Au Gratin Potatoes are thinly sliced golden potatoes layered in a rich, creamy, and cheesy sauce. This tasty side dish is always a hit!
Need more oven space? Try my Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes instead!
My Favorite Potatoes Au Gratin Recipe
The best au gratin potatoes are creamy, cheesy, and full of rich flavor—and this recipe has it all!
Here’s a quick overview:
- Buttery Yukon gold potatoes
- Three kinds of cheese for the best possible flavor
- A creamy, cheesy sauce
- Fresh thyme for a restaurant-quality flavor
Once you try these from-scratch potatoes, you’ll never want to go back to the boxed mix.
Quick Tip
I love Au Gratin potatoes so much that I added them to this tasty Ham and Potato Pot Pie and this One Hour Easter Dinner.
Ingredients
- Gold potatoes: Yukon golds are best for their buttery flavor and creamy texture.
- Butter: Unsalted is best for controlling salt.
- Garlic: Fresh minced gives the most flavor, but jarred works too.
- Flour: Thickens the sauce nicely.
- Milk: Whole milk makes the sauce rich and creamy. Skip skim or plant-based options.
- Cheddar cheese: Sharp or extra sharp adds the most flavor.
- Gruyère cheese: The secret to the best Au Gratin! Creamy with a nutty flavor.
- Parmesan: Fresh grated melts best and has a great flavor.
- Thyme: Fresh herbs add flavor, but dried works too. Don’t like thyme? Skip it!
How To Make Au Gratin Potatoes
- Preheat oven: Set to 350°F and grease a 9×9-inch baking dish.
- Slice potatoes: Peel and slice thinly.
- Make sauce: Melt butter, cook garlic, whisk in flour, then add milk. Boil, thicken, and stir in Cheddar.
- Layer potatoes: Layer potatoes, Gruyère, and thyme in the pan.
- Bake covered: Cover with foil, bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, then check tenderness.
- Add Parmesan & bake: Sprinkle Parmesan, bake uncovered 10-15 minutes. Let rest before serving.
Quick Tip
The potatoes take some time to prep, but with willing kids to help (or a good podcast), the time flies!
Preparation Tools:
- A sharp peeler
- A Mandoline slicer
Set the Mandoline slicer to 1/8-inch thickness, and you’ll quickly have the 6 cups of potatoes needed for this recipe.
Best Cheese For Au Gratin Potatoes
Sharp Cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan are my go-to cheeses for Au Gratin Potatoes.
- Sharp Cheddar: Extra sharp is delicious too! It adds a bold, rich flavor thanks to the aging process.
- Gruyère: This nutty, creamy cheese is unbeatable, but pricey. You can swap it with more Cheddar if needed.
- Parmesan: Adds a savory, salty finish and complements the Cheddar perfectly.
Quick Tip
Grate your own cheese! Pre-grated cheese won’t melt as well because of the anti-clumping coating it is packed with.
Au Gratin Potatoes With Gold Potatoes
I’ve tried different potatoes, but Yukon golds are the clear winner.
These small, yellow-fleshed potatoes have a creamy flavor with a slight sweetness, perfectly balancing the rich, cheesy sauce.
How To Make Ahead Of Time
Assemble, then bake, covered, for 1 hour 15 minutes. Let cool with foil on, then add cheese, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
When ready to serve, set out dish for an hour to come to room temp. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden and bubbly. Broil for 1 minute if needed.
What To Serve With Au Gratin Potatoes:
- For Thanksgiving or Christmas, pair with Crockpot Turkey Breast, Sweet Potato Casserole, Thanksgiving Salad, and no-knead Dinner Rolls.
- For Easter, serve with Deviled Eggs, Asparagus Salad, Roasted Vegetables, and Drop Biscuits.
- For everyday dinners, enjoy with Blackened Chicken, Turkey Meatloaf, or Lemon Parmesan Chicken.
More Potato Recipes To Love:
- Cheesy Potatoes with a breadcrumb topping
- Roasted Potatoes with a simple seasoning
- Creamed Potatoes my mother-in-law’s famous recipe!
- Smashed Potatoes with paprika and garlic powder
- Mashed Potatoes with butter and cream
Au Gratin Potatoes
Equipment
- Mandoline slicer
- Potato peeler
- Baking pan 9 x 9-inch
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 6 packed cups gold potatoes 2 pounds, see note 1
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 cloves
- 3 tablespoons flour
- Salt and pepper
- 2 cups milk see note 2
- 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese 3 ounces
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese or more Cheddar, 3 ounces, divided
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese see note 3
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9-inch (or 2-quart) baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Peel and thinly slice potatoes (1/8-inch thick). I use a mandolin slicer for speed and accuracy (see note 1). Measure 6 tightly packed cups of sliced potatoes.
- In a large nonstick pot, melt butter over low heat. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute until smooth (avoid browning). Gradually whisk in 1 cup of milk until smooth. Increase heat to medium-high and gradually add the second cup of milk. Stir occasionally until the mixture boils. Season with salt and pepper (I use 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper).
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and stir constantly for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens (see note 4). Remove from heat and let cool for 2 minutes. Stir in Cheddar cheese, a handful at a time, until melted and smooth. Add the sliced potatoes and stir to coat.
- Assemble the dish by layering 1/3 of the potatoes in the prepared pan, then sprinkle in 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese and 1/3 of the fresh thyme. In the same pan, repeat with another 1/3 of the potatoes, the remaining 1/2 cup Gruyere, and 1/3 thyme. Finish with the remaining potatoes and thyme.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove the foil and check for tenderness by piercing the potatoes with a knife. If not tender, bake a few more minutes and check again. Once tender, sprinkle 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes or until golden and bubbly. For extra color, broil for 1 minute at the end. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to thicken.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Our family really loves potatoes with the skins on. Do you think this would be a problem? Can’t wait to try your recipe for the upcoming holidays!
With gold potatoes I don’t see this being a problem! 🙂 Enjoy I hope you love whatever you try!
Thanks SO much for responding – we’ve always loved your recipes, and can’t wait to try this one soon! Xoxo B
Question: I see instructions for make ahead and refrigerate…do you think it’d work to make ahead, cover the same way and freeze, then thaw before baking? They look amazing, Chelsea!
Honestly I’m not sure! I’m so sorry Cathy! I’ve never tried freezing this recipe!