Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes with a Secret Ingredient

My secret ingredient for homemade Au Gratin potatoes is a bit of Miracle Whip. It adds a bit of tang to the potatoes while keeping them creamy.

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Potatoes have always been a favorite of mine. In high school, when I got home from school, I would often make a package of instant mashed potatoes. Au Gratin potatoes are delicious, but we didn’t have them very often. Or, if we did, it was a boxed package. Now, don’t get me wrong, those are good, but not as good as homemade comfort food.

When I set out to make my own au gratin potatoes, I used my potato salad recipe as a starter. That’s one of the few things I use Miracle Whip in, and I like the tang it adds. I knew I wanted to do the same with these potatoes.

Oh, and they had to be cheesy (of course) with a creamy sauce. In other words, I wanted the perfect au gratin potato recipe. On the first try, I got really close to what I was looking for! After a bit of tweaking and remaking, I ended up with this amazing recipe.

Au Gratin potatoes are a perfect side dish to turkey at your next holiday table. It’s something different than regular mashed potatoes since this is a special meal.

Au Gratin Potatoes Ingredients

Miracle Whip

Miracle Whip adds a bit of a tang to recipes. I like the subtle added flavor it gives these potatoes over using mayonnaise. 

Salt and Pepper

Seasoning. Everything needs a little bit of seasoning. 

Cheddar Cheese

I prefer to use extra sharp cheddar cheese. Again, I like the strong flavor of it. But if you prefer, you can use mild cheddar cheese or any other kind of cheese you like with cheesy potatoes.

Russet Potatoes

While russet potatoes work well for this recipe, you can also make it with another kind of potatoes. I would also try with red potatoes, yukon golds, or other baking potatoes. The sliced potatoes are the main part of the dish, so make sure you choose good potatoes. Look for starchy potatoes as that helps to thicken the cheesy sauce while it bakes. 

Heavy Whipping Cream

The heavy cream is the base of the sauce in this recipe. You want a good, thick, delicious cream sauce for au gratin potatoes. If you don’t have heavy whipping cream, substitute with 1 1/2 cups of whole milk. You want to lower the amount a little bit so it doesn’t make the sauce too thin. 

Parmesan Cheese

The best cheese is the cheese you shred yourself. I highly suggest getting a block of parmesan cheese and shredding it fresh for this recipe. If you can’t get parmesan, you could substitute with gruyere cheese. 

Parsley

The parsley is just for a garnish at the end. You could also try it with fresh thyme if you prefer that flavor. 

Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe Add-Ins

As with any recipe you make yourself, there are always things you could add in to change the taste and customize it to your family’s preferences. Try any one of these great additions:

• Add fresh garlic to the Miracle Whip mixture
• Top with bread crumbs before baking for a crunchy topping on top of the potatoes
• Mix diced yellow onion into the potatoes

Au Gratin Potatoes Step by Step

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Miracle Whip Dressing
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
• 3 lb russet potatoes (peeled)
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp parsley

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with oil.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the miracle whip, salt, and pepper. Stir in the cheddar cheese.

Cut the potatoes into 1/8-inch thin slices. I found that my mandolin slicer was perfect for this. The slices were all the same size and it made the job quick and easy. Arrange half of the potato slices in the bottom of the baking dish in a single layer of potatoes.

Spread half of the miracle whip mixture over the potatoes.

Place remaining potatoes on miracle whip. Top with remaining miracle whip mixture. Pour heavy whipping cream over everything.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour, until potatoes are tender. Uncover the baking dish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Broil for 2 minutes until cheese is lightly browned. Let stand for 10 minutes and garnish with parsley.

Au Gratin Potatoes Leftovers

Storage: Let the potatoes come to room temperature. Store leftover au gratin potatoes in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container.

Reheating: To reheat, place back in the oven until warm. Or you can heat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often.

Recipe

Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

My secret ingredient for homemade Au Gratin potatoes is a bit of Miracle Whip. It adds a bit of tang to the potatoes while keeping them creamy.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Standing Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Course:

Appetizer

|

Side Dish

Cuisine:

American

Diet

Vegetarian

Keyword:

au gratin potatoes

|

miracle whip

|

potatoes

Dietary Needs:

Egg-Free

|

Gluten-Free

|

Nut-Free

Servings: 6 cups

5 from 7 votes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Miracle Whip Dressing
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
• 3 lb russet potatoes (peeled)
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp parsley

Recommended Equipment

• Glass Baking Dish
• Mixing Bowls – Stainless Steel
• Whisk – Wire
• Box Grater
• Mandolin Slicer
• Aluminum Foil

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F
• Coat a 9×13 baking dish with oil
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the miracle whip, salt, and pepper
• Stir in the cheddar cheese
• Cut the potatoes into 1/8 inch thick slices
• Arrange half of the slices in the bottom of the baking dish in a single layer
• Spread half of the miracle whip mixture over the potatoes
• Place remaining potatoes on miracle whip
• Top with remaining miracle whip mixture
• Pour heavy whipping cream over everything
• Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour, until potatoes are tender
• Uncover the baking dish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese
• Broil for 2 minutes until cheese is lightly browned
• Let stand for 10 minutes and garnish with parsley

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Nutrition Facts

Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 531 Calories from Fat 315

% Daily Value*

Fat 35g54%

Saturated Fat 21g105%

Cholesterol 124mg41%

Sodium 744mg31%

Potassium 1025mg29%

Carbohydrates 47g16%

Fiber 3g12%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 1372IU27%

Vitamin C 14mg17%

Calcium 215mg22%

Iron 2mg11%

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

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

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Photos from the boys