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Mom's Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes in a white Staub baking dish sit atop a dark textured surface. A black and white plaid linen napkin rest underneath the baking dish, while a wooden serving spoon and a small ceramic bowl filled with freshly snipped chives rest alongside the baking dish.

Loaded Potatoes Au Gratin with Smoked Gouda & Bacon

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • 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 are an epic marriage of creamy, cheesy au gratin potatoes & loaded baked potatoes with all the fixings: buttery Yukon Gold potatoes slowly bake in a creamy smoked gouda sauce before they’re piled with the absolute best toppings – thick-cut bacon, melty grated cheese, sour cream, & fresh chives.

Decadent, rich, & seriously cheesy, this made-from-scratch family favorite is the absolute best side for Christmas, Easter, or any comfort food dinner! Make-ahead friendly & easily gluten-free!

Ingredients

Scale
  • nonstick cooking spray
  • 3 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, washed, peeled as desired, & cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups half & half
  • 6 ounces smoked gouda, shredded
  • 4 ounces gruyère, shredded
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced chives or 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, ensuring one oven rack is in the center position & a second oven rack is in the top position under the broiler. Lightly spray a 9×13 deep baking dish with cooking spray (see Recipe Notes) & set aside. Gather & prep all ingredients according to Ingredients List, above.Mom's Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes ingredients arranged on a dark textured surface - sliced Yukon Gold Potatoes sit atop a small blue cutting board, thick-cut bacon, half & half, smoked gouda, gruyère, and sour cream.
  2. Cook the bacon: Place the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until rendered & crisp, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer cooked bacon to paper towel-lined plate & set aside. Carefully transfer 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings from the skillet to a small bowl. Drain & discard any remaining bacon drippings.Crisp cooked bacon sits atop a paper-towel-lined ceramic plate. The plate rests atop a dark textured surface.
  3. Prepare the smoked gouda sauce: Add the flour to the small bowl with the reserved bacon drippings. Whisk to combine well, eliminating any lumps & bumps. Transfer the flour mixture to the same skillet used to fry the bacon in Step 2 & place over medium heat. While whisking constantly, gradually pour the half & half into the skillet. Add the smoked gouda to the skillet, whisking until the cheese melts. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. The sauce may be a little lumpy – this is fine, it will smooth out as the au gratin bakes. Do not allow the sauce to come to a boil. Once melted, remove from the heat & set aside.Smoked gouda sauce for Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes fills a black skillet. The skillet rests atop a dark textured surface.
  4. Assemble the potatoes au gratin: Transfer half of the sliced potatoes to the prepared baking dish, arranging them in a uniform layer. Spoon half of the prepared smoked gouda sauce over the potatoes. Repeat, creating a second layer of potatoes & finishing with the remaining smoked gouda sauce. Lightly spray one side of a piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray. Place the foil over the baking dish, oiled side down, wrapping the edges around the baking dish to seal.How to Make Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes, step 4: Assemble the potatoes au gratin. Slices of Yukon Gold potatoes are layered with smoked gouda sauce in a white Staub baking dish. The baking dish sits atop a dark textured surface.
  5. Bake the potatoes au gratin: Set the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet & transfer to the oven. Bake 50 minutes, then carefully remove the foil & bake for 20 minutes longer, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.Baked potatoes au gratin in a white Staub baking dish. The baking dish sits atop a dark textured surface.
  6. Add loaded potato toppings & broil: Remove the baked potatoes au gratin from the oven. Place the sour cream over top, using a spatula to spread it into an even layer over the potatoes. Sprinkle the gruyère cheese over top.  Preheat the broiler to its highest setting. Carefully transfer the loaded potatoes au gratin back into the oven, on the top rack under the broiler. Broil about 5 minutes, or until the gruyere is melted & golden brown. Remove from the oven.How to make Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes, step 6: Add loaded potato toppings and broil. Baked potatoes au gratin in a white Staub baking dish are layered with sour cream and a sprinkling of gruyère cheese overtop. The gruyère has browned after the dish has been placed underneath the broiler. The baking dish sits atop a dark textured surface.
  7. Finish loaded potatoes au gratin & rest: Meanwhile, as the potatoes au gratin broils, finely chop the cooked bacon from Step 2. Once the potatoes are removed from the oven, sprinkle the sliced bacon over top. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes – this helps the loaded potatoes au gratin set up & also warms the bacon through.How to make Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes, step 7: Finish loaded potatoes au gratin. Baked potatoes au gratin in a white Staub baking dish that has been layered with sour cream and a sprinkling of gruyère cheese overtop get finished with chopped cooked bacon. The baking dish sits atop a dark textured surface.
  8. Serve: Immediately before serving, sprinkle finely sliced chives over the potatoes au gratin. Serve & enjoy!Mom's Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes in a white Staub baking dish sit atop a dark textured surface. A black and white plaid linen napkin rest underneath the baking dish, while a wooden serving spoon and a small ceramic bowl filled with freshly snipped chives rest alongside the baking dish.

Equipment

Notes

  • Baking dish: This recipe was tested & developed using this deep 9×13 baking dish, roughly 3 inches in depth. If your baking dish is a little shallower, you can use less potatoes, just enough to fill your baking dish about 3/4 full. 
  • Storage & Reheating: Leftover loaded potatoes au gratin will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through. 
  • Simple Recipe Adjustments:
    • Portions: As written, this loaded potatoes au gratin recipe yields a generous batch, easily serving 8-10 as a side dish. You can easily halve the recipe to serve 4-6. Prepare the recipe as directed, assembling in a deep 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish like this one. 
    • Make-Ahead Loaded Potatoes Au Gratin: These loaded potatoes au gratin are make-ahead friendly. To make ahead of time, prep according to Steps 1-5 of Recipe Directions, above, only baking for the first 50 minutes directed. Let the potatoes cool completely & store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To finish them off, let the loaded potatoes au gratin come to room temperature for about 1 hour, then complete the recipe according to the remainder of Step 5, 6-8, above. 

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/loaded-au-gratin-potatoes/