Homemade au gratin potatoes are a classic side dish! This beloved potato casserole is a welcoming sight on any dinner table or holiday spread. Our easy au gratin potatoes consist of layers of thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes and yellow onions in a traditional creamy cheese sauce of Gruyere and cheddar cheeses.
Easy Au Gratin Potatoes
Ingredients
- 8 large Yukon gold potatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Wash and dry the potatoes. Thinly cut the potatoes into 1/8-inch slices. Next, thinly slice the onions. Attractively arrange the sliced potatoes and onions in the prepared baking dish. Lay stacks of potatoes and onions upright on their sides until the baking dish is full.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add flour, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth. Gradually add the heavy cream to the flour mixture. Bring to a boil and cook, frequently stirring for about 2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in both cheddar and Gruyere cheeses. Stir until melted. Next, pour the sauce over the potatoes and onions in the baking dish.
Cover the baking dish with tin foil — bake for 1 hour. After an hour, remove the tin foil and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender and golden brown. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Supplies
- 9x13 inch baking dish
- cooking spray
- large saucepan
- tin foil
Recipe Notes
When making au gratin potatoes, the all-purpose Yukon gold is a great choice. The Yukon gold does well to hold its shape, during baking. Learn more about the many types of potatoes.
What Is The Difference Between Au Gratin Potatoes And Scalloped Potatoes?
Scalloped potatoes and au gratin potatoes are both widely popular potato casserole dishes. But the most significant difference between the two is cheese. Scalloped potatoes consist of thin layers of baked potatoes in a creamy sauce, usually covered with seasoned bread crumbs.
Similar to scalloped potatoes, au gratin potatoes also consist of thin layers of baked potatoes in a creamy sauce in addition to cheese, typically Gruyere.
Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes
For a classic version of homemade au gratin potatoes, prepare them in the oven. However, during the holidays, au gratin potatoes made in the crockpot is a fabulous alternative for busy home cooks.
- To prepare crockpot au gratin potatoes, generously butter the inside of your crockpot. Layer your sliced potatoes and onions in the crockpot.
- Prepare the creamy cheese sauce as directly in the recipe above. Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Use a silicone spatula to slide in between the edge of the crockpot and the potatoes, allowing the cheese sauce to reach in between layers.
- Set the crockpot on low for 4 hours, or on high for 2 hours. Serve immediately. Enjoy.