Double layers of tender potatoes, sautéed onions smothered in a savory cream sauce and topped with fresh Swiss and parmesan cheese. It is easy to pair Easy Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin with just about anything.
This is a recipe able to hold its own at any family meal, holiday get together, potluck or dinner party! Guaranteed to have everyone coming back for seconds and thirds.
This recipe truly brings on all the feelings of comfort and happiness. Easy Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin is a classic side dish. Perfect for serving at Easter, Christmas, and Thanksgiving these potatoes are also simple enough for a busy week night meal.
So, whether we are pairing these potatoes with a main dish like Chicken Crescent Roll Ups or our French Dip Sandwiches they are always a hit! We also love serving them up with a second side dish like Stovetop Mac and Cheese or Easy Corn on the Cob for a power duo!
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🥘 Ingredients
- butter
- onion
- garlic cloves
- salt and pepper
- milk
- whipping cream
- potatoes
- Swiss cheese
- Parmesan cheese
When gathering ingredients for this dish we suggest sticking with a Yukon or Russet potato. Either is good at holding it's shape when baked. But a plus to Yukon potatoes is that they do have a tender skin which means no need to peel!
🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
Firstly, preheat the oven to 350° and grease a 9x13 baking dish. Then begin adding garlic, onion and butter to a pan to saute over medium heat.
Second, once onions are translucent combine cream, milk, salt, and pepper in the pan. Bring to a slow boil. When you see bubbles forming around the sides you will want to go ahead and remove from the pan from the heat and allow your cream sauce to cool for 10 minutes.
While the mixture is cooling you can thinly slice the potatoes. Potatoes need to be roughly ⅛ inch thick. Afterwards place potatoes on a paper towel to pat dry. Then layer the bottom of your greased baking dish with half of the potatoes in a single layer.
Third, pour half of the sauce mixture over the potatoes and sprinkle half of the cheeses over the top. Repeat all layers using up the remaining ingredients.
Lastly, once the dish is all assembled place pan in the oven and bake uncovered for 55-65 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Before serving be sure to allow the pan to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving so dish can come together.
📖 Make it Your Own
Now that we have all our bases covered let's talk about making this dish your own! And let's be honest, this is the fun part. There are so many ways to take this simple dish and change it up. No one will ever get tired of these easy cheesy potatoes au gratin.
One of our favorite add in ingredients is cubed ham. Chunks of salty and savory ham add a nice flavor profile. Plus, with the added ham you could easily turn this side dish into a main dish!
Another way to enjoy this dish is turning it into a loaded potato bar. Serve all your favorite potato toppings like, green onion, bacon, bread crumbs, broccoli or sour cream. Really the options are endless.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
Now that we have flavors locked in, let's discuss the really important question. Do you enjoy casserole dishes with a crispy or melty finish?
If you prefer a crispy finish, turn your oven to broil the last 3-4 minutes of cook time. Nothing is better than crispy edges with cheesy tender potatoes on the inside.
Another reason to love easy cheesy potatoes Au Gratin is that the recipe can be prepared ahead of time! Layer everything in the dish and instead of popping in the oven, place in the fridge. Then when it is time to eat, pull out the casserole and place in the oven to cook.
🍽 Storing
Leftovers can definitely be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. Be warned though, when reheated the potatoes may break down a bit, but they will taste just as delicious.
💭 FAQ's about Au Gratin Potatoes
What is the difference between Au Gratin Potatoes and Scalloped Potatoes?
So, what exactly is the difference between Au Gratin potatoes and Scalloped potatoes? With being so similar, both names can be used interchangeably. They are however two different ways to prepare potatoes.
A true Au Gratin potato has layers of grated cheeses, thicker sliced potato rounds and smothered in creamy sauce. Scalloped potatoes are sliced thinner and layered between heavy cream and herbs. Both equally yummy, it just comes down to what flavors you are looking to hone in on.
How do you cut potatoes for Potatoes Au Gratin?
When it comes to slicing your potatoes you have a few options. You can either slice them yourself to achieve your desired thickness level. Or employ the help of a handy dandy kitchen gadget!
The quickest ways to achieve even slices would be to use a tool like a hand held slicer or mandoline. It is easily one of our favorite kitchen and saves so much time in the kitchen!
Whichever method you choose, having even uniform slices is key! This will help guarantee an even cook for each potato slice. Every bite will be tender and delicious.
Can you freeze potatoes Au Gratin?
Maybe you want to double the recipe and save a casserole dish for later. Not a problem! Prepare dish as normal. When 8-10 minutes of cook time is left, pull the dish from the oven. Allow the easy cheesy potatoes au gratin to cool entirely and then store in the freezer.
How to reheat potatoes Au Gratin
When ready to serve pull frozen potatoes from freezer and let thaw overnight. Reheat in the oven at 350° and allow the potatoes to finish cooking. Just barely under cooking potatoes during the first cook will help prevent them from breaking down in the second cook or reheat.
📖 Recipe
Au Gratin Potatoes
Double layers of potato, sautéed onion, and two kinds of cheese smothered in a savory cream sauce make potatoes Au Gratin so easy to pair with your favorite dinner entrees.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon butter, softened
- ½ large diced onion
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon pepper
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 6 medium potatoes
- 1 cup shredded Swiss
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- In a pan saute garlic and onion with the butter on medium heat.
- Once onions are translucent combine cream, milk, salt, and pepper in the pan. Bring to a slow boil. When you see bubbles forming around the sides go ahead and remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- While the mixture is cooling thinly slice the potatoes so that they are roughly ⅛ inch thick and place potatoes on a paper towel to pat dry.
- Layer the bottom of your greased baking dish with half of the potatoes in a single layer.
- Pour half of the sauce mixture over the potatoes and sprinkle half of the cheeses over the top.
- Repeat all layers using remaining ingredients.
- Place dish in oven and bake uncovered for 55-65 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- There are a lot of great ways to step up the flavor profile in this dish by adding cubed ham and make it a stand alone meal.
- Looking for something fun?! Turn this classic casserole into a Loaded Au Gratin potato bar by serving alongside all your favorite baked potato toppings. A lot of topping suggestions above in the Make It Your Own section.
- Great recipe to prepare ahead and cook when ready to enjoy, which makes this the BEST recipe for the holidays!
- Double the recipe and freeze for later. Find suggestions for freezing above in the Thinking Ahead section.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 302Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 360mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 10g