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In Krista's Kitchen//delicious meals and baked goods

In Krista's Kitchen//delicious meals and baked goods

Easy delicious family friendly meals and baked goods

Home / Sides / Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes

Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes

Sides, Thanksgiving Sides

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au gratin potato ingredients and final product
au gratin potato on a plate with a bite taken out of it

When you’re looking to impress your guests Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes are a sure bet! Layers of potatoes covered in cream, Romano cheese, garlic and thyme are melt in your mouth delicious. Perfect for the holidays or when you’re just craving the best comfort food!

Au gratin potatoes with a couple slices cut out of the pan so you can see the layers

Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes look like you spent a lot of time on them when in reality they’re very easy to put together. The potatoes are sliced on a mandolin then layered into a dish and covered with the sauce and cheese. After that, you bake the Au Gratin Potatoes then slice and eat!

The sauce is a super simple cold sauce of ingredients just whisked together. It includes heavy cream, minced garlic, fresh thyme, salt, pepper and nutmeg. This will be your new favorite dish to make!

This recipe was taught to me by a good friend while working at a butcher shop. It’s a recipe that’s stuck with me ever since, I remember it by heart.

a stack of sliced au gratin potatoes where you can see all the layers, topped with fresh thyme

Need another Holiday side? My Glazed Shallots are the best kept secret! Easy Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board is another show stopper if you’re looking for a holiday appetizer.

Make my Perfectly Spiced Pumpkin Pie for dessert!

Table of Contents

  • What is the difference between Au Gratin Potatoes and Scalloped Potatoes?
  • Ingredients you’ll need
  • Equipment you’ll need
  • Tips for the best Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes
  • How to make Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes
    • If you make these Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes please leave me a rating and/or review!
  • Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes
    • Equipment
    • Ingredients  1x2x3x
      • Cream Sauce
      • Potatoes and Cheese
    • Instructions 
      • Make the Cream Sauce
      • Building the Au Gratin Potatoes
    • Nutrition

What is the difference between Au Gratin Potatoes and Scalloped Potatoes?

Au Gratin Potatoes and Scalloped Potatoes are very similar. Both are thinly sliced potatoes layered in a casserole dish and baked. Both potato dishes are extremely delicious.

The main difference between the two potato dishes is the cheese. Typically Scalloped Potatoes are made in a cream sauce without cheese. Au Gratin Potatoes are typically made with cheese in between each layer of potato.

Au Gratin Potatoes have many variations, especially in the type of cheese that’s used. This particular recipe I use Romano cheese. Southern Living Mag goes into a bit more detail if you’re interested!

a pan of potatoes with a couple of squares cut out and set on plates

Ingredients you’ll need

  • Russet Potatoes – These potatoes bake up beautifully
  • Heavy Cream – This gives the Au Gratin Potatoes their richness
  • Garlic – Fresh garlic is the best with potatoes
  • Fresh Thyme – I prefer fresh but if you only have dried thyme that will work as well, just use 1/3 of the amount
  • Kosher Salt – What are potatoes without salt?
  • Black Pepper – I love to use course ground pepper
  • Nutmeg – When you have a cream sauce, nutmeg is a must
  • Romano Cheese – If you can’t find Romano cheese you can use grated Parmesan
potatoes, cream, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, nutmeg and Romano cheese

Equipment you’ll need

  • Mandolin – You’ll need a mandolin to thinly slice your potatoes
  • Casserole Dish – Any baking or casserole dish will work for this. I love using this ceramic dish. This dish cleans up so easily it’s like magic every time I go to wash it!
  • Oven – You’ll need the oven to bake the Au Gratin Potatoes
top view of pan of au gratins with a knife and some herbs to the side

Tips for the best Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes

  • The potatoes need to be very thin to bake in the amount of time in the ingredients. You don’t need them to be paper thin but like 1 step up from that
  • Don’t peel your potatoes until you’re ready to slice and assemble. They’ll start to turn brown on you
  • I slice as I go. I slice 2 potatoes at a time then layer and build. Once those are all layered in the dish I slice 2 more. This also helps you not end up with brown potatoes
  • The cream sauce should taste VERY salty. Don’t be alarmed. Potatoes take a lot of salt
  • These can be baked up to 3 days ahead!! Woohoo! They reheat very nicely in the oven or the microwave
  • Make sure to cover the potatoes with foil when reheating in the oven. They will already have a beautiful brown color on top, you don’t want to burn them
  • You should probably just make 2 pans because you’re going to wish you had more when they’re gone
one piece with a bite taken out of it on a plate topped with fresh thyme

How to make Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel and mince your garlic. Pick and rough chop your fresh thyme then whisk together the cream, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

heavy cream mixture topped with thyme

Spray a baking dish with non stick cooking spray then peel your potatoes. Add a small amount of the cream sauce to the bottom of the pan.

Thinly slice 2 potatoes at a time then layer the slices into the dish all facing the same direction. Drizzle a little of the cream mix over the top and sprinkle a light layer of Romano cheese. The next layer of potatoes layer in the opposite direction then drizzle with a bit of cream sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

thinly sliced potatoes layered in a dish then topped with the cream mixture and Romano cheese

Repeat these steps until all the potatoes are layered in. At 2-3 different times during the layering press down on the potatoes and let cream come to the top.

Once all potatoes are layered in, press down one last time to cover the top in cream and sprinkle more cheese over the top. Bake for 40 minutes uncovered then 15 – 20 minutes covered. Serve potatoes hot.

au gratin potatoes baked in a dish until bubbly and golden brown

If you make these Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes please leave me a rating and/or review!

If you want all the newest recipes sent straight to your inbox then don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter! I would absolutely love you to leave me a rating or review at the bottom of this post if you make this Au Gratin Potato recipe! I love hearing feedback from everyone. Please tag me in any Instagram photos if you make my recipes, I love to see what you’re cooking! Follow along on Instagram!

Check out my Glazed Shallots and Perfectly Spiced Pumpkin Pie to add to your holiday feast!

a stack of sliced au gratin potatoes where you can see all the layers, topped with fresh thyme
Au gratin potatoes with a couple slices cut out of the pan so you can see the layers

Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes

Krista Stechman
Thinly slice potatoes layered with a garlic cream sauce and Romano cheese baked until it's a bubbly brown perfection!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 20 mins
Course dinner
Cuisine american
Servings 9 people
Calories 342 kcal

Equipment

  • Mandolin
  • Casserole Dish
  • oven

Ingredients
  

Cream Sauce

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme picked and rough chopped
  • 1¾ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ⅛ tsp nutmeg

Potatoes and Cheese

  • 3 lb russet potatoes peeled and thinly sliced on mandolin
  • 3 oz Romano cheese grated

Instructions
 

Make the Cream Sauce

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F and spray a 10×7 baking dish with non stick cooking spray
  • Whisk together the heavy cream, minced garlic, chopped thyme, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Make sure to whisk well until salt is dissolved
    heavy cream mixed with garlic, salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg

Building the Au Gratin Potatoes

  • Pour a small amount of the cream sauce into the bottom of the pan and spread around
  • Peel all the potatoes and slice 2 at a time. Make one layer of potatoes all facing the same direction and just slightly over lapping each other across the bottom of the pan
  • Spoon a little (2-3 tbsp) of the cream sauce over the top of that layer of potatoes and sprinkle with Romano cheese
    potatoes layered in the pan topped with cream mixture and cheese
  • Repeat until all potatoes are used, alternating the directions of the potatoes in each layer
  • Press the potatoes down 2-3 different times during the building process to bring the cream to the top
  • After placing the final layer of potatoes and cream press down to make sure the potatoes are under the cream. Sprinkle with a good amount of Romano over the top
    potatoes pressed down to be covered with cream and sprinkled with cheese
  • Bake for 40 minutes uncovered until you have a nice brown top then cover and continue baking another 15-20 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!
    au gratin potatoes baked until bubbly and golden brown

Nutrition

Calories: 342kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 7gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 464mgPotassium: 691mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 856IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 161mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

November 11, 2021 · Leave a Comment

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krista in a white sweater with a pink kitchen aid mixer eating cool whip off of one finger

My name is Krista Stechman. I’m a chef, food photographer and the mama of 2 gorgeous girls. Food has always been at the center of my life and  cooking is a way for me to show and share my love!

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