Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes
Indulge in these creamy au gratin potatoes, featuring layers of thinly sliced russet potatoes and onions enveloped in a luscious Cheddar cheese sauce, baked to perfection until golden and bubbling.
Equipment
- 2-quart casserole dish
- Medium saucepan
Ingredients
Potato Layers:
- 4 medium russet potatoes thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion sliced into rings
- to taste salt
- to taste ground black pepper
Cheese Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk
- 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
Preparing the Dish:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Prepare a 2-quart casserole dish by greasing it with butter.
- Begin layering half of the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the greased dish, seasoning them with salt and pepper.
- Add a layer of onion rings on top, followed by the remaining potato slices. Don’t forget to season again with salt and pepper.
Making the Cheese Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and salt, cooking while whisking for about a minute until the raw flour flavor is gone.
- Slowly whisk in the milk, adding it gradually, around 1/4 cup at a time, whisking well after each addition to create a smooth sauce without lumps.
- Keep cooking and whisking until the sauce thickens, which should take about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Once thickened, stir in the Cheddar cheese all at once and continue stirring until the cheese is completely melted, roughly 30 to 60 seconds.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the arranged potatoes, then cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is bubbling, about 1 ½ hours.