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    Bless This Mess > Recipes > Sides Dishes and Salads > Vegetable Sides

    Perfect Potatoes au Gratin

    Published: Oct 7, 2021 · Modified: Oct 8, 2021 by Melissa · 26 Comments

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    top view of potatoes au gratin in a baking dish with the words "perfect potatoes au gratin" written at the top
    spoonful of potatoes au gratin with the words "perfect potatoes au gratin" written at the top
    top picture is potatoes au gratin in a baking dish, bottom picture is a close up of potatoes au gratin on a spoon with the words "perfect potatoes au gratin" written in the middle

    Pioneer Woman’s Potatoes au Gratin are creamy, cheesy and done in less than an hour. Plus, they are made using whole potatoes-no peeling needed!

    These potatoes au gratin are very literally perfect; starchy, full of cheese, and potato-laden goodness. I love when recipes are not only delicious but easy to boot. You don’t even have to peel the potatoes!

    Easy Potatoes Au Gratin Recipe

    These potatoes make the perfect side for any grilled meat and are one of my favorite dishes to take to potlucks and family dinners. It’s a recipe that you need in your archive, and if eating gluten-free is an issue for you or a family member, I have instructions on how to make this dish gluten-free in the notes.

    Can we go over the fact that you don’t have to peel the potatoes? That makes this recipe worth its weight in gold. It takes a little less than an hour to bake, so I have to be sure to plan for it so that it’s done when I need it to be. But it only has about 15 minutes of hands-on time that include washing and cutting up the potatoes and layering all of the cheesy creamy goodness in a dish. 

    My kids can even help with the potato washing/cutting which makes the process go quickly. This is one of those dishes that always turns out well and it always tastes good. I can’t wait for you to try it.

    What does au Gratin mean?

    The phrase au Gratin refers to a dish that has a crusty top of some sort. It usually consists of cheese, eggs and sometimes bread crumbs.

    What is the difference between potatoes au gratin and scalloped potatoes?

    The difference is in the cheese. Scalloped potatoes are baked in a simple cream sauce. Potatoes au Gratin are a more decadent and cheesy concoction. 

    Can I make gluten free au Gratin potatoes?

    Yes! To make this recipe gluten-free, switch out the 2 tablespoons of flour with 1 tablespoon of corn starch.

    What are the best potatoes to use for au Gratin Potatoes?

    Russet potatoes are recommended for this recipe because of their starch content. They hold together well and cook up into nice soft pieces that stay together. That being said, I have used all kinds of potatoes and it still turns out and tastes great each time.

    This recipe goes really well accompanied with:

    • Baked chicken legs
    • Stove Top Parmesan Crusted Chicken
    • Whole Roasted Chicken
    • Crispy Fried Pork Chops
    • Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork Chops
    • Add some green veggies on the side and you have yourself a meal

    If you’ve tried this Potatoes au Gratin recipe or any other recipe on Bless this Mess, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories AND add your photo to your comment so that other can see your creation.

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    top view of a baking dish filled with potatoes au gratin and a serving spoon

    Perfect Potatoes au Gratin


    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Melissa Griffiths - Bless this Mess
    • Total Time: 1 hour
    • Yield: Serves 8-10 1x
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    Description

    This easy Potatoes au Gratin recipe is made using whole potatoes (no peeling needed), cream, butter, and cheese and are done in less than an hour.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
    • 4 large baking potatoes or 8 smaller potatoes (about 2 pounds total)
    • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
    • ½ cup milk (whole or 2%)
    • 2 tablespoons flour
    • 2-4 cloves garlic, finely minced
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
    2. Grease the bottom and sides of a baking dish with the softened butter.
    3. Wash and scrub the potatoes clean but don't worry about peeling them. Slice the potatoes into thick slices (somewhere between ¼ and ½ inch thick), then stack the slices and cut them into 4 pieces. Put all of the potato pieces in the bottom of the baking dish.
    4. In a small bowl whisk the cream, milk, flour, garlic, salt, and pepper together. Pour the mixture over the potatoes.
    5. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
    6. Add the cheese to the hot dish and bake for another 3-5 minutes until the cheese is all melted. Serve hot.

    Notes

    • To make this recipe gluten-free, switch out the 2 tablespoons of flour with 1 tablespoon of corn starch.
    • Keep any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge.
    • Prep Time: 10 min
    • Cook Time: 50 min
    • Category: Side Dish
    • Method: Oven
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: Potatoes au Gratin Recipe, Pioneer Woman recipe, how to make potatoes au gratin, potatoes au gratin, easy potatoes au gratin

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @blessthismessblog on Instagram and hashtag it #blessthismess

    If you like this recipe, check out these:

    • Classic Scalloped Potatoes
    • Twice-Baked Potatoes with Bacon
    • Tips and Tricks for Cooking Potatoes in the Oven
    • Unique Ideas for Cooking Baked Potatoes (oven, instant pot, slow cooker and more!)
    • Easy Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
    • Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup
    • Classic Potato Salad Recipe
    • 20 Stellar Potato Side Dishes
    • How to Cook Potatoes in the Oven

    You are going to love Pioneer Woman’s Potatoes au Gratin because you don’t need to peel any potatoes, they are done in an hour, and the cheesy goodness is divine. 

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    About Melissa

    Melissa is dedicated to helping parents figure out the nightly questions, "What's for Dinner?!" with her no-fuss approach to cooking. Read more...

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    Comments

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Connie Rosario

      June 10, 2021 at 5:04 am

      Alas, I didn't have cream, so I made the sauce with a can of cream of mushroom, 1/2 cup milk, and 1/2 cup carnation. I have a lot of shredded colby jack so can't wait.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Melissa

        June 10, 2021 at 12:53 pm

        Ohhhhhh friend, that sounds so good! I'm making this tonight too!

    2. JKappy

      December 25, 2019 at 3:12 pm

      I'm making this now. It's been in the oven at 400 for an hour and the potatoes are still hard. Only PW recipe I've ever made that's failed me. It'll probably taste good, but it's going to take twice as long to get done as I'd planned for.

      Reply
      • Melissa

        December 27, 2019 at 11:16 am

        Hmmmm... something is off. Normally a medium potato takes an hour to cook when it whole (like a baked potato) so your oven must be off or you loaded up the pan to full...

    3. Donnetta

      January 02, 2019 at 4:54 pm

      I made this dish so yummy. Can you make this ahead and freeze it?

      Reply
    4. Bo

      December 24, 2018 at 1:05 pm

      Can you make this up the day before and keep it in the fridge and just pop it in the oven when you are ready to cook?

      Reply
      • Melissa

        December 24, 2018 at 6:21 pm

        Yep, that'll work just great! Just be sure to add about 5 minutes extra in the cooking time to account for starting with cold tators!

    5. C

      October 19, 2018 at 5:52 pm

      What size pan?

      Reply
      • Melissa

        October 22, 2018 at 8:39 am

        It's a 2 quart baking dish, so a 9x13 and a 9x9 inch both work fine for this.

    6. Linda Berglund

      October 16, 2018 at 11:15 am

      When you say baking dish about what size are you thinking? 9x13" 8-9" square? It looks delish...but I would like to start out right. Thank you! Linda

      Reply
      • Melissa

        October 16, 2018 at 2:26 pm

        You can do a 9x13 inch baking dish or a 9x9 inch pan, both will fit this recipe just fine.

    7. Lisa

      February 21, 2018 at 4:52 pm

      Also, BAKE for 40 minutes not BACK.

      Reply
    8. Dorene Hutchens

      December 02, 2017 at 11:21 am

      Thank you sounds so yummy

      Reply
    9. Jim

      July 01, 2017 at 2:43 am

      Cover the dish with foil and back for 40 minutes. Did you mean bake for 40 minutes.

      Reply
    10. Glenda callahan

      March 02, 2017 at 9:31 pm

      I need these for Easter! So cute.?

      Reply
    11. Tara

      July 22, 2014 at 8:37 pm

      I tried it today! Yummy!!! I added bacon crumbles because, you know, everything is better with bacon 🙂 I cooked it in my sun oven for about 60 minutes so I didn't have to heat up the kitchen. This recipe is a keeper!

      Just be glad your kids are all at church with you. Some families aren't that lucky. So it may be frustrating, but "just keep swimming, just keep swimming." Be grateful for the rain, then one day there will be rainbows (do you remember Pres. Uchtdorf's talk?)

      Reply
    12. Autumn Harris

      July 22, 2014 at 3:12 pm

      I can't wait to try these. Thank you for the work you put I to your blog. I love reading it and enjoy your recipes. I have tried many of them since I started reading your blog this past year. So, my 2 yr old daughter talks loudly during church. My Grandmother sits in our pew and is going deaf so she cannot hear how loud said little one is! So I have to grab her, focus her attention on me (look at me, kiddo!) and whisper to her that you may only whisper during church and you may not say anything while Pastor is praying. Do you understand? And I tell her to say, "Yes Ma'am," if she does. She obeys Ma'am do much more than mom, lol! And we have Junior Church that begins right before the messages starts. At that time, 2 and under go to the Nursery, 3 and above go to Junior Church.
      On Sunday nights an Wednesdays there is no Junior Church. We also do bags of quiet, healthy snacks, coloring books and other quiet activities, during those services to keep little ones entertained and quiet. If fit-throwing starts in, we take the offender out for disciplinary action, and return to the service as soon as we are calm and quiet again.

      Reply
      • Melissa

        July 23, 2014 at 1:43 pm

        Oh Autumn... these are great thoughts! We have junior church too, so I really only have the little for one hour but it is a long hour 🙂 I'm going try some of these. Thank you!

      • Autumn Harris

        July 23, 2014 at 2:21 pm

        You're welcome. 🙂 I'm still figuring it out like most Moms. I am reading the Duggars Books because that Momma of 19 well behaved children has to know something we don't know! So far her books are filled with awesome, helpful, EFFECTIVE advice. Check them out! 20 and counting is one and A love that multiplies is the other.

    13. katie w

      July 22, 2014 at 8:55 am

      One of the best parts about having a new baby...I could go sit in the mother's lounge to 'feed the baby' while my husband wrestled the other kids during Sacrament Meeting. hahaha! Sadly, I can't really use that excuse anymore 🙂

      Reply
      • Melissa

        July 23, 2014 at 1:43 pm

        I'm guilty of this 🙂 Best excuse ever!

    14. Dianne

      July 21, 2014 at 9:48 pm

      Church with little ones takes practice; they do not learn how to behave in church and other settings (like eating at other places) without practice. I have survived 4 kids in church each week, youngest is 16, so hang in there. My other secret was a bag packed for each kid, with dollar store color books, trinkets, etc that were quiet(!) and only came out during church and also during the sermon/message part (singing was required in our family). I also packed a small snack (gold fish, cheerios, etc). to tide over hunger pangs. Hang in there, it is tough but worth it. I also feel I have a large tolerance for other families with young kids around me, since I have been there. I can't wait to try the Au Gratin potatoes, my hubby's favorite but not healthy if you buy the box kind.

      Reply
      • Melissa

        July 22, 2014 at 9:25 am

        Thanks so much Dianna. Sometimes I think "just keep swimming, just keep swimming". 🙂 Kids are the best though, huh!

    15. Sharita

      July 21, 2014 at 3:28 pm

      LOL. . . . well I HATE to be the bearer of bad news . . . . but it DOES NOT get easier . . . your focus just shifts!! The bright side???. . .when they have their own little ones to chase around. Recipe looks DELISH if that helps in the here & now!! hehehe 🙂

      Reply
    16. marseille

      July 21, 2014 at 12:15 pm

      Bake for 4 mins or 40 mins? 😉 I never thought I'd be one to do it, but I let my 5 yr old & 2 yr old sit with a family of teenagers (after the sacrament) & 1st hr is so much smoother!

      Reply
      • Melissa

        July 21, 2014 at 2:10 pm

        LOL 40... I'll change that. Thank you! I should get some teenaged friend. Church is miserable 🙂

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