Potatoes Au Gratin

Learn how to make homemade Potatoes Au Gratin. This recipe features a cheesy sauce using simple ingredients like garlic, milk, and cheese, without using any heavy cream. Potatoes Au Gratin is a great make-ahead dish that can be prepped and put into the fridge to bake within 2 days!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine French

Keyword homemade potatoes au gratin recipe, potatoes au gratin, potatoes au gratin recipe, potatoes au gratin without heavy cream, scalloped potatoes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings servings

Calories 346kcal

Ingredients

2 pounds potatoes, thin sliced
8 oz shredded cheddar
2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
1 tbsp flour (we use einkorn flour)
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a medium sauce pan, melt butter. Once the butter is melted, add the milk and flour. Whisk over low-medium heat until it thickens.
Remove from heat and add spices.
In an 8 x 8 casserole dish, add 1/3 of the potatoes in an even layer. Pour 1/3 of the sauce over the potatoes, sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese evenly.
Repeat this layering process two times and finish with a cheese layer.
Bake for about an hour or until potatoes are tender and cheese is browned on top.

Notes

This dish can easily be made ahead. Make and assemble the Potatoes Au Gratin dish as indicated above, but stop short of baking. Cover with cling wrap and press the wrap tightly to the top of the casserole (to avoid the potatoes discoloring). Keep in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Remove cling wrap and bake as normal.

Best Tips for Potatoes Au Gratin

When I first decided I wanted to learn this recipe from my husband’s childhood (one that I didn’t grow up with!) I thought it was going to be very time-consuming to make… but it’s not! Here are a few of the tips I keep in mind to make it as simple as possible.

Use the Right Potato – For Potatoes Au Gratin, it’s best to use a starchy potato that will hold its shape. Yukon Gold Potatoes and Russets are both great options!
Slice them THIN – It’s best to slice potatoes for Potatoes Au Gratin thin. Usually, 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch will do the trick. If your potatoes are too thick, this dish will take longer to cook. I use a mandolin slicer for this, and it takes about 2 minutes. It will take longer if you are doing it by hand! If you need a really good mandolin, this is the one I’ve used for over a decade! It’s more expensive than the cheap ones on Amazon, but it’s the best one I’ve found if you’re going to be using it often!
Keep Them from Turning Brown – If you are cutting a large quantity of potatoes before you arrange them in your baking dish, consider submerging your cut slices in cool water. This will prevent your potatoes from turning brown and ensure your dish comes out beautifully.

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