Perfect Potatoes au Gratin
on Jul 21, 2014, Updated Aug 22, 2024
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Pioneer Woman’s Potatoes au Gratin are creamy, cheesy and done in less than an hour. Plus, they are made using whole potatoes – no peeling needed!
These potatoes au gratin are very literally perfect: starchy, cheesy, and laden with potato goodness. I love when recipes are not only delicious but easy to boot. You don’t even have to peel the potatoes!
These potatoes make the perfect side for any grilled meat and are one of my favorite dishes to take to potlucks and family dinners. It’s a recipe that you need in your archive. And if eating gluten-free is an issue for you or a family member, I have instructions on how to make this dish gluten-free in the notes.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Comfort Food Classic: It’s warm, cheesy, and satisfying, perfect for cozy dinners on cold nights or any other time you need some cheesy goodness.
- Crowd-Pleaser: These potatoes are always a hit at family gatherings, potlucks, and holiday dinners.
- Versatile Side Dish: Potatoes au gratin pair go with just about anything so you can add them to all kinds of meals.
Ingredients
- Butter
- Potatoes: about 2 pounds total
- Heavy Cream
- Milk: whole or 2%
- Flour
- Garlic
- Salt & Pepper
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
How to Make Perfect Potatoes au Gratin
Step #1. Preheat the oven and butter an 8×8 baking dish. Set aside.
Step #3. Whisk the cream, milk, flour, garlic, salt, and pepper together. Pour over the potatoes.
Step #2. Scrub the potatoes then slice them and then quarter the slices. Place them in the bottom of the baking dish.
Step #4. Cover and bake the potatoes. After 40 minutes, remove foil. Bake 10 minutes then sprinkle with cheese. Bake 3-5 more minutes then serve.
The phrase au Gratin refers to a dish that has a crusty top of some sort. It usually consists of cheese, eggs and sometimes bread crumbs.
The difference is in the cheese. Scalloped potatoes are baked in a simple cream sauce. Potatoes au Gratin are a more decadent and cheesy concoction.
Yes! To make this recipe gluten-free, switch out the 2 tablespoons of flour with 1 tablespoon of corn starch.
Russet potatoes are recommended for this recipe because of their starch content. They hold together well and cook up into nice soft pieces that stay together. That being said, I have used all kinds of potatoes and it still turns out and tastes great each time.
Expert Tips
- Use a mandolin or food processor to quickly and evenly slice the potatoes. You can even quarter them lengthwise beforehand then they will be ready to go into the baking dish as soon as they are sliced.
- Grating your own cheese is always a great idea. Pre-shredded cheese is sprinkled with something to keep it from sticking which can keep it from being it’s meltiest.
- Using all heavy cream instead of milk and heavy cream with be a richer sauce.
What to Serve with Perfect Potatoes au Gratin
- Baked chicken legs
- Stove Top Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Whole Roasted Chicken
- Crispy Fried Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork Chops
More Potato Recipes to Consider
Soups, Stews & Chowders
Cream of Potato Soup
Hobby Farm
Hobby Farm’s a Hoppin’
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Perfect Potatoes au Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 4 large baking potatoes or 8 smaller potatoes, about 2 pounds total
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup milk, whole or 2%
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2-4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Grease the bottom and sides of a baking dish with the softened butter.
- Wash and scrub the potatoes clean but don’t worry about peeling them. Slice the potatoes into thick slices (somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick), then stack the slices and cut them into 4 pieces. Put all of the potato pieces in the bottom of the baking dish.
- In a small bowl whisk the cream, milk, flour, garlic, salt, and pepper together. Pour the mixture over the potatoes.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Add the cheese to the hot dish and bake for another 3-5 minutes until the cheese is all melted. Serve hot.
Notes
- To make this recipe gluten-free, switch out the 2 tablespoons of flour with 1 tablespoon of corn starch.
- Use a mandolin or food processor to quickly and easily slice the potatoes.
- Heavy cream in place of the milk will give you a richer, creamier sauce.
- Keep any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Also, BAKE for 40 minutes not BACK.
Thank you sounds so yummy
Cover the dish with foil and back for 40 minutes. Did you mean bake for 40 minutes.
I need these for Easter! So cute.?
I tried it today! Yummy!!! I added bacon crumbles because, you know, everything is better with bacon 🙂 I cooked it in my sun oven for about 60 minutes so I didn’t have to heat up the kitchen. This recipe is a keeper!
Just be glad your kids are all at church with you. Some families aren’t that lucky. So it may be frustrating, but “just keep swimming, just keep swimming.” Be grateful for the rain, then one day there will be rainbows (do you remember Pres. Uchtdorf’s talk?)
I can’t wait to try these. Thank you for the work you put I to your blog. I love reading it and enjoy your recipes. I have tried many of them since I started reading your blog this past year. So, my 2 yr old daughter talks loudly during church. My Grandmother sits in our pew and is going deaf so she cannot hear how loud said little one is! So I have to grab her, focus her attention on me (look at me, kiddo!) and whisper to her that you may only whisper during church and you may not say anything while Pastor is praying. Do you understand? And I tell her to say, “Yes Ma’am,” if she does. She obeys Ma’am do much more than mom, lol! And we have Junior Church that begins right before the messages starts. At that time, 2 and under go to the Nursery, 3 and above go to Junior Church.
On Sunday nights an Wednesdays there is no Junior Church. We also do bags of quiet, healthy snacks, coloring books and other quiet activities, during those services to keep little ones entertained and quiet. If fit-throwing starts in, we take the offender out for disciplinary action, and return to the service as soon as we are calm and quiet again.
Oh Autumn… these are great thoughts! We have junior church too, so I really only have the little for one hour but it is a long hour 🙂 I’m going try some of these. Thank you!
You’re welcome. 🙂 I’m still figuring it out like most Moms. I am reading the Duggars Books because that Momma of 19 well behaved children has to know something we don’t know! So far her books are filled with awesome, helpful, EFFECTIVE advice. Check them out! 20 and counting is one and A love that multiplies is the other.
One of the best parts about having a new baby…I could go sit in the mother’s lounge to ‘feed the baby’ while my husband wrestled the other kids during Sacrament Meeting. hahaha! Sadly, I can’t really use that excuse anymore 🙂
I’m guilty of this 🙂 Best excuse ever!
Church with little ones takes practice; they do not learn how to behave in church and other settings (like eating at other places) without practice. I have survived 4 kids in church each week, youngest is 16, so hang in there. My other secret was a bag packed for each kid, with dollar store color books, trinkets, etc that were quiet(!) and only came out during church and also during the sermon/message part (singing was required in our family). I also packed a small snack (gold fish, cheerios, etc). to tide over hunger pangs. Hang in there, it is tough but worth it. I also feel I have a large tolerance for other families with young kids around me, since I have been there. I can’t wait to try the Au Gratin potatoes, my hubby’s favorite but not healthy if you buy the box kind.
Thanks so much Dianna. Sometimes I think “just keep swimming, just keep swimming”. 🙂 Kids are the best though, huh!
LOL. . . . well I HATE to be the bearer of bad news . . . . but it DOES NOT get easier . . . your focus just shifts!! The bright side???. . .when they have their own little ones to chase around. Recipe looks DELISH if that helps in the here & now!! hehehe 🙂
Bake for 4 mins or 40 mins? 😉 I never thought I’d be one to do it, but I let my 5 yr old & 2 yr old sit with a family of teenagers (after the sacrament) & 1st hr is so much smoother!
LOL 40… I’ll change that. Thank you! I should get some teenaged friend. Church is miserable 🙂