Homemade potatoes au gratin baked up warm and hearty in a rich sharp cheddar cheese sauce and brightened with fresh thyme. It's a true treat you can make ahead and bake when you're ready.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour30 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour50 minutesminutes
Servings 8people
Calories 401kcal
Author Rachel Ballard
Ingredients
2 poundsrusset potatoes, peeled and sliced very thinly (less than 1/4" thick) a food processor with a slicing blade is good for this
If baking right away, preheat the oven to 400. Lightly grease an 11x8x2" (or slightly larger) baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the flour, stirring constantly 1-2 minutes until the flour and butter starts to get a little bit brown.
Add the milk and stir constantly until the sauce begins to thicken and comes to a low bubble--about 8 minutes. Add the salt and pepper.
Turn off the heat and add in the cheese, a few handfuls at a time, stirring until they melt in. Add the onion powder, garlic powder, and thyme leaves in and stir.
Add a layer of potatoes to the bottom of your dish, and pour over 1/3 of the sauce.
Continue to layer until you reach the top of your dish and end with the sauce.
Bake uncovered 30-45 minutes, then cover with foil and bake an additional 45 minutes or for a total of 1 1/2 hours. Serve warm.
Notes
Bake this on a foil lined cookie sheet to catch any spills!