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 cheddar and beer potatoes Au Gratin 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 with Potatoes Au Gratin 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 Potatoes 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 Beer Potatoes Au Gratin 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 Beer Potatoes Au Gratin – 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. Potatoes Au Gratin prep work is done. Now for the oven time!
BAKE Potatoes Au Gratin for 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)
Cheddar, Thyme and Beer Potatoes Au Gratin
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:
- PEEL the potatoes and slice them thinly using a knife, food processor or a mandoline. Set aside
- PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish or an iron cast skillet with cooking spray.
Making Cheese Sauce:
- 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.
Combining Potatoes with Cheese Sauce:
- 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 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
Have you ever made ahead of time and bake the next day?
I’ve never done it like that, to be honest.
Hi Olya
What brand of beer did you use in this recipe?
Hi Jackie
I used Czech Rebel beer, light amber in color.
What size baking dish do you use?
I used a large 12 inch cast iron skillet.
Made these and it came out exactly like in the picture! Loved it.
Glad it came out well!
Made this as a side for our sunday family dinner and it was a big hit. Never thought of adding beer to potatoes, but it worked!