Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes are thinly sliced and layered with loads of cheese, then baked till perfectly browned on top and creamy in the middle.
Potatoes for Thanksgiving
There are just a few more days until Thanksgiving, do you have your menu finalized? If you are still on the fence, I strongly urge you to try out these delicious potatoes. This Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes recipe is a must-have for Thanksgiving. They are creamy, cheesy and a great hearty side dish that goes with just about everything.
Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes
I love Au Gratin Potatoes because they are a perfect complement to ham, turkey or even beef. They are pretty simple to put together and the end result is a show stopper. The potatoes are sliced thin and baked in layers of sauce and cheese so they get super creamy in the middle. When these potatoes bake, the top gets perfectly browned and comes together to get the ultimate combination of textures.
Au Gratin Potatoes vs. Scalloped Potatoes
So what’s the difference between Au Gratin Potatoes and Scalloped Potatoes? It’s the cheese! Au Gratin potatoes have cheese layered throughout the potatoes, while scalloped potatoes are baked in a cream or milk sauce. Since au gratin potatoes contain the extra layers of cheese, the end result is a super decadent dish. I like to use a combination of both half and half and whole milk. It’s not too heavy or thick and gives the perfect consistency to the sauce.
How to Make Au Gratin Potatoes
There are three components to making au gratin potatoes:
- Potatoes
- Sauce
- Cheese
I like making the sauce first before slicing the potatoes. If you leave sliced potatoes out for too long, they start to oxidize and turn black. You do not want black potatoes. Once you make your sauce, it’s potato slicing time. Slice your potatoes with a sharp knife, or a mandolin. The mandolin is a little bit easier to use and makes all of your slices even. No matter what you use, BE CAREFUL, you don’t want to lose a finger. Next, layer the potatoes with your cheddar cheese and then pour the sauce over everything. Lastly, top everything with more cheese and you’re ready to bake! The potatoes are done when they are fork-tender and browned on top. Don’t forget to let them sit for 15 minutes before serving. It gives the sauce a chance to thicken up a bit and stick to the potatoes.
Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 lbs yukon gold potatoes
- 3 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 3 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° and grease a 9×13" baking pan or casserole dish with butter or baking spray.
- Heat a saute pan over medium heat and add butter and garlic. Saute for 1 minute and then sprinkle in flour. Whisk to combine.
- While whisking, add in half and half and milk until thoroughly incorporated. Continue to whisk and cook over medium heat until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Remove sauce from the heat and whisk in salt, pepper, and paprika. Set aside.
- Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, thinly slice all of the potatoes.
- Place sliced potatoes in layers in the prepared baking dish, alternating every couple layers of potatoes with shredded cheddar cheese. The top layer should be sliced potatoes.
- Pour prepared sauce over the layered potatoes and cheese and sprinkle the top with the parmesan cheese.
- Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 60-70 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender and browned on top. Let potatoes sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Need more side dishes for Thanksgiving? Here are a few of my favs:
- Maple Pecan Sweet Potatoes
- Herb Roasted Thick Sliced Potatoes
- Cornbread Stuffing with Chicken Apple Sausage
- Maple Roasted Acorn Squash
