baking dish, about 3-4 layers ending with the last bit of cheese sauce. Cover the top with the last 1 cup of your cheese.2 cups shredded gruyere cheese, 1½ cups cream
- Cover with aluminum foil and Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
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