Thinly sliced potatoes layered with a creamy sauce packed with garlic, cheese and bacon. Topped with cheese and baked until crispy, this is the is the perfect side dish!
I have a typical (and easy recipe) Easy Scalloped Potatoes post that is raw potatoes layered with onion, flour, seasonings and butter. I then pour over milk (or cream) and top with cheese. You might also like my Mississippi Mud Potatoes, or my Cauliflower au Gratin, too!
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below, but you can jump right to the recipe card if you wish!
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This cheesy au gratin potatoes recipe is one of my all time favorite things to add to a holiday table, special occasion or even a weeknight side. Cheesy potatoes are one of the first things to go! This recipe is often requested by anyone who tries these, and I consider that a good thing!
Tender potatoes, mixed with a creamy cheese sauce, bacon and more cheese – how could you go wrong?
What is the difference between Au Gratin Potatoes and Scalloped Potatoes?
Well, both are rich and creamy and look super similar. Both are baked in a casserole dish.
Basically, both dishes are potato slices (very thin slices) sometimes onions, baked in a cream sauce. The main difference is gratin is generally cooked with a cheesy sauce, whereas scalloped potatoes are cooked in heavy cream.
Most Au Gratin recipes are covered with bread crumbs or cheese, and often starts with precooked potatoes (I don’t). Scalloped is typically raw potatoes, baked.
This is kind of a hybrid, really. I added bacon and garlic and top with cheese and no breadcrumbs!
I use breadcrumbs in this amazing Squash Casserole (au Gratin style)
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- This is the yummiest, most decadent side you can possibly make!
- Easy to make ahead.
- Common ingredients you probably already have.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to slice potatoes for scalloped or au gratin potatoes
I use a mandoline slicer but a sharp kitchen knife will do fine. If you have a slicer attachment on your food processor or mixer, you could use that too.
What are the best potatoes are best for au gratin potatoes?
I prefer Russet potatoes. I also love Yukon Golds. Any starchy potatoes will work. I’ve even used red potatoes when that’s what I have on hand!
What kind of milk is best?
Any kind of milk works, I like whole milk in this, but half and half, or 2% perform equally well.
Can this be made ahead?
Absolutely. Just make and assemble as directed, and instead of baking right away, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to back, remove from the refrigerator and set out on the counter for a little while before baking as directed (especially important if using a glass baking dish)
What to serve Scalloped Potatoes with
Any kind of protein, but these go especially well with pork chops, pork tenderloin, Roasted Chicken Drumsticks, Pork Schnitzel and goes REALLY well with steak and baked ribs.
I have included step-by-step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Key Recipe Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
- Bacon. If using a thick cut of bacon, you’ll only need 4-6 slices.
- Butter. Regular, salted butter.
- Onion. You can use a yellow onion, or white.
- Garlic. Freshly minced
- Flour. All purpose flour.
- Milk. You can use 2%, whole milk, half and half or cream.
- Chicken Stock or broth. Make your own chicken stock, or grab a carton at the store.
- Salt and pepper. To taste, as always. I use kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper. The bacon is salty though, so go easy!
- Thyme. I use dried thyme most of the time, but fresh thyme is amazing, too!
- Potatoes. You’ll about 4 large potatoes, approximately 2lb. Thinly sliced.
- Shredded Cheese. I like using a sharp cheddar cheese for this, but blends are great. Grab a Monterey jack, pepper jack, or whatever you have on hand. Gruyere cheese is a traditional
Recommended Equipment/Tools
(affiliate links may be used here, which helps me earn some pennies – with no increased pricing to you)
- 9 x 13 Baking Dish
How to make this recipe
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This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Get prepped
Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel the potatoes, and thinly slice as evenly as possible. If your knife skills are like mine, use a mandolin! A good sharp knife will do just fine otherwise. Dice the onions and mince garlic cloves.
Cook the bacon
Heat a skillet over medium high, and cook the bacon pieces until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Make the cheese sauce
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and cook the onion until softened.
Add the minced garlic, and cook for a minute, be careful not to burn.
Sprinkle the flour into the butter/onion/garlic and mix (it will look like wet sand).
Cook the flour mixture until bubbling, then whisk in the milk and chicken stock.
Add salt, pepper and thyme.
Cook, whisking often over low heat, until thickened.
Assembly
Add ½ cup of sauce to the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Spread as evenly as you can.
Add the potato slices, overlapping a little, in a layer.
Pour cheese sauce over the top of the potatoes, then sprinkle cheddar and a little bacon.
Repeat layers with the rest of the potatoes, sauce, cheese and bacon until you run out of ingredients.
Bake
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Check potatoes are tender, and the top is golden brown, and cook 10-15 minutes longer if necessary.
Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Devour.
Kylee’s Notes
If you notice your potatoes browning too quickly, just cover with foil and bake, then remove the foil during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
What to do with leftovers
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat until it is piping hot!
Freezing instructions
For best results, this should be made and baked the same day.
However, this recipe can be frozen after baking. Cover the whole dish with aluminum foil, then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
Thaw at room temperature, then reheat thoroughly, by putting the whole thing (minus the plastic wrap) in the oven as directed.
More delicious potato dishes:
- Easy Scalloped Potatoes. There’s a video on this one, showing how EASY this is to make!
- Twice Baked Potatoes. A drool-worthy side dish, these Twice Baked Potatoes are SO good! Make a lot and freeze some for another day.
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe. Creamy, dreamy and decadent, this recipe will make your side dish dreams come true!
- Colcannon. A classic Irish favorite, packed with cabbage, bacon, and pure comfort. Super easy to make and super yummy to eat!
- Roasted Baby Potatoes. This yummy side is combined with a homemade honey mustard sauce, and roasted in the oven until crispy and perfect. An excellent side dish for pretty much anything!
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Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin (with Bacon)
Video
Recommended Equipment
- Mandolin (optional)
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon (diced)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup onion (finely diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 pound potatoes
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
Directions
Get prepped
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Peel the each potato from the 2 pound potatoes, and thinly slice as evenly as possible. I use a mandolin, but a good sharp knife will do just fine.
Cook the bacon
- Heat a skillet over medium high, and cook the 8 slices bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Make the sauce
- In a saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat and cook the 1 cup onion until softened.
- Add 3 cloves garlic (minced), and cook for a minute, be careful not to burn.
- Sprinkle the 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour into the butter/onion/garlic and mix (it will look like wet sand).
- Cook the flour mixture until bubbling, then whisk in the 2 cups milk and 1 cup chicken broth.
- Add 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and thy1 teaspoon dried thyme.
- Cook, whisking often, until thickened.
Assembly
- Add ½ cup of sauce to the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Spread as evenly as you can.
- Add the potato slices, overlapping a little, in a layer.
- Drizzle the sauce over the top, then sprinkle 2 cups cheddar cheese and a little bacon.
- Repeat layers until you run out of ingredients.
Bake
- Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Check potatoes are tender, and cook 10-15 minutes longer if necessary.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
- Devour.
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Notes
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat until it is piping hot!
How to slice the potatoes
I use a mandolin but a sharp kitchen knife will do fine.
What kind of potatoes?
I prefer Russet potatoes. I also love Yukon Gold potatoes.
What kind of milk?
Any kind of milk works, I like whole milk in this, but half and half, or 2% perform equally well.
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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