Decadent Bacon and Cheese Potato Gratin

Welcome to the ultimate comfort food experience: Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese! Imagine tender, thinly sliced potatoes baked to perfection, generously smothered in a rich, creamy blend of melted cheeses. Each bite offers a velvety texture that truly melts in your mouth, elevated by crispy, savory bacon bits for an irresistible depth of flavor. This classic side dish is transformed into a decadent masterpiece, perfect for any occasion, from a cozy family dinner to an impressive holiday feast. Prepare to indulge in a symphony of flavors that will leave everyone craving more.

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The Culinary Distinction: Scalloped vs. Au Gratin Potatoes

While both scalloped potatoes and potatoes au gratin are beloved potato dishes, often confused for one another, they possess distinct characteristics in their preparation, ingredients, and the resulting texture. Understanding these differences can elevate your cooking and appreciation for each creamy, comforting creation.

• Ingredients & Sauce Base: The fundamental difference often lies in the liquid base. Scalloped potatoes typically feature thinly sliced potatoes baked in a simple, savory cream or milk-based sauce. Some variations might include onions or a very minimal amount of cheese. Potatoes au gratin, however, are defined by their generous use of cheese, often layered between potato slices and forming a golden crust on top. The sauce usually incorporates heavy cream, broth, and specific seasonings that complement the rich cheese flavor.
• The Role of Cheese: In scalloped potatoes, cheese is an optional addition, if used at all, usually sprinkled lightly on top. For au gratin, cheese is a star ingredient. It’s not just a topping but an integral part of the layers, melting into the sauce to create a rich, gooey interior and a beautifully browned, often crispy, exterior. This dual texture is a hallmark of au gratin.
• Texture & Finish: Scalloped potatoes are generally known for their uniformly tender and creamy texture throughout. The potatoes absorb the milky sauce, becoming soft and moist. Au gratin potatoes, on the other hand, offer a delightful textural contrast. The interior remains lusciously creamy and tender, while the top layer, thanks to the baked cheese, develops a golden-brown, slightly crispy crust, adding an irresistible crunch and depth of flavor.

The Heart of the Dish: Choosing Your Potatoes

The type of potato you choose significantly impacts the final texture of your au gratin dish. For optimal results, it’s essential to select potatoes that can hold their shape well during the baking process, preventing them from becoming overly mushy. Uniformity in size is also crucial for even cooking, ensuring every slice is perfectly tender.

Here are a few types of potatoes that excel in au gratin recipes, along with their unique characteristics:

• Russet Potatoes: These are a popular choice due to their high starch content. As they cook, russets become wonderfully fluffy and tender while still maintaining their structural integrity. Their porous texture also makes them excellent at absorbing the rich, cheesy sauce, infusing every layer with flavor.
• Yukon Gold Potatoes: Known for their slightly waxy texture and naturally rich, buttery flavor, Yukon Golds are another fantastic option. They strike a perfect balance, holding their shape beautifully when baked and contributing a creamy, velvety smoothness to the dish, enhancing its luxurious feel.
• Red Potatoes: With their thin, smooth skin and firm, waxy texture, red potatoes are incredibly resilient during baking. They offer a delightful contrast to the creamy sauce, providing a slightly sweet and earthy flavor. Leaving the skin on red potatoes can add a rustic aesthetic and additional nutrients.

Preparing the Perfect Slices

Achieving the ideal texture in your au gratin potatoes starts with how you prepare and slice them. Careful attention to these initial steps ensures a dish that is cooked evenly and looks as good as it tastes.

Begin by washing your potatoes thoroughly under cold running water to remove any dirt or debris. Deciding whether to peel your potatoes is a matter of preference. Peeling results in a smoother, more refined texture, while leaving the skin on adds a rustic appearance, a bit more texture, and preserves some nutrients. If peeling, use a sharp vegetable peeler for efficiency.

The key to perfect au gratin is uniform slices. Use a sharp chef’s knife or, for ultimate precision and ease, a mandoline slicer. A mandoline ensures every slice is consistently thin, typically between ⅛ to ¼ inch thick, which is crucial for the potatoes to cook evenly and achieve that tender-yet-firm consistency. If using a knife, take your time to make each slice as consistent as possible to prevent some potatoes from becoming mushy while others are still undercooked.

After slicing, it’s a good practice to gently pat the potato slices dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. This step removes excess surface moisture, which allows the potatoes to interact better with the creamy sauce, absorb flavors more effectively, and achieve a nicer browning during baking.

The Golden Touch: Selecting the Best Cheeses

The cheese is arguably the most critical component of exceptional au gratin potatoes, contributing to both the creamy texture and the rich, savory flavor. If you’ve ever savored my Bacon Gouda Mac and Cheese, you’ll understand why Gouda is my top recommendation for this recipe. Its unique properties make it an ideal choice.

Gouda cheese is superb for au gratin because of its smooth and creamy melt. When heated, it transforms into a luscious, gooey layer that perfectly coats each potato slice, creating an incredibly satisfying texture. Its flavor profile is mild, slightly sweet, and distinctly nutty, which harmonizes beautifully with the smoky and salty notes of the bacon. Gouda’s excellent melting characteristics ensure a velvety consistency that blends seamlessly with the potatoes and other ingredients, making every bite a delight.

However, the world of cheese offers many delightful alternatives that can also elevate your au gratin:

• Cheddar Cheese: A timeless and popular choice for cheesy potato dishes. Its sharp and tangy flavor provides a wonderful contrast to the creamy potatoes and salty bacon, delivering a classic, comforting taste.
• Gruyere Cheese: This distinguished Swiss cheese brings a nutty, earthy, and slightly sweet depth to the dish. Gruyere melts exceptionally well, forming a beautiful crust and infusing the potatoes with a rich, complex aroma and taste, often found in gourmet gratin preparations.
• Colby Jack Cheese: A semi-soft cheese, Colby Jack is a blend of Colby and Monterey Jack. It offers a mild, buttery, and slightly sweet flavor profile. It melts smoothly and contributes a pleasant creaminess without overpowering the other ingredients, making it a versatile option.
• Monterey Jack Cheese: Known for its mild, buttery flavor and excellent melting properties, Monterey Jack produces a wonderfully smooth and creamy texture. It’s a great choice for those who prefer a less assertive cheese flavor, allowing the potatoes and bacon to shine.
• Fontina Cheese: An Italian semi-soft cheese, Fontina boasts a mild, nutty, and subtly fruity flavor. It melts incredibly smoothly and evenly, making it ideal for creating a consistently creamy sauce and a delicate golden crust.

The Secret to Superior Melt: Block vs. Pre-Shredded Cheese

For any dish where melted cheese is a star, like these au gratin potatoes, I cannot stress enough the importance of grating your own cheese from a block rather than using pre-shredded, bagged varieties. This simple step makes a profound difference in both the texture and flavor of your final dish. To save time, I often utilize the shredding blade on my food processor, but a standard box grater works perfectly well.

Here’s why fresh grating is superior:

• Flawless Melting: Pre-shredded cheeses are typically coated with anti-caking agents such as cellulose, potato starch, or natamycin. These additives are designed to prevent the cheese from clumping together in the bag and extend its shelf life. However, these coatings also interfere with the cheese’s natural ability to melt smoothly. When cooked, pre-shredded cheese can become grainy, clumpy, or fail to achieve that desirable gooey texture. Freshly grated cheese, free from these additives, melts into a beautifully smooth, velvety sauce that envelops every ingredient perfectly.
• Enhanced Flavor and Moisture: The process of pre-shredding exposes a larger surface area of the cheese to air, which can lead to faster drying and a diminished flavor profile. Block cheese, kept intact until just before use, retains its natural moisture and full, vibrant flavor. Grating it fresh ensures you’re getting the cheese at its peak taste, which translates to a richer, more authentic flavor in your au gratin potatoes. The difference in taste and texture is undeniable, making the extra minute or two of effort truly worthwhile for a restaurant-quality result.

Crafting Your Au Gratin Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating this decadent dish involves a few simple, yet crucial, steps to ensure every layer is infused with flavor and cooked to perfection. The detailed measurements and full instructions are available in the recipe card below, but here’s an overview of how these magnificent au gratin potatoes come together:

1. Prepare Your Dish: Begin by lightly spraying your chosen skillet or baking dish with cooking oil to prevent sticking and aid in browning.
2. Layer the Potatoes: Arrange your uniformly sliced potatoes in the prepared pan. This layering is key to creating a beautiful, multi-dimensional dish.
3. Craft the Creamy Sauce: In a separate bowl or cup, whisk together the milk, chicken broth, heavy cream, onion powder, salt, and pepper. This mixture forms the luscious, savory base that will cook and flavor your potatoes. Drizzle it generously over the potato layers.
4. Add Aromatics and Richness: Evenly sprinkle minced garlic throughout the layers. Then, strategically place chunks of softened cream cheese, allowing them to melt and contribute to the dish’s incredible creaminess.
5. Distribute the Stars: Liberally sprinkle your freshly grated cheese and crispy, crumbled bacon over the potato mixture. This ensures a delightful burst of flavor and texture in every bite.
6. Bake to Perfection: Cover the skillet or dish tightly with foil and bake. The foil traps steam, allowing the potatoes to cook through until tender. Later, removing the foil allows the cheese topping to achieve a glorious golden-brown crust, finishing the dish with a perfect gratin.

Following these steps will guide you to a visually stunning and incredibly flavorful batch of Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese, a dish that’s sure to impress!

Elevate Your Dish: Creative Toppings and Add-ins

While Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese are undeniably delicious on their own, don’t hesitate to personalize this dish with additional toppings and add-ins. These enhancements can introduce new layers of flavor, texture, and visual appeal, making your creation truly unique.

• Ham: Diced cooked ham can add a savory, salty dimension and make the dish even heartier, transforming it into a complete meal.
• Sausage: Crumbled cooked sausage (breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, etc.) offers a bolder, spicier, or more herby flavor, depending on the type, adding a robust character.
• Shrimp or Lobster: For an elevated, luxurious touch, consider adding cooked shrimp or lobster meat. Their delicate sweetness pairs beautifully with the rich cheese and potatoes.
• Chicken: Shredded or diced cooked chicken can turn this side dish into a substantial main course, providing lean protein and a comforting flavor.
• Rosemary: Fresh rosemary sprigs or finely chopped leaves infuse the potatoes with an aromatic, earthy pine-like fragrance that complements savory dishes wonderfully.
• Thyme: Fresh thyme leaves add a subtle, savory, and slightly minty flavor that brightens the rich potato and cheese combination.
• Dill: For a fresh, herbaceous note, especially if you’re leaning into lighter, more delicate cheeses or seafood additions, dill can be a fantastic choice.
• Breadcrumbs: A sprinkle of Panko or regular breadcrumbs on top, especially when mixed with a bit of melted butter, can create an extra crispy, golden crust.
• Sour Cream: A dollop of sour cream served on the side, or swirled into the sauce just before baking, can add a tangy richness and moisture.
• Green Onions: Sliced green onions (scallions) offer a mild oniony bite and a pop of vibrant color, perfect as a fresh garnish.

Planning Ahead: Make-Ahead & Storage Tips

Preparing au gratin potatoes can be a little time-consuming, making it an excellent candidate for advance preparation. With a few smart tips, you can enjoy this delicious dish without last-minute rush, and easily manage any delectable leftovers.

Making it Ahead: You can assemble the entire dish, including layering the potatoes, sauce, cheeses, and bacon, up to a day in advance. Simply cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate. When ready to bake, remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking to allow it to come closer to room temperature, then proceed with the baking instructions as usual. You might need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time to ensure it heats through completely.

Storing Leftovers: Any leftover au gratin potatoes should be stored promptly to maintain freshness and safety. Transfer the cooled leftovers to an airtight container or cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. When properly sealed and refrigerated, they will remain delicious for 3-4 days. Ensure the potatoes are cooled before covering to prevent condensation, which can make the dish watery.

Reheating for Perfect Leftovers

Reheating au gratin potatoes can be tricky, as you want to preserve their creamy texture and avoid drying them out. Here are the best methods to bring your leftovers back to life, ensuring they are as delicious as the first serving:

• Oven or Air Fryer: This is often the best method for retaining the dish’s original texture, especially the crispy cheese topping. Preheat your oven or air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C). Place the au gratin in an oven-safe dish and cover it loosely with foil to prevent excessive browning. Heat for 15-25 minutes, or until thoroughly warmed through. Remove the foil for the last few minutes if you want to crisp up the top layer again.
• Microwave: For a quick reheat, the microwave is a convenient option, though it might result in a slightly softer texture. Place a single serving on a microwave-safe plate. Cover it loosely with a microwave-safe lid or damp paper towel to trap moisture and prevent drying. Heat on high power in 1-minute intervals, stirring or rearranging the potatoes between each interval to ensure even heating. Continue until warm, being careful not to overheat, which can make the cheese tough.

Freezing Au Gratin Potatoes: Is It Possible?

Yes, you can freeze au gratin potatoes, making them a fantastic option for future meals or meal prep. Properly frozen and stored, the potatoes can last for up to 3 months. Beyond this period, you might notice a gradual decline in their quality and flavor, though they would still be safe to eat.

Tips for Freezing: Allow the au gratin to cool completely after baking. For best results, freeze individual portions in airtight, freezer-safe containers or wrap the entire cooled dish tightly in several layers of plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. This dual-layer protection helps prevent freezer burn.

Thawing and Texture: When you’re ready to enjoy, defrost the frozen au gratin overnight in the refrigerator. It’s important to note that freezing and thawing can slightly alter the texture of the dish. Due to its dairy content, some separation may occur upon reheating, and the potatoes might become a bit softer or lose some of their original firmness. While the texture may not be exactly the same as freshly baked, the rich flavors should remain largely intact, still offering a comforting and delicious experience. Reheat slowly in the oven to help re-emulsify the sauce.

Perfect Pairings: What to Serve With Your Au Gratin Potatoes

Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese are a versatile and satisfying side dish that pairs wonderfully with a variety of main courses. Their rich, creamy, and savory profile complements everything from roasted meats to lighter seafood options. Here are some fantastic recipe ideas to complete your meal:

• Blackened Chicken: The spicy, robust flavors of blackened chicken offer a delightful contrast to the creamy potatoes.
• Baked Turkey Legs: A hearty and comforting pairing, perfect for a family dinner.
• Dry Rub Chicken Wings: The crispy, flavorful wings make a fun and casual companion.
• Blackened Catfish: A lighter, yet flavorful, seafood option that balances the richness of the potatoes.
• Fish and Grits: While these potatoes are a starch, they can be an alternative to traditional grits or served alongside the fish.

Beyond these suggestions, consider serving your au gratin potatoes with roasted beef, pork tenderloin, grilled steak, or a simple green salad to cut through the richness. The possibilities are endless!

If you’re interested in a slow cooker version, check out our Slow Cooker Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes.

Au Gratin Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese

By Brandi Crawford

These Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese are the ultimate comfort food experience. Creamy layers of tender potatoes are generously smothered in a blend of melted cheeses, creating a velvety texture that will melt in your mouth. We’ve taken it to the next level by adding crispy, savory bacon to the mix, delivering a heavenly combination of flavors that will leave you craving for more.

5 out of 5 stars from 2 votes

Print Recipe
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Prep Time
20 minutesmins

Cook Time
1 hourhr 20 minutesmins

Total Time
1 hourhr 40 minutesmins

Course
dinner, lunch

Cuisine
American

Servings
6 servings

Calories
454 kcal

Equipment

• 12 inch Cast Iron Skillet
• Mandoline Slicer

Ingredients

• 3 pounds russet potatoes Peeled and sliced into rounds ⅛-1/4 inch thick. Ensure the slices are evenly sized.
• 1 cup chicken broth Any broth will work.
• 1 cup milk Any milk is fine, including plant-based milk.
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 oz cream cheese Measured solid, softened, and sliced into 1 inch chunks.
• 2-3 garlic cloves Minced.
• 4-5 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup grated gouda cheese
• ½ cup grated Gruyere cheese Optional, see notes.
• foil
• cooking oil spray

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200°C).
2. Spray a 12-inch cast iron skillet or 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking oil spray.
3. Add the sliced potatoes to the pan/skillet.
4. Combine the milk, broth, heavy cream, onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl or cup. Drizzle the mixture evenly over the potatoes.
5. Sprinkle the minced garlic throughout the potato layers and add the chunks of cream cheese. I like to tuck them between the potato slices for even melting.
6. Generously sprinkle the grated cheese and crumbled bacon throughout the dish. Top the skillet/dish with foil, ensuring it’s sealed.
7. Bake for 60 minutes covered. After 60 minutes, carefully remove the foil and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a fork. If your potato slices are not uniform in size, some may cook faster than others, leading to uneven texture.
8. Cool before serving to allow the sauce to set and the flavors to meld beautifully.

Notes

• Half-and-half or milk can be used as a substitute for heavy cream, but note that these are less thick and will result in a thinner sauce texture.
• Feel free to add more cheese than noted in the recipe if you desire an extra cheesy dish.
• This recipe is highly customizable! Use your favorite cheese blend or experiment with different types to find your perfect flavor.
• Gruyere, with its nutty and slightly sweet flavor, melts beautifully and adds a rich, complex taste, giving the dish a restaurant-quality feel. It’s highly recommended but can be omitted if preferred.
• Potatoes are naturally bland, so salt is essential for flavor, even with the bacon. If you’re concerned about over-salting, add salt progressively and taste the sauce before assembling, or adjust at the end.
• Foil is crucial during the initial baking stage. It traps heat and moisture, ensuring the potatoes cook through evenly and remain tender without drying out or excessively browning too quickly.
• A 12-inch cast iron skillet perfectly accommodates this recipe. If using a 10-inch skillet, be aware that there might be some spillover as the dish bakes and the sauce simmers.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving
Calories: 454 kcal
Carbohydrates: 40g
Protein: 18g
Fat: 25g

Nutrition Data Disclaimer

Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information for any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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