• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Eat the Bite
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Eat the Bite
  • Recipes
  • Appetizer/Snack
  • Side Dish
  • Breakfast/Brunch
  • Sandwiches
  • Beef
  • Chicken
  • CSA SERIES
  • Entrees
  • International
  • Pasta
  • Pizza
  • Pork
  • Salad
  • Seafood
  • Stuffed Chicken Breast Series
  • Sweet Things
  • Thanksgiving
  • Vegetarian
×

Home » Side Dish

Mom's Amazing Potatoes Au Gratin

by Stacey 5 Comments

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

We typically only get mom's cheesy potatoes au gratin once per year. Two baking dishes of potatoes are prepared and we fight over leftovers. Welcome to Easter at my mom's house with bunny rabbit place mats, perfectly cooked ham and potatoes au gratin so good we fight over it...comically, yet viciously.

Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin is an easy gourmet side

As I've mentioned in other posts: I'm a potato fiend. My favorite food is potatoes. But potatoes au gratin is a treat because it's not something we make too often. It's simple. Potatoes, onions, butter, cheese, and milk. The ingredients are cheap and this is such an easy recipe. Also, can you think of a single person you know who doesn't love cheesy potatoes? We fancy it up a bit with some toasted, buttery cracker crumbs too. Over the years, those buttery cracker crumbs have become one of my favorite parts about this recipe.

I'm always a fan of seasoning as you go and truly think it makes a difference with most recipes. However, with this recipe I do not salt and pepper between the layers. The cheese has a lot of salt in it and I don't love pepper with this dish. I prefer letting people salt it if they want to when served. You can certainly add a pinch to the layers if you prefer, but I opt not to.

A brief history of my relationship with potatoes

My mother has been preparing this dish every year since childhood. Interestingly, I did not like potatoes growing up and refused to eat them. Of course, I didn't make the connection that French fries were made with potatoes when I was real little and loved those. I ate my first baked potato at 19 years old. And needless to say, I've never looked back.

I can't think of anything more comforting than a bowl of cheesy potatoes. And even though this is a cheesy recipe, the potato doesn't get lost in it. That's what I love about it. The potato is still the star of this dish. Thanks mom! Hope you all enjoy this recipe!

If you're looking for other yummy potato treats, you should check out my Potato Bacon Croquettes with Gorgonzola Bechamel, Fancy French Fries or my Crispy Mashed Potatoes with all the Fixin's

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Mom's Potatoes Au Gratin


★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Stacey
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

This somewhat old-fashioned recipe of my mom's causes fights at Easter over who will get to take home the most potatoes. It's potatoey, cheesy and delightful!


Ingredients

Scale

The Potatoes

  • 6-7 med. to large yukon potatoes
  • ½ stick butter
  • 1 ½ pounds of American cheese, cubed
  • ½ onion, finely diced
  • 3 cups of whole milk, divided

Cracker Crumbs

  • 1 sleeve of Ritz-type crackers, crushed
  • 3 tablespoons butter

Instructions

NOTE: You’ll need 2 baking dishes for this. Should be 1.5-2 quarts each. Or if you have one large rectangular baking dish that could work too.   

  1. Peel the potatoes.
  2. Finely dice the onion.
  3. Cut cheese into cubes. I usually buy 1 ½ pounds of sliced American cheese and cut that stack into cubes. Then I divide the pile in two – one pile of cheese for each baking dish since I use two baking dishes for this.
  4. Cut the ½ stick of butter into pieces or cubes. My butter in the video was frozen so I had to slice it first, then break it down into smaller pieces. I also divide that into two portions – one for each baking dish.
  5. Slice all the potatoes into about ¼ inch slices. The slices should be uniform in size so they’ll cook evenly.
  6. Layer some potatoes on the bottom of the baking dish. Then add onion, cheese, butter. Repeat the layers until baking dish is full. If you’re using a second baking dish, repeat the process there too.
  7. Split the milk evenly and add to your baking dishes if using two. If you're only using one large baking dish, then all the milk will go there.
  8. Cook in a preheated over at 375 degrees for one hour.
  9. Crush a sleeve of Ritz-like crackers and toast in a pan with 3 tablespoons of butter. 
  10. After the potatoes have cooked for one hour, take out the potatoes for a fork test. Make sure tender all the way through. 
  11. Add cracker crumbs to the top of your potatoes, then bake an additional 10 minutes.
  12. Let the potatoes rest a good 10-15 minutes (or longer) before serving.

Notes

  1. Whole milk is needed for this recipe. It does not taste the same with low or no-fat milk.
  2. If you don’t need to make a big batch like this, just cut the recipe in half and make one baking dish.
  3. I don't salt and pepper between the layers because the cheese already has a lot of salt. I don't care for black pepper on my potatoes au gratin so I don't use it. If you want to use a pinch of salt and pepper between your layers go for it. 

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

« BBQ Chicken Pizza
Baked Dover Sole with Lemon & Onion »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kim Preston

    April 10, 2021 at 4:00 pm

    This sounds so good, I can’t wait to try it as I’ve been searching for a good potatoe recipe. I may try tommorow for supper, I’ll post again when I try it. Thankyou for this recipe !!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Stacey

      April 10, 2021 at 7:09 pm

      Thanks Kim - I appreciate that! Hope it turns out well. We were fighting over leftovers again this year... as always.

      Reply
      • Kim Preston

        April 15, 2021 at 8:00 pm

        I did finally make this and it was absolutely amazing. It’s the best potatoes augratin recipe I have made. I will definatly use this one for now on. I actually cut the recipe in half and there was plenty for 2 nights in a row. I’m loving your blog. Thanks so much!!

        ★★★★★

        Reply
        • Stacey

          April 16, 2021 at 9:19 am

          Kim! I am thrilled (and so is my mom) that you made the potatoes and it was a success. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.

          Reply
    • Allyson

      April 25, 2021 at 9:21 am

      So easy to make and by far the BEST I've ever had!!!

      Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

Want to hear about more deliciousness from Eat the Bite?

Sign up for my newsletter and never miss a recipe!

I'll send the latest and greatest right to your inbox!

Social Media Stuff

  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Do You Love Chicken? Here's a Few Recipes to Keep You Busy:

Dijon Chicken with Apples, Leeks and Fennel: overhead view of platter of chicken on the table with one portion on a plate to the side, bowl of basmati rice, apples, rosemary, fennel on the table

Dijon Chicken with Apples, Leeks and Fennel

Collage of Feeding a crowd for the holidays - 10 best recipes to serve the masses. starting at top left and going clockwise: spaghetti lasagna, jalapeno popper chicken wrapped in bacon, phyllo meat pie, croque monsieur sandwich, creamy chicken bacon pasta, chicken marbella, pork chops with stove top stuffing, steak and sausage pie, stuffed chicken pepperoni pizza bake.

Feeding a Crowd for the Holidays: 10 Best Recipes to Serve the Masses

overhead view of serving platter of creamy chicken bacon pasta garnished with parsley and fresh parmesan with microplane and cheese in the top left corner and a single portion in the top right corner

Creamy Chicken Bacon Pasta (No Butter, No Cream)

very close look a one rosemary balsamic grilled chicken thigh with asparagus in the background

Rosemary Balsamic Grilled Chicken Thighs

side view of a platter of grilled chimichurri chicken thighs with extra sauce and cherry tomatoes

Grilled Chimichurri Chicken Thighs

overview of one portion of cranberry brie stuffed chicken with broccoli and carrots and garnished with parsley

Cranberry Brie Stuffed Chicken

overhead view of the best grilled chicken with marinated tomatoes with one portion plates and a serving bowl of tomatoes, platter of chicken and arugula salad with goat cheese and radish

The Best Grilled Chicken with Marinated Tomatoes

overhead table view of crispy brick chicken with pan sauce, roasted calabaza squash and sauteed zucchini

Crispy Brick Chicken with Pan Sauce and Veggies

back yard bbq front view of platter filled with bacon stuffed cheeseburgers

Backyard BBQ: Sriracha-Lime Chicken, Bacon-Stuffed Cheeseburgers & Twisty Potatoes

overhead view of one portion of cashew chicken stir fry with a serving plate and basmati rice in the background

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

platter with bone-in stuffed chicken breast with spinach and gouda, rosemary potatoes and salad in background

Bone-in Stuffed Chicken Breast with Spinach and Gouda

front view of sheet pan drumsticks on a platter topped with cilantro and mint

Sheet Pan Drumsticks with Roasted Carrots and Cumin Potatoes

overhead view of both sheet pans with crunchy coconut chicken fingers

Crunchy Coconut Chicken Fingers

close up look of kackle burger chicken cutlet with bacon and cheese on french bread cut in half

The Kackle Burger: Chicken Cutlet with Bacon and Cheese

right side view of 4 bento boxes with grilled rosemary chicken broccoli and sweet potatoes

MEAL PREP: Rosemary Grilled Chicken with Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes

Recent Comments

  • Stacey on Big Batch Spaghetti Sauce Without Meat
  • Eric on Big Batch Spaghetti Sauce Without Meat
  • Stacey on Ina Garten's Chicken Marbella

Footer

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Eat the Bite on the Foodie Pro Theme