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These Au Gratin Potatoes with American Cheese are a classic comfort food side dish recipe from my family’s Chicago supper club restaurant. This tasty side dish is loaded with cheeses, milk, potatoes, and spices! Served in casserole dishes or individual ramekins for the perfect accompaniment to your dinner.

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This Au Gratin Potatoes recipe comes from my grandparent’s old Chicago supper club Murphy’s. And let me just say, I am here for the amount of cheese in this dish. This is an absolute family staple, it’s a cozy and delicious treat!

This is still a family favorite for us, my dad will make a huge pan for ‘special occasions.’ I make this family recipe every time I make my famous Beef Bourguignon recipe… they go perfectly hand in hand. The below recipe makes a giant quantity of potatoes, as it was the restaurant recipe. Feel free to half or even quarter the recipe for your needs… but I’m going to keep the recipe as-is below to preserve it in the family archives. Hey, I’m a archivist, provenance is everything!

This Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe Is:

Creamy
Delicious
Decadent
Loaded with Flavor
A Fantastic Side Dish
A Classic Chicago Restaurant Recipe!

Comfort Food Potato Recipes for the WIN!

This au gratin potato recipe is the tastiest, coziest dinner meal. It’s perfect for a hearty side dish for the family, and also great to make for company if you are having guests for dinner. It makes a great holiday dish as well. Most of the time spent making the recipe is boiling potatoes, so you can enjoy hands-off time while you prep sides or a salad!

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What’s In These Au Gratin Potatoes with American Cheese?

Yellow Potatoes – I like yellow potatoes for this recipe as they are a bit easier to grate than russets.
Butter – I like to use unsalted butter to reduce the amount of sodium in my cooking.
All Purpose Flour
Sea Salt
Whole Milk – highly recommend using whole milk for ultimate creaminess… if you’re going to make this dish, then go all out (skip the skim)!
American Cheese – this recipe was created circa 1960s in Chicago, and I have a feeling the American Cheese of the past is vastly different than that of today. First of all, it’s near impossible to grate modern American cheese because it’s so processed and soft. So I break it up with my hands into small pieces or cut it into fine cubes with a knife.
Parmesan Cheese – gives that extra bit of flavor and richness to this dish. Whether you use a sharp real cheese parmesan, adding a little extra into the sauce (and for garnish) makes this dish extra.
Paprika – for a hint of spice and great flavor!

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How Do I Make Au Gratin Potatoes with American Cheese?

Peel potatoes, and boil them in a pot of hot water for about 30-40 minutes, until tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
Once cool, grate the potatoes with a regular cheese grater.
In a pan over medium heat: melt butter, add flour and blend slowly. Add 1/2 of the milk and all of the cheese. When cheese is melted add salt and remaining milk. Add grated potatoes and mix well until a medium custard consistency forms.
Place potatoes in individual casserole dishes or ramekins. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and paprika on top. Bake in hot over or broiler until cheese is bubbling. Enjoy!

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If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!