Ultimate Potatoes Au Gratin with Blue Cheese

Hold on to your chef’s hat because this recipe for Potatoes Au Gratin with Blue Cheese will rock your world. With tender sliced potatoes and melted blue cheese, this is one of those memorable dishes that will quickly become a family favorite. 

I know what you are thinking; with a name like Au Gratin Potatoes with Blue Cheese, this yummy dish has to be hard to make. Well, not really! It can even be our little secret.

It only takes a few minutes to put this extraordinary and decadent side dish together. And no one will be the wiser; they will think you slaved all day in the kitchen to turn out this sophisticated and delicious dish!

Here’s what you will need:

Russet potatoes: I think Russets are the best all-around potato. They have the most starch and help thicken the sauce and make it extra creamy. Russets are perfect for french fries and baking. They are also what I use for my Southern Potato Salad, Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes, and Baked Loaded Potato Skins. 

Heavy cream: yes, you can use half-and-half in this recipe, but I hope you don’t. The heavy cream adds richness and creaminess to this dish that you won’t get with anything else. 

Blue cheese: is the most pungent of cheeses and there are many varieties; some are very mild, some are tangy, some really strong. I recommend that you aren’t sure about the taste to go with a milder variety. Combined with the heavy cream, it is the perfect decadent topping for this luxurious dish.

Fresh chives: work in the background to give this dish a pleasant mild oniony flavor. Plus used as a garnish, they provide a nice color contrast. 

Kosher salt and ground black pepper are flavor enhancers and bring everything together in one flavorful dish. 

Here’s how to make it:

When you are ready to make this dish, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Use a mandoline or food processor and slice the potatoes about one-fourth inch thick. If you don’t have a mandoline or food processor, use a sharp knife and slice them as thin as you can. You also want the slices to be a uniform thickness so they will cook evenly. 

You can peel the potatoes if you prefer, but I leave the peel on.

Spray a two-quart casserole dish with a non-stick cooking spray or generously butter the dish. Put one-third of the slices in the bottom of the casserole dish. Season lightly with kosher salt and pepper. Sprinkle one-third of the chives and one-third of the blue cheese on top.

Add another third of the slices, season lightly with salt and pepper, and top with one-third of the chives and blue cheese.

Add the final layer of slices, season lightly with salt and pepper, and top with the rest of the blue cheese. Pour the cream evenly over the top, and press down lightly to submerge everything in the cream.

Place the casserole dish on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper and bake for one hour, until it’s bubbling, browned on top, and the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven,  top with the remaining one-third of the chives and serve immediately. 

Frequently asked questions:

What’s the difference between au gratin and scalloped potatoes?

The biggest difference is cheese. Both dishes feature sliced potatoes and cream, but au gratin potatoes typically include cheese and sometimes have bread crumbs as a topping. But the lines are becoming blurred between the two, and I’ve seen plenty of scalloped potato recipes with cheese. I even have one on my blog, Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes, so there you are! 

What are the best potatoes to use in this recipe?

I like to use starchy Russet potatoes and think they work the best. However, you can also use Yukon Gold or red-skinned, although your dish will have a little different texture and will not be as creamy. 

How to store potatoes?

Properly stored, potatoes should stay fresh for months. The best place to store them is in a kitchen cabinet or a bowl on the counter in a cool, dry area with good ventilation. Do not store them in the refrigerator, next to other produce, or in a plastic bag. 

What’s the best cheese?

For a lover of all things cheese, that’s a hard one.  I’m not sure there is a wrong cheese, but the pungent flavor of blue cheese is what sends this dish into the stratosphere. Gorgonzola is also an excellent choice, as is Gruyere, Swiss, and Cheddar.

Parmesan is wonderful too, and after one taste of my Parmesan Potatoes Au Gratin, you will have a hard time choosing one over the other.  

Do you peel the potatoes?

I think this is a personal preference, and I don’t usually peel mine. But if you prefer to peel yours, go for it! 

Can you make this dish ahead?

The thing about potatoes is they will oxidize or turn black when sliced and exposed to air. It’s possible to slice them the night before. Then submerge them in water, and store them tightly covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the dish. But be sure to let them drain and dry them with a paper towel before adding to the casserole. If not, the sauce may be runny and they might not cook properly. 

You can also make the casserole the night before, cover tightly with plastic wrap (be sure to press the wrap directly against the potatoes, so they don’t discolor), store in the refrigerator, and then bake as directed. A word of warning here, despite all of your precautions, your potatoes may still discolor, but it shouldn’t be too noticeable and won’t affect the taste.  

Sharon’s tips:

Blue cheese has a strong taste. If you are making this dish for children or other folks that may not be a fan of blue cheese, you might consider reducing the amount called for in this recipe or choosing one of the milder varieties. 

If you are feeding a big crowd, feel free to double or triple the recipe.

Leftovers and storage: Au gratin potatoes will keep in the fridge tightly covered for about four days. They reheat well in the microwave or oven.  I don’t recommend freezing them because it changes the consistency of the potatoes. 

More side dish recipes:

If you like this decadent side dish, you might also like these delicious recipes: Southern Sweet Onion Casserole, Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes, Easy Spicy Southern Corn Casserole, and Southern Green Beans and New Potatoes.

For more potato dishes, check out these popular recipes on my blog: Old-Fashioned Creamed Potatoes, Rustic Mashed Potatoes for Two, Crispy Southern Fried Potatoes, Parmesan Truffle Smashed Potatoes, and one of my all-time favorites, Au Gratin Potatoes and Ham.  

If you need more menu inspiration, check out all of my side dish recipes here.

**This recipe was originally published on November 12, 2016. It was republished on November 1, 2020, with expanded directions and tips, and new photos.