Cheddar, Thyme and Beer Potatoes Au Gratin

Cheddar, Thyme and Beer Potatoes Au Gratin are creamy and cheesy thin sliced potatoes that are deliciously seasoned with fresh thyme and baked to perfection with Cheddar cheese and dark beer!

We call these Potatoes Au Gratin – sophisticated potatoes, because they look very presentable once out of the oven and usually make them for a special occasion.

This delicious potato side dish works with almost any main dish you can imagine:  turkey, ham, pork. Or eat it as an entire meal!

And this potato au gratin recipe isn’t as difficult as you would think, and these potatoes are so worth the time!

Herbs to use for Beer Potatoes Au Gratin

I used fresh thyme but you can also substitute with dried thyme. Fresh or dried rosemary works well here too.

Equipment required to make Cheddar Potatoes Au Gratin

You will need a medium saucepan to cook cheese sauce in and a baking dish or a skillet to bake the potatoes au gratin in. I used cast iron skillet for this recipe.

I recommend to use a good heavy skillet here, such as cast iron and make sure it’s a large one too, such as this 12 inch Calphalon Cast Iron Skillet – it’s large, but not too overwhelming.

I also successfully used 12 inch Lodge Pro-Logic Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet for this beer Potato Au Gratin recipe – it’s well designed, has a helper handle and sloped sides – very sleek looking for cast iron! And it’s one of my most used kitchen tools!

Tools to use to slice potatoes

I used a knife to slice my potatoes, other options include a V-Blade mandoline slicer or this German engineered 5 ultra-sharp blade mandoline slicer. You want thin and evenly sliced potatoes to help give this dish a great texture.

Chef’s Tips on making Beer Potatoes Au Gratin

Before you add the potatoes to the buttered baking dish, pour a thin layer of milk into the bottom of the baking dish, so the bottom layer of potatoes will cook well and soak up the delicious goodness, like all the other layers.

I did not use foil when baking these  – they were uncovered all the way through.

To prepare cheese sauce for Potatoes Au Gratin

MELT butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add thyme and onion; cook 4 minutes or until onion is tender and golden, stirring occasionally.

STIR in flour and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until flour is golden; whisk in beer. Increase heat to medium-high. Bring mixture to a simmer; simmer, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, 3 minutes or until slightly thickened.

REMOVE pan from heat. Stir in pepper and 1 ½ cups cheese.

POUR a thin layer of cheese sauce on the bottom of the greased dish. Arrange potato slices, slightly overlapping, in prepared dish.

Pour the rest of the sauce on top of the potatoes.

BAKE 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from oven and top with remaining ½ cup cheese. Return to oven and bake, uncovered, 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling.

Cheddar and Beer Potatoes Au Gratin are ready to be served!

I love eating potatoes and can have them every day because they are so versatile:

• Instant Pot Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Southern Potato Salad with Mustard, Eggs and Pickles
• Buttery Mashed Potato Pie with Herb and Garlic Cream Cheese
• Irish Mashed Potatoes with Bacon (Colcannon)

5 from 3 votes

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Cheddar, Thyme and Beer Potatoes Au Gratin

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 15 mins

 

Cheddar, Thyme and Beer Potatoes Au Gratin are creamy and cheesy thin sliced potatoes that are deliciously seasoned with fresh thyme and baked to perfection with Cheddar cheese and beer!

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beer potatoes au gratin

Servings: 6

Calories: 389 kcal

Author: Olga

Ingredients

• 2 lb. medium baking potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup dark beer
• 1½ cups milk
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces Sharp Cheddar shredded (about 2 cups)

Instructions

Slicing Potatoes:

1. PEEL the potatoes and slice them thinly using a knife, food processor or a mandoline. Set aside
   

2. PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish or an iron cast skillet with cooking spray.

Making Cheese Sauce:

1. MELT butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add thyme and onion; cook 4 minutes or until onion is tender and golden, stirring occasionally.
2. STIR in flour and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until flour is golden; whisk in beer. Increase heat to medium-high. Bring mixture to a simmer; simmer, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, 3 minutes or until slightly thickened.
3. REMOVE pan from heat. Stir in pepper and 1 ½ cups cheese.
   

Combining Potatoes with Cheese Sauce:

1. POUR a thin layer of cheese sauce on the bottom of the greased dish. Arrange potato slices, slightly overlapping, in prepared dish. Pour the rest of the sauce on top of the potatoes. 

2. BAKE for 45 minutes or until potato is tender. Remove from oven and top with remaining ½ cup cheese. Return to oven and bake, uncovered, 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling.

Nutrition Facts

Cheddar, Thyme and Beer Potatoes Au Gratin

Amount Per Serving

Calories 389 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 20g 31%

Saturated Fat 12g 60%

Cholesterol 60mg 20%

Sodium 707mg 29%

Potassium 774mg 22%

Total Carbohydrates 36g 12%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 5g

Protein 15g 30%

Vitamin A 13.4%

Vitamin C 12.7%

Calcium 36.7%

Iron 10.2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.