The Best Side for When You Can’t Choose Between Au Gratin or Baked Potatoes
My brother and I always knew it was a special meal when Mom made classic, creamy au gratin potatoes—they were always a highlight at my house! So when Mom pitched giving my favorite side a twist, I was skeptical. Why mess with my favorite comfort food?
Well, while Mom’s original recipe will always have my heart, these loaded potatoes au gratin are eat-straight-out-of-the-pan delicious. Sour cream, cheese, bacon, and chives…what’s not to love? I just had to make them my own!
Two secrets take this au gratin to the next level:
The potato choice matters. I tried Russets first because they’re commonly used for baked potatoes, but they’re so starchy that they just fall apart in the casserole. Yukon Gold potatoes have the perfect balance of starchy and waxy – they’re starchy enough to help thicken the cream sauce (so it’s never watery!), but will still hold their shape in the oven.
The sauce starts with bacon fat, not butter. The potatoes bubble away in a Gouda sauce made with rendered bacon fat, adding an unbeatable smokiness and depth of flavor you simply don’t get from butter.
It’s truly the best of all things potato!
Essentials for Next-Level Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes
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Buy Now → Assemble, Bake, and Load ‘Em Up!
Since you’re not pre-cooking the potatoes, you want to slice them thin so they all cook through evenly. I find it easiest to use a mandoline to get even ¼-inch slices.
Add the bacon strips to a large skillet and cook for 5 minutes per side, until crisp. Measure out 3 tablespoons of bacon drippings and discard the rest.
Your whisk is your best friend now! Whisk the flour into the 3 tablespoons of bacon drippings to form a roux. Gradually add the half-and-half and then the Gouda, whisking constantly. If the sauce is still a little lumpy, that’s totally okay! It will continue to smooth out as the casserole bakes and the potato starches naturally thicken the sauce.
Test Kitchen Tip: One non-negotiable: do not let the sauce come to a boil. In all my testing, I found that a gentle heat keeps the cheese from seizing and the sauce from breaking when it hits the heat of the oven, so the gratin stays creamy instead of turning gritty.
Arrange the potatoes in a uniform layer in your baking dish, spoon half of the smoked Gouda sauce over top, and repeat.
Test Kitchen Tip: Use a deep baking dish so you have room for all the potatoes with plenty of extra space for the final layer of sour cream and toppings.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil spritzed with oil, then place it on a rimmed baking sheet to capture any melted cheese that might bubble out. The foil will trap steam from the casserole as it bakes, allowing the potatoes to turn tender without the top scorching. Bake covered for 50 minutes, then remove the cover and bake for another 20 minutes.
Make-Ahead
Want to make this casserole in advance? After the first 50 minutes of baking, let it cool and then refrigerate. You can finish baking off the au gratin potatoes anytime in the next 3 days!
Spread a layer of sour cream over the potatoes, sprinkle with shredded Gruyère, and broil until the cheese is melted and golden-brown. Keep an eye on it, as it can go from golden to burnt fast!
Chop up the bacon and add it on top immediately so the heat from the casserole warms it up. Add the chives just before serving to prevent wilting.
Serving Suggestions
Growing up, au gratin potatoes were a staple at our family celebrations alongside a Juicy Maple Glazed Ham – it doesn’t get more classic than ham and potatoes! Their rich, decadent flavor also stands up well to the heartiness of an Oven Roasted Beef Tenderloin or Garlic and Herb Prime Rib, two of my family’s other favorite mains.
When it’s just Chris and me having date night at home, we love this loaded side with a juicy Cast Iron Steak for a steakhouse-inspired dinner.
Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes With Bacon And Smoked Gouda
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours (mostly inactive)
- Yield: serves 8–10 1x
- Category: Side Dish Recipes
- Method: Baked, Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, French-Inspired
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes mash up two comfort-food classics: creamy potatoes au gratin and a loaded baked potato with all the fixings.
Yukon Golds bake low and slow in a smoked Gouda sauce spiked with bacon drippings, then the broiler turns a sour cream and Gruyère topping golden and bubbling. Crispy thick-cut bacon and fresh chives finish it off.
Rich, decadent, and seriously creamy, these loaded au gratin potatoes belong on your holiday table and at any Sunday supper that needs some comfort.
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray
- 3 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled as desired and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 6 slices thick-cut center-cut bacon (about 6 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups half and half
- 6 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, freshly shredded (about 1 ½ cups)
- 4 ounces Gruyère cheese, freshly shredded (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh chives or ½ cup thinly sliced green onions
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
METHOD OVERVIEW:
Cook bacon until crisp. Reserve 3 tablespoons drippings to make a cheese sauce with flour, half and half, and smoked gouda. Layer sliced potatoes with the cheese sauce in a greased casserole dish. Bake covered 50 minutes, then uncover and bake 20 minutes longer until the potatoes are tender. Spread sour cream over top, sprinkle with gruyère, and broil until melted and golden brown. Finish with crispy bacon and fresh chives or green onions, then let rest briefly before serving warm.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS:
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, ensuring one rack is positioned in the center of the oven and a second rack is positioned at the top, under the broiler. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch pan (I use a 4-qt casserole dish) and set aside.
- Cook the bacon: Add the bacon to a large skillet over medium heat and cook 4-5 minutes per side, until rendered and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Carefully transfer 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings to a small bowl, then drain and discard the rest.
- Prepare the smoked Gouda sauce: Add the flour to the reserved bacon drippings and whisk until smooth. Transfer the mixture to the same skillet used to cook the bacon and place over medium heat. Whisking constantly, gradually pour in the half and half. Add the smoked Gouda and continue to whisk until melted. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a few twists of black pepper. Once the cheese is melted, remove from the heat and set aside – do not let the sauce come to a boil. The sauce may look slightly lumpy at this point – that’s okay; it will smooth out as the potatoes bake.
- Assemble the potatoes au gratin: Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in an even layer in the prepared baking dish. Spoon half of the smoked Gouda sauce evenly over top. Repeat with the remaining potatoes and sauce. Lightly spray one side of a piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray, then cover the baking dish with the foil, sprayed side down, sealing it tightly around the edges.
- Bake the potatoes au gratin: Set the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet and transfer to oven (center rack). Bake for 50 minutes, then carefully remove the foil and bake uncovered for 20 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Add the loaded potato toppings and broil: Remove the potatoes from the oven. Dollop the sour cream over top, then use a spatula to spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with the Gruyère. Set the broiler to high, then carefully transfer the potatoes to the top rack. Broil for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
- Finish and serve: Meanwhile, finely chop the cooked bacon. Once the potatoes come out of the oven, sprinkle the bacon evenly over top. Let rest for 5-10 minutes – this helps the potatoes set while warming the bacon through. Just before serving, sprinkle the chives or green onions over top. Serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
- Portions: As written, this loaded potatoes au gratin serves 8-10 generously as a side dish. For 4-6 servings, halve the recipe and bake in an 8×8-inch baking dish or 9-inch pie plate.
- Storage and Reheating: Transfer leftover loaded potatoes au gratin to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or a 350 degree F oven until warmed through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 351
- Sugar: 5.3 g
- Sodium: 556.2 mg
- Fat: 15.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 8.6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37.6 g
- Fiber: 3.5 g
- Protein: 16.9 g
- Cholesterol: 50.3 mg
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Delicious recipe! Made this for a Christmas party and it was a hit. My boyfriend and I were fighting over who got to eat the leftovers- these loaded au gratin potatoes reheat really well!