Easy Amish Au Gratin Potatoes

 I guess have a love-hate relationship with potatoes. I mean, I rarely go “oh wow, we’re having potatoes for dinner!”  But, I will also happily eat if served them. Mashed potatoes, if done correctly, are probably my favorite. There’s just not much better than creamy mashed potatoes drenched in butter, seasoning salt, and possibly topped with some sauerkraut. Yes, in that case, I love potatoes. I also love these Easy Amish Au Gratin Potatoes

Au gratin potatoes, those cheesy, pepper potatoes, are interesting. Au gratins are canother one where it has to be done right. Get au gratin wrong, and you have a mess. In fact, bad au gratins partially led to the downfall of one of my favorite restaurant chains.

Bill Knapps was a restaurant chain in the midwestern United States and they used to make amazing au gratin potatoes fresh from scratch in each kitchen, but as the chain tried to cut costs they switched to instant potatoes made in a distant commissary, and it just wasn’t the same. Customers deserted the chain in droves.

Despite the recipe's French origins, it’s been pretty much adopted everywhere and by everyone. You will find plenty of Amish families serving au gratin potatoes. They are great because they’re not quite as much work as mashed potatoes, and you can put them in those big roasters and they can serve a lot of people which is great for an Amish gathering.

Au gratin potatoes don't take many ingredients, but they are so good when done right!

Make sure the potatoes are sliced thin, not too thin, but maybe about ¼ inch thick.

You want to get a good sauce going!

🥔 Amish Au Gratin Potatoes

• 4 medium russet potatoes (unpeeled)
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• ¼ cup (half stick) butter
• ¼ cup onions, diced fine
• 1 ½ cups whole milk (or ½ cup sour cream with 1 /2 cup milk)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
• another ¼ cup shredded cheddar
• a dash of paprika
• pats of butter for the top

📋 Instructions

1. Generously spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Then cook 4 medium russet potatoes (unpeeled) till almost soft or use leftover baked potatoes.
3. Cut potatoes into ¼" slices (or shred) and layer in greased dish.
4. In saucepan over low heat (or microwave), combine 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese with ¼ cup butter, ¼ cup finely diced onion, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1 ½ cup milk or fat free half and half (or 1 cup sour cream with half cup milk) till just mixed. DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL!
5. Fold this sauce over the potatoes.
6. Sprinkle 2 tablespoon bread crumbs, ¼ cup shredded cheddar, and a dash of paprika on the top and dot with butter.
7. Let set one hour, then bake uncovered at 350F for 45 minutes.

🥔 More Au Gratin and Other Potato Recipes

Stove-Top Au Gratins

Rachel's Au Gratins

Classic Scalloped Potatoes

Parmesan Potatoes