Easy Au Gratin Potatoes on Top of the Stove

What could be better than ultra-creamy, super easy au gratin potatoes? How about this cheesy version that's made on top of the stove in about half the time of the classic recipe? This side dish recipe is SO cheesy and delicious that you may never make it the old fashioned way again. Perfect for busy holidays!

Ingredients

• Yukon Gold potatoes are my choice for this dish. They have such a thin skin I wash them well and don't bother with peeling - saves a ton of time!
• Onions used in this recipe were the big sweet onions like our Texas 1015s. Any type will do (purple might look weird, though).
• Shredded Cheddar or a Cheddar Colby mix is what I normally use. I don't like an extremely sharp Cheddar here - I prefer something mild. Check the recipe notes for other suggestions.
• Evaporated milk makes this dish ultra-creamy! It has something to do with the canning process breaking down proteins in the milk. You can use milk or half and half but the texture won't be the same.
• Flour is the thickener we use... Use all-purpose white flour.
• Butter used was salted.
• Dried onions add so much more onion flavor to this dish. You can leave them out if you like.
• Garlic powder gives it an extra little kick of lip-smacking goodness.
• Salt and pepper to taste. I use kosher salt.

Time Saving Holiday Side Dish No Oven Needed!!

I don't know how it is at your house but here at the Audet-White house it can get pretty crazy during the holidays. Ok, it can get pretty crazy anytime but adding holiday cooking to the run of the mill craziness takes it up a couple of  notches.

On Thanksgiving Day I literally have no oven space even with a double oven. There's no place to even warm up something I've made ahead of time.

Sound familiar?

That's why I love these quick and easy au gratin potatoes. I've make them this way when I don't have the time or the space for the classic recipe. This recipe is done in less than 30 minutes. If you cover the finished dish with aluminum foil and set it in a warm spot it will stay warm long enough to get dinner on the table.

And the creamy, gooey factor is out of this world.

Thanksgiving Circa 1968

I was the only child of older parents and we moved a lot.

Thanksgiving at my house was most often a quiet event with just the three of us. Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, pie... Mom liked to have lots of leftovers because cooking was not her favorite thing to do.

In fact, you won't believe this but it's true, we'd eat turkey every day until it was just a carcass, then mom would put it in a big pot with vegetables and we'd have turkey stew... When that was gone she'd make turkey soup from it.

I swear to you we ate turkey until Christmas. I am probably emotionally damaged from six weeks of turkey.

Recipe FAQs

Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.

What's the difference between scalloped potatoes and potatoes au gratin?

Cheese, y'all. Cheese. Scalloped potatoes don't have cheese and au gratin potatoes do - at least in the United States. Technically au gratin means "with crust" so scalloped potatoes could be considered au gratin if you put bread crumbs on them. BUT most people want cheese if they order something au gratin.

What are the best kinds of potatoes to use?

I like Yukon Gold but Russets work, too. Yukon Gold hold their shape better and I don't bother peeling them because the skin is SO thin - I like that it saves me time. Russets do need to be peeled and they'll be more likely to fall apart.

What goes good with this side dish?

We like them with almost anything and they are often part of the holiday menu lineup. Here are some thoughts -

• Ham and potatoes au gratin go together like peanut butter and jelly.
• Roasted poultry is a nice accompaniment.
• Smoked Sausage is delicious with this dish. In fact I like to make a meal out of it by slicing the smoked sausage into the potatoes.
• Hamburgers, salisbury steak, pretty much anything with ground beef.
• Chicken fried steak because you can never have too many carbs, right?

For other side dishes to complement a full meal I'd consider -

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Fried Okra
• Onion Rings
• Cinnamon spiced apples

Can potatoes au gratin be frozen?

Nope. It ruins the texture. Cover leftovers tightly and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days.

Recipe Notes

I worked with this recipe to make it as easy as possible, I promise! Here are some hints for success -

• Use a waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold. They hold up better plus they have a thin skin and so there's no need to peel.
• Slice potatoes about ⅛-inch thick. You can use a food processor or mandolin to speed things up here. 
• Simmer the potatoes just until done - don't over cook them because they'll cook a little in the sauce.
• Spoon them into a casserole dish then top with more cheese. Use a kitchen torch to melt the cheese until it bubbles.
• This makes a great topping for shepherd's pie in place of the mashed potatoes.
• You can use regular milk or half and half instead of the evaporated milk but it won't be as creamy.
• You can substitute any other melting cheese for all or part of the the colby-cheddar mix. Gruyere is a nice variation.
• This recipe does NOT freeze well. Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 3 days.

If you are planning on doing a holiday meal buffet style please be sure to read up on holiday food safety from the USDA.

More Side Dish Recipes

Side dishes really make the meal, don't they? Here are some more that I know you'll love.

• Cornbread Casserole will add a little extra zip to all your holiday meals! Traditionally it’s made with Jiffy Cornbread mix but you can use any mix you want – including homemade
• Cornbread Dressing recipe is the best recipe ever because you make it in a slow cooker so the oven is free for all those pecan pies you’ve got to make.
• Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes are a little sweet and a little spicy. It’s a healthy side dish that goes perfectly with roasted meats  and poultry. 
• Green Bean Casserole is full of homemade goodness. Fresh green beans, portabella mushrooms, and homemade, copycat French’s onions are just a few of the ingredients that make this recipe the best ever!
• Pineapple Casserole is updated with canned chiles for a gentle kick. If you love pineapple-jalapeno margaritas then this holiday side dish is for you.

Easy Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe

This recipe will change your life! It makes the classic recipe SO easy and keeps the oven free for other things. Add some slice smoked sausage or cooked ground beef to make it a main dish!