Cheesy Baked Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Dec 21, 2024 • 2 min read
Homemade au gratin potatoes are a fall comfort food and side dish for cooks looking for alternatives to mashed potatoes.
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What Are Au Gratin Potatoes?
Recipes for au gratin potatoes (or potatoes au gratin) combine layers of sliced potatoes and cheese in a baked casserole dish, sometimes with a breadcrumb topping for a contrasting crunch. People often compare and contrast au gratin potatoes with another classic potato side dish, scalloped potatoes. While both are rich and creamy potato dishes that reheat well, au gratin potatoes contain cheese, whereas scalloped potatoes contain a simple, creamy sauce. As a result, cheesy potatoes au gratin dishes tend to be more decadent than their scalloped counterparts. Additionally, scalloped potato rounds are usually cut thick, while chefs prepare au gratin potatoes with a mandoline slicer for the thinnest possible potato rounds.
Potato Options for Au Gratin Potatoes
Potatoes au gratin recipes turn out best when home cooks opt for a type of potato that holds its shape while cooking but will ultimately be tender after its baked. The best kinds of potatoes to use for au gratin potatoes include Yukon gold potatoes and red potatoes, both of which have thin skin that you don’t necessarily have to peel before cooking. You might also consider using russet potatoes (peel off the tough skin first), which contain more starch than Yukon gold or red potatoes and will therefore result in a creamier sauce. For a twist on the usually savory dish, try making your cheesy potatoes au gratin with sweet potatoes.
Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe
makes
prep time
25 mintotal time
1 hr 55 mincook time
1 hr 30 minIngredients
- 1
Place a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a large baking dish using cooking spray or 1 teaspoon of your butter.
- 2
In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Once it’s melted, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until the garlic is fragrant.
- 3
Add in the cream, milk, thyme, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and bring everything to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the ingredients simmer for 10 minutes.
- 4
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the Gruyère cheese and sharp cheddar shredded cheese, stirring until it is mostly melted and smooth.
- 5
Sprinkle about ⅔ of the sliced onions (or crispy fried onions) in a single layer in your baking dish. Top the onions with ⅓ of your cheese sauce. Arrange half of your potato slices in a layer on top of the cheese sauce. Sprinkle the remaining onions over the potatoes and then top with another ⅓ of your cheese sauce. Top the cheese sauce with your remaining potatoes followed by your remaining cheese sauce in an even layer. Gently tap the baking dish on the counter to allow the sauce to settle.
- 6
Cover the dish with foil and bake everything for 45 minutes.
- 7
Uncover the dish and sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top. Continue baking the dish for 15–20 more minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown. (You may also opt to finish the dish by placing breadcrumbs on top and cooking it under your broiler.)
- 8
Allow the dish to sit for 10 minutes undisturbed, then garnish it with chopped parsley just before you serve it.
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