Creamy au Gratin Potatoes Recipe

I originally intended to prepare this dish for dinner, but I failed to check the recipe until just an hour before mealtime. Panic started to set in, but I chose to think on my feet and improvise. Surprisingly, the quick cooking directions proved to be a game-changer! I swiftly sliced the potatoes and boiled them for roughly 10 minutes. As the potatoes simmered, I diced the onion and sautéed it in butter, then completed the cheese sauce according to the instructions. Combining the potatoes and sauce, I baked the dish for approximately 30 minutes at 350°F. The outcome was flawless!

I absolutely loved these au gratin potatoes! What I appreciated the most was that the recipe didn't require any canned soup or Velveeta, which I didn't have on hand. To speed up the cooking process, I sliced the potatoes much thinner, resulting in them being done in about an hour. I also decided to add an extra 1/2 cup of cheese, used half and half instead of milk for a creamier texture, and included some minced garlic in the cheese sauce (I sautéed the garlic in butter before incorporating the flour). For those experiencing lumpy or greasy results, make sure to thoroughly heat and blend your cheese sauce before adding it to the potatoes and onions. Using a whisk, slowly mix in the milk until fully combined, ensuring the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy before pouring it over the potatoes. I gently moved the potatoes with a fork to allow the sauce to reach all layers, preventing bland potatoes at the bottom and avoiding the sauce from overflowing (I filled my pan to the top without any spillage). Removing the foil for the last 10 minutes created a delightful brown crust on top, adding a perfect finishing touch. I will definitely be making these again, and next time, I might consider adding a touch of cayenne pepper for a hint of spice.

My husband and I absolutely adored this dish! My days of using boxed ingredients are now a thing of the past. I made a few tweaks - sprinkling garlic powder on both layers of potatoes and opting for marble cheddar. After pouring the cheese mixture over, I added an extra layer of shredded cheese on top. Following the instructions, I baked it covered but uncovered it for the last 10 minutes, achieving the perfect level of crispiness that we prefer. For my husband, I added an extra sprinkle of cheese on his portion. These potatoes are also fantastic the next day, especially when served with eggs for breakfast. Recently, on October 4th, I made this dish again and decided to elevate it by adding cooked and crumbled turkey bacon along with sliced green onions. The result was fabulous! Kiki from Brampton, ON, Canada.

Overall, the dish was good, but it lacked flavor. I felt that the sliced onions, rather than diced, altered the texture and look of the dish. Additionally, the potatoes, sliced at 1/4 inch, were not fully cooked after 1.5 hours. I believe using diced onions instead of sliced ones would have been a better choice. Therefore, I am giving this dish a 3-star rating.

Creamy, flavorful, and saucy potatoes that pair perfectly with boldly seasoned meats. It would be even better with chopped onions instead of sliced, and by uncovering it for the last 20 minutes to achieve a crispy golden top.

I was initially unsure about trying this recipe, but after reading all the glowing reviews, I decided to give it a shot. My family of 5 absolutely loved these potatoes during dinner, with my husband proclaiming them as the best he's ever tasted! I added extra cheese since we are cheese enthusiasts. Normally, I make my potatoes by simply adding shredded cheese, onion, flour, and milk, which is delicious. However, this recipe surpassed my usual one! Additionally, a great tip – this cheese sauce is the same one my family uses for homemade mac and cheese. Just pour it over cooked elbow macaroni, sprinkle some extra shredded cheese on top, and bake it for a bit until melted. It results in the most incredible mac and cheese you've ever had! You could even make a double batch and have the mac the next night with some baked chicken. Thank you, Cathy!

These potatoes are absolutely authentic...they transported me back to my childhood and community potluck dinners at the church. I scaled up the recipe to serve 30 people and incorporated ham to turn it into a satisfying main course. Not a single person was left unsatisfied - it warms my heart. It's amusing to read reviews where people mention that the dish was bland so they added various ingredients. It's akin to saying a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is lacking and therefore you throw in bananas, cinnamon, and raisins. Let me tell you, this recipe is true to the classic au gratin potatoes and hits all the right notes.

This dish is a timeless French classic that provides a wonderful sense of comfort. To address those who found the flavor lacking, it's important to note that using a mild or medium cheddar cheese in any cheddar cheese sauce will result in a bland taste. Opting for a sharp or aged cheddar is essential to truly bring out the robust cheddar flavor.

I've made this recipe numerous times, and while it's good as is, I personally find it a bit bland. If you prefer simple flavors, follow the original recipe. For those looking for more taste, feel free to spice it up with additional seasonings. I like to sprinkle seasoned salt, onion and garlic powder, and pepper between each layer of potatoes. I've also experimented with mixing 3/4 cup of chive sour cream into 1-1/4 cups of 2% milk and incorporating it slowly into the roux, yielding delicious results. I enjoy using a blend of Swiss and cheddar cheese and opt for red potatoes, though any variety works. I often prepare it ahead of time and refrigerate it before baking. Despite the seemingly long baking time of 1-1/2 hours, the dish turns out perfectly – just remember to remove the foil for the last 20 minutes. One Christmas Eve, I prepared this dish in the slow cooker for about 5 hours on medium heat, layering Gruyère and Havarti cheese, resulting in an expensive but outstanding dish. Although rich and time-consuming, it was a hit. I'm thinking of adding spiral ham and jalapenos next time for a complete one-dish meal paired with a salad. While I consider this a 'Very Good Basic Recipe,' I find that it benefits from a little extra seasoning to suit our preferences. A bonus is that it reheats well. Update: I recently tried adding chopped broccoli florets in the middle, which turned out to be a great addition. The cooking time may have been a bit long for the broccoli, resulting in a very soft texture, reminiscent of broccoli cheese soup in casserole form.

The flavor in this dish was fantastic, but I want to share my experience to help others. I followed the recipe exactly, doubling it for our Christmas dinner and omitting onions. Baked in a glass casserole dish at 400 degrees, after an hour, I found the cheese sauce burnt on top and bottom. Thankfully, the cheesy potatoes in the middle were tasty, so we salvaged half of it. Lessons learned: don't use glass or reduce baking temp to 350, cover dish with foil for the first hour, then remove for the last 30 mins. A culinary specialist guest shared these tips. I'll try this again and update if possible. I hope this review prevents others from burning their potatoes.

Rewritten review: I absolutely adore this recipe! I've incorporated this cheese sauce into so many of my dishes now. When I made mac and cheese with it, I did notice a slight grainy texture in the sauce. Upon discussing it with others, I learned that it was likely due to using pre-shredded cheese from bags that have a powdery coating. While the graininess wasn't very pronounced in this recipe, I decided to dust off my cheese grater just in case. I'm all for shortcuts, though, so I stuck with using frozen sliced potatoes and chopped onions, which significantly reduced both prep and baking times. For an extra burst of flavor, I like to uncover the dish for the final 10 minutes of baking, sprinkle on more cheese, and top it off with some crumbled bacon.

No changes made this time. I will experiment with different cheeses next time during the holidays. I will also cut the recipe in half next time as I ended up with a lot of leftovers.

I absolutely adore au gratin potatoes! This recipe is fantastic because it's so easy to follow and quite similar to my own, but speedier since it merges a couple of steps together, saving me precious time. I like to use a blend of half extra-sharp white cheddar and half gruyere for a tangier taste. I start by layering the potatoes with small diced sautéed onions, then pour in half of the sauce, followed by another layer of potatoes and the rest of the sauce, giving it a good shake. About 15 minutes before it's ready, I take off the foil to achieve a nice golden brown crust on top. I'll stick with my ingredients but will adopt your method, as it streamlines the process by combining certain steps I used to do separately. :)

I have been using this recipe for some time now... It's extremely versatile and easy to customize. It's also delicious when made as per the original instructions. Personally, I enjoy substituting half of the cheese with Swiss and adding mozzarella – so tasty! I also like to throw in a cup of chopped ham, some chopped broccoli... The possibilities are endless!

I enjoy enhancing the flavor of this dish by incorporating diced ham along with garlic powder and onion powder. I experimented with using fresh onions once, but found them to be too crunchy for my liking, so I switched to using powder instead. Additionally, my family prefers a combination of Colby and Jack cheese, which I use for added richness.

I could give this another try as a side dish, but with thinner slices of onion. I might also consider adding cream in the middle, not just on top. Besides that, I did enjoy it.

Delicious, quick, and the directions are easy to follow. Despite the long cooking time, it's definitely worth it as you can multitask and prepare other dishes while this one cooks.

I unintentionally added a few extra layers of cheese, but it turned out to be fantastic!

Great recipe! I decided to elevate it by using smoked cheese and adding crispy bacon on top before baking. I will definitely be making this again.

Great dish. Very easy to make.