Loaded au gratin potatoes are a delicious mash up of cheesy au gratin potatoes + loaded baked potatoes! Rich, creamy, ultra cheesy AND make-ahead friendly for all occasions!
What’s better than cheesy potatoes? Cheesy potatoes PLUS bacon! I’ll admit, regular au gratin potatoes are absolutely delicious – but these loaded au gratin potatoes are on a whole other level.
We’ve leveled up traditional au gratin potatoes by combining them with all the best parts of a loaded baked potato. That means crispy bacon, green onions/chives and a hefty amount of cheese all tossed in a decadent cheesy sour cream sauce! The best part? There’s heavy roux required – just 9 simple every day ingredients.
You’re going to love every bite of these homemade au gratin potatoes! While they’re not the most traditional, they’d still be a delicious side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any time you’re craving some cozy comfort food.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Potatoes: Yukon gold potatoes are a MUST! Their tender texture and naturally buttery flavor are perfect for au gratin potatoes!
Heavy cream: Used as the base for the cheesy sour cream sauce. You’ll need one cup of heavy cream.
Sour cream: This is what gives your potatoes that classic “loaded baked potato” feel. You’ll need a ½ cup of sour cream.
Cheese: We use gruyere and white cheddar cheese for ours. Regular yellow cheddar can be used instead. (We always buy a block of each and shred it ourselves. While pre-shredded cheese is convenient, it also contains additives that can affect the cheese from melting properly. Block cheese is more flavorful too!😉)
Green onion: Use the green and white parts for maximum flavor! (Fresh chives can be used instead.)
Bacon: Fresh bacon tastes 1000% better but store-bought bacon bits can be used instead. (Make sure to save some to sprinkle over the top before serving!)
Spices: Salt and black pepper are needed to season your au gratin potatoes!
How To Make Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes
1. Prepare the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cook the bacon. Cook the bacon using your preferred method.
3. Prep the potatoes. Use a mandolin to thinly slice the potatoes. (You’ll want them about an ⅛-¼ inch think. The thicker your potatoes are, the longer they’ll take to cook.)
4. Mix. Whisk the heavy cream and sour cream together in a large mixing bowl. Then stir in the gruyere cheese, salt and black pepper. Add the sliced potatoes and toss until the potatoes are fully coated.
5. Assemble the casserole. Layer half of the potatoes in your prepared dish then layer with half the bacon, half the green onions and half the white cheddar cheese. Repeat the layers with sliced potatoes, green onion and bacon. Pour the excess cream mixture from the bowl with the potatoes over the top of the casserole and sprinkle with the remaining white cheddar cheese.
6. Bake. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 40-45 minutes then uncover and continue baking for 30-35 minutes.
7. Serve! Sprinkle additional crumbled bacon over the top (if desired) and let the casserole cool for 10-15 minutes. Slice and serve!
These really are the BEST au gratin potatoes! They package up and transport well making them an ideal holiday side dish.
Making these for Thanksgiving dinner? The day before, bake the potatoes as directed then cover with foil and keep them stored in the refrigerator. The next day, bring them to room temperature and warm them in the oven at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until they’re warmed to your desired temperature. Serve and enjoy!
Tips
- Use a mandolin to slice your potatoes! It’s such an easy way to keep your slices thing and uniform. If your slices are too thick, the casserole won’t cook properly.
- Add more crumbled bacon to the top once the casserole is done baking!
- Add an extra handful of cheese to the middle layer for extra cheesy potatoes!
- Want a picture perfect stack of au gratin potatoes? Let the casserole cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing into it. (Don’t worry – the potatoes will still be plenty warm!)
Storing and Reheating
To store: Cover the pan with aluminum foil and keep it stored in the refrigerator (or place the potatoes in an air tight container).
To reheat: Bring potatoes to room temperature. Then cover with foil and warm in the oven at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until they’re warmed to your desired temperature.
Why you’ll love this au gratin potato recipe!
- Easy assembly! Just toss the potatoes in your sour cream sauce, layer them and bake! No pre-cooking required!
- An easy make ahead side dish! These potatoes can easily be made the day before then reheated in the oven right before serving!
- Slightly better for you! They’re made with 9 every day ingredients & there’s no heavy flour-based roux to hold the potatoes together.
[Made one of my recipes? Tag my Instagram @kalefornia_kravings & leave a review in the comments – I love seeing what you create!]
Cheesy Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. yukon gold potatoes
- 12 oz. sliced bacon, cooked & crumbled
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sour cream
- 6 oz. gruyere cheese, shredded
- 4-6 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup green onion, sliced
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Optional toppings: extra sliced green onions or chives, extra bacon
Instructions
- Prepare the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Prepare the potatoes. Using a mandolin, slice the potatoes (about an ⅛-¼ inch thick) and set them aside.In a large mixing bowl, whisk the heavy cream and sour cream together. Then stir in the gruyere cheese, salt and black pepper. Add the sliced potatoes and toss until they're fully coated.
- Assemble the potatoes. Layer half of the potatoes in the bottom of your prepared dish then add half the bacon, half the green onion, and half the cheddar cheese. Repeat the layers with your remaining potatoes (pouring any of the excess cream mixture from the bowl on top), followed by the remaining bacon, green onion and cheddar cheese.
- Bake. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40-50 minutes. Then uncover and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is golden.
- Serve. Sprinkle extra sliced green onion and crumbled bacon over the top and serve.
