Name: Au Gratin Potatoes
Yield: 8

This Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe features thinly sliced golden potatoes layered in a rich, creamy, and cheesy sauce. It’s a side dish that’s always a hit!

author’s note

The Side Dish That Stole Thanksgiving!

Last year, I was assigned potatoes and a few other sides for my family’s Thanksgiving. One of them was potatoes, and I knew I didn’t want to show up with anything boring. I wanted to make the best Au Gratin Potatoes—super creamy, extra cheesy, and full of flavor.

So I started testing. I tried different potatoes, cheese combos, and bake times until I finally nailed it. The magic combo? Thinly sliced Yukon Golds, fresh thyme, and a mix of Cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan. Pure comfort food perfection.

When I brought them to Thanksgiving, my family loved them. They all wanted the recipe, and now these are the potatoes I’m always in charge of bringing.

Ingredients

Ingredient	Swaps or Tips
Yukon Gold Potatoes	Creamy and hold their shape well. Russets work too, just slice a little thinner.
Butter & Flour	Makes the sauce thick and silky. Use gluten-free flour or a 1:1 GF blend if needed.
Whole Milk	Adds creaminess. 2% works fine, but skip skim or plant-based milk for this au gratin potatoes recipe.
Cheddar & Gruyère	The flavor combo is everything. Use Swiss, Emmental, or Comté if you can’t find Gruyère.
Parmesan (fresh grated)	Adds sharp flavor and helps brown the top. Skip pre-grated for the best melt.
Garlic & Thyme	Bring in fresh flavor. Swap thyme for rosemary, parsley, or chives.

Thinly sliced potatoes and a creamy sauce are being prepped for these au gratin potatoes.

How To Make Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe

Heat oven: Set to 350°F and grease a 9×9-inch baking dish.
Slice potatoes: Peel and slice thinly.
Sauce: Melt butter, cook garlic, whisk in flour, then add milk. Boil, thicken, and mix in Cheddar.
Layer potatoes: Layer potatoes, Gruyère, and thyme in the pan.
Bake: Cover with foil, bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, then check tenderness.
Add Parmesan and bake: Sprinkle Parmesan, bake uncovered 10–15 minutes. Let rest before serving.

Quick Tip

These prep tools make the time fly!

Sharp peeler
Mandoline slicer

Set the Mandoline slicer to 1/8-inch thickness to get 6 cups of potatoes.

The cream sauce thickens as the cheese is added, along with the potatoes.

How To Make Ahead Of Time

Assemble and bake. Let cool with foil on, then add cheese, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

To serve, let sit at room temp for 1 hour. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 20–30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10–15 minutes, until the edges turn golden and bubbly.