Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes

Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes are pure comfort food and these are the BEST! Thinly sliced potatoes in an ultra-cheesy cream sauce are slow-cooked to tender perfection. Save that precious oven space during the holidays or prepare these in the summer while keeping the oven off and the heat out of the kitchen — the slow cooker is a lifesaver for either scenario!

Or if you’ve got extra room in the oven, give our original Au Gratin Potatoes a try!

Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes  Recipe

Potatoes au gratin have always been a favorite in my home, but now they can be made in the slow cooker! Not only is this great news for summertime (tasty potatoes without heating up the kitchen with the oven), but it’s also a great option for the holidays.

When you’re preparing a few dishes for a big holiday meal, oven space is a precious commodity. Save that space for Roasted Vegetables, Sweet Potato Casserole, or Cornbread Dressing, and let the slow cooker work its magic on the potatoes!

A quick overview of preparing these potatoes:

How To Make Au Gratin Potatoes In The Crockpot

1. Prep potatoes. See “quick tip” box below.
2. Prep cream sauce. We start with a roux (butter plus flour) and gradually add in some milk. Once the sauce is nice and thick, we mix in some sour cream and Cheddar cheese, and voila–the perfect sauce! Toss the potatoes in the cream sauce until well coated.
3. Slow cook. Spread the saucy potatoes in the slow cooker and let ’em cook! These Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes cook best on high heat — unfortunately, they don’t work out so well being cooked on low.

Our Favorite Potatoes To Use

Yukon gold (also called gold, Yukon, or yellow potatoes) is our potato of choice in this Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes  Recipe.

Yukon gold potatoes are small to medium-sized potatoes with light yellow flesh, delicate skin, an irresistible creamy texture, and are ever so slightly sweet. They’re the perfect contrast to the deeply savory sauce.

Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes Need Sharp Cheddar!

Sharp cheddar — or even extra-sharp– is a must for the cheese sauce. Sharp (and extra-sharp) indicates a more aged cheese that delivers a much more robust flavor. 

Grate your own cheese! Already-grated packaged cheese will give the sauce a powdery texture and won’t melt as nicely. (Pre-grated cheeses have a coating to keep shreds from clumping in the bag. This means it also keeps the cheese from melting nicely in recipes like this.)

Also, while we’re talking about dairy, whole milk and full-fat sour cream are our two favorite options. Not only will these two options deliver the richest and most flavorful potatoes, but they also ensure the sauce won’t break (separate and curdle) in the slow cooker. (Lower-fat dairy products are more prone to breaking the sauce.)

The Secret To Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes

So here’s our secret to get these potatoes tender in the middle and crisp at the edges:

Top the crockpot with a few layers of paper towels! 

The paper towels absorb loads of liquid (steam) which allows the potatoes to crisp up nicely. If you’re around and think about it, change out the paper towels halfway through the cooking time. If you forget about it, don’t sweat it.

After the potatoes are cooked through, leave the lid off for a bit while keeping the heat on. This helps get the tops of the potatoes slightly crisper. These potatoes won’t be as crisp as oven-baked au gratin potatoes, but they still turn out pretty great–especially considering they’re made in a slow cooker!

What To Serve With Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes:

• Enjoy with an everyday sort of dinner alongside Grilled Chicken or Grilled Steak with a big Garden Salad.
• Add to your Thanksgiving or Christmas table along with Crockpot Turkey Breast, Thanksgiving Salad or Winter Salad, Thanksgiving Dressing, and the best, no-knead Dinner Rolls.
• Add to your Easter spread along with this Deviled Egg Recipe, Asparagus Salad, Roasted Broccoli, Cobb Salad, and these easy Drop Biscuits.

More potato recipes:

• Creamed Potatoes
• Funeral Potatoes
• Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
• Roasted Potatoes
• Breakfast Potatoes

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4.84 from 31 votes

Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes

By Chelsea Lords

Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes are pure comfort food and these are the BEST! Thinly sliced potatoes in an ultra-cheesy cream sauce are slow cooked to tender perfection. Save that precious oven space during the holidays or prepare these in the summer while keeping the oven off and the heat out of the kitchen -- the slow cooker is a lifesaver for either scenario!

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 -8 as a side

Equipment

• 6 quart slow cooker

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 5 cups gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (Note 1)
• ▢ Seasoned salt and pepper
• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ ½ teaspoon each: garlic powder and onion powder
• ▢ ¼ cup white, all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1½ cups milk (we recommend whole--Note 2)
• ▢ ½ cup sour cream (we recommend full-fat--Note 3)
• ▢ 1½ cups Cheddar cheese sharp or extra-sharp (Note 4)
• ▢ Optional: Fresh parsley or chives, for topping

Instructions 

• PREP SLOW COOKER: Use a crockpot liner or VERY generously spray your slow cooker with nonstick spray. I used a 6-quart slow cooker for the recipe. Smaller cookers may not be able to cook the potatoes evenly. If you use a smaller pan, you will have to halve this recipe.
• PREP POTATOES: Wash and peel the potatoes. Thinly slice potatoes about ⅛-inch thick. (I like to use a mandolin slicer for speed and accuracy.) Measure the potatoes -- you should have 5 packed cups.
  
• CHEESE SAUCE: In a large nonstick pot, melt butter over low heat. Once melted, add garlic powder, onion powder plus salt and pepper to taste (I add 1¼ tsp salt + ¼ tsp pepper). Sauté 1 minute or until fragrant. Sprinkle in flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute until smooth (don't let it brown). Very gradually pour in 1 cup milk while whisking constantly. Once completely smooth, increase heat to medium-high and gradually add in the remaining ½ of milk. Stir occasionally until mixture comes to a boil.
  
• SAUCE, CONT.: Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes or until mixture is nicely thickened (See Note 5). Remove pot from heat and let cool for 2 minutes. Stir in sour cream until smooth. Stir in Cheddar cheese, mixing gently until melted and smooth. Add in the sliced potatoes and stir to coat.
  
• SLOW COOK: Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker and press in an even layer with the back of a spoon. Place 3 paper towels on top of the crockpot (this will absorb lots of moisture and keep the potatoes crispier) and then place on the lid. Cook on high (low heat doesn't work for this recipe) for 2½ to 4½ hours, depending on the heat of your slow cooker. Slow cookers cook at different temperatures; mine takes just under 3 hours -- check occasionally to avoid burning the edges or over-cooking the potatoes so they are mushy. (If you think of it, halfway through the cooking time, change out the paper towels for fresh ones. If not, don't stress it.)
  
• ENJOY: Once the potatoes are tender and cooked through, remove the lid and gently stir the potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley or chives and any additional salt/pepper as needed. Continue to cook without the lid for 15-20 minutes to get a bit crisper on top if desired. Enjoy promptly.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Potatoes: Yukon gold (also called gold, Yukon, or yellow potatoes) are our hands-down favorite potato to use. Russet potatoes will also work. Peel potatoes, rinse in cool water and then use a Mandoline slicer set at 1/8th-inch thickness to cut the potatoes and measure to get 5 packed full cups. 

Note 2: Milk: We like whole milk best; it delivers the richest end result. 2% and 1% will work, but we do not recommend skim milk or plant-based milk alternatives.

Note 3: Sour cream: We recommend full-fat sour cream so the sauce doesn't break (which it sometimes does with low-fat sour cream).

Note 4: Cheese: Avoid the pre-shredded cheeses as it will make this dish greasy. (Most pre-shredded cheeses have a wax/powder coating.) Make sure to use sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar to ensure plenty of flavor!

Note 5: Thickness check: The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Lift up the spoon and immediately trace a line across the back of the spoon with your fingertip. If the line retains a clear track, the sauce is thick enough. If not, the sauce needs to be cooked a bit longer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 429kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 227mg | Potassium: 980mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 738IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 321mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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