The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.
This 3-Cheese Potatoes Au Gratin recipe is easy to make, and so cheesy! It’s made with a silky 3-cheese sauce and baked until light golden brown!
Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes
Cooking with potatoes is so great because there are so many ways to cook a potato. Crispy Smashed Potatoes, Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes, Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Homemade Crispy Baked Oven Fries, and ………… just to name a few! With so many options, how do you decide how to cook them? When I am in the mood for something crispy and cheesy this Au Gratin Potatoes recipe is my go-to comfort food potato recipe!
In my opinion, adding cheese to a recipe automatically makes it better. Potatoes Au Gratin has layers of cheese and a golden brown crust that will hit the spot. You will not be able to resist all of the cheesiness this dish has to offer. So when you are trying to decide on how to cook your next potato dish, definitely go for this cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes recipe, you will not be disappointed!
Potatoes Au Gratin QUESTIONS ANSWERED:
How do you make Potatoes Au Gratin?
Wash, cut, and slice your potatoes in thin slices while preheating your oven to 400 degrees. Place the potatoes upright in a 2-quart dish. Add the butter and flour to a saucepan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the seasonings and milk and whisk until thick and bubbly. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the potatoes and cover with foil and bake for 60 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and/or chives and enjoy!
What is the difference between scalloped and au gratin?
These two recipes are extremely similar. But there is one key ingredient that separates them…cheese! Scalloped potatoes layers thinly sliced potatoes and baked with heavy cream or milk. Potatoes Au Gratin is very similar to this but adds grated cheese to a thickened milk-based sauce in between the layers of potatoes.
Can you assemble Au Gratin Potatoes ahead of time?
Yes, you can assemble Potatoes Au Gratin the day before, BUT you will want to cook the potatoes after preparing them, though. If you do not cook potatoes the day that you cut them, then they will turn black (yuck!). To prepare cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes ahead of time, prepare the complete recipe below. Then, cover the potatoes with foil and refrigerate overnight. 70 minutes before serving, pull the potatoes out of the fridge and let them sit for 30 minutes. Keep the foil on and bake at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
Can you freeze au gratin potatoes?
Yes! You will want to cook the potatoes until they are almost done cooking to help keep their texture. Prepare the potatoes following the recipe but keep an eye on them. Take them out of the oven when they are almost tender. They should have a light brown color at this point and not the deep brown color they turn to when they have finished cooking. Cover the dish with wax paper that is cut to fit the top of the dish followed by foil that is wrapped tightly to protect the potatoes from freezer burn. The au gratin potatoes will freeze well for up to 2 weeks.
Cook’s Note – Au Gratin Potatoes recipe:
- Cutting 2.5 pounds of potatoes 1/8 of an inch thick is no easy task! It’s time-consuming and can be a bit frustrating to get each and every slice the correct thickness. In recent years I’ve ditched the cutting board and chef’s knife in favor of a mandoline slicer. I can cut all of my russet potatoes for this recipe in a fraction of the time.
Disclosure: This Potatoes Au Gratin recipe includes affiliate links.
Cook’s Tools – Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes:
- mandoline slicer
- medium saucepan
- whisk
- 2-quart baking dish
- wire rack
ONE YEAR AGO: Sweet Potato Soufflé
TWO YEARS AGO: 20-Minute Tortellini Soup
THREE YEARS AGO: Southwest Quinoa Soup
3-Cheese Potatoes Au Gratin
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds russet potatoes
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese reserving some for topping
- ½ cup shredded gruyere cheese
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
GARNISH:
- freshly chopped parsley
- freshly chopped chives
Instructions
- Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Wash the potatoes under cold water, and peel and cut them into 1/8’ slices. Lay half of the potatoes flat in a buttered 2-quart baking dish. Set the remaining potatoes aside.
- In a large measuring cup add the milk, mustard powder, salt, and pepper and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt the butter. Add the flour a cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk mixture and continue whisking until the mixture is thickened and bubbly about 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cheese until melted and velvety. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Pour half of the sauce over the potatoes, layer the rest of the potatoes on top of the sauce, and cover the potatoes with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the reserved cheddar cheese over the sauce.
- Spray a piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover the dish with foil. Bake for 60 minutes, and then remove the foil and bake an additional 20-30 minutes or light golden brown in color and the potatoes are cooked through.
- Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, and then garnish with freshly chopped parsley or chives (optional), and serve.
Dayna says
I love these! SO GOOD!