Bacon Cheddar Beer Potatoes Au Gratin
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Bacon Cheddar Beer Potatoes Au Gratin are your favorite rich and creamy potatoes taken to a whole new level with bacon, cheese and beer.
Are you looking for the perfect side dish? I have been dreaming of a side dish so insanely divine that I would need to build a meal around it.
Table of Contents
Bacon Cheddar Beer Potatoes Au Gratin
Loaded with bacon, beer and cheese I am pretty sure this is it!!! Even though I am not a big beer drinker (I would much rather sip on a glass of merlot) I really love the flavor beer gives to a dish when cooked with it.
We have had many bacon cheese loves in our food experience. But, none have come so close to perfection.
These potatoes are rich, creamy, tender, bacony, cheesy and boast a lovely flavor from the beer. You are printing this recipe out… Right? You have to try this.
So, back to this story… I thought I was just about to the point of side dish perfection with the Bacon Hasselback Potatoes.
It was so close, but just a tiny bit short of being the consummate side. (I think if it had beer in it, I would have flipped though).
So here we are, a traditional potatoes au gratin turned into a heavenly Bacon Cheddar Beer Potatoes Au Gratin. Did you flinch? Bacon, cheddar and beer with potatoes?
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Recipe Tips
- If you do not have chicken broth, you can heat 1/2 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon to substitute.
What to Serve with Au Gratin Potatoes
Oh yes, there is nothing light about this dish. It is intentionally rich and decadent. Lighten the guilt, and serve it with a salad.
I recommend making my copycat recipe for Olive Garden Italian Dressing to go with it!!
Enjoy!
With love from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Check out more of our favorite potato side dishes
Bacon Cheddar Beer Potatoes Au Gratin
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ stick
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground chile de arbol, or ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup Belgian style wheat beer, such as Blue Moon
- 1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken stock
- 8 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 3/4 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 24 ounces cooked bacon, drained and chopped
- 3 pounds red potatoes, thinly sliced
Instructions
- PREHEAT OVEN: Move the rack to the center and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 3 quart casserole dish.
- MAKE ROUX: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter. Sprinkle in ¼ cup all-purpose flour and whisk for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture smells nutty.
- SEASON SAUCE: Whisk in 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground chile de arbol, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper until combined.
- ADD LIQUIDS: Slowly whisk in ½ cup Belgian style wheat beer and ½ cup chicken stock until smooth with no lumps.
- MELT CHEESE: Add 8 ounces shredded mild cheddar cheese and whisk until fully melted and smooth.
- FINISH SAUCE: Whisk in ¾ cup half-and-half, 1 cup whole milk, and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to low to keep warm.
- LAYER POTATOES: Add a layer of thinly sliced red potatoes to the prepared casserole dish. Spoon about ½ cup cheese sauce over the potatoes. Continue layering potatoes and sauce. Halfway through, sprinkle half of the chopped bacon over the sauce layer. Reserve the remaining bacon.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 70 to 90 minutes until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a knife.
- ADD BACON TOPPING: Uncover, sprinkle the remaining bacon on top, and bake 10 minutes more.
- REST AND SERVE: Let the dish rest for 20 minutes so the sauce can thicken before serving.
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published August 2012. Updated and republished October 2018.
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
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We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
I love a good Belgian beer, and I love cheese. OK I love potatoes too. Bacon – yup you got me there. I could eat this for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Sounds terrific.
Bacon, cheddar and potatoes, I'm there. Not sure about the beer. How does it enhance the flavor of the dish?
Sure, I go away for a week and you try to sneak this past me while I'm gone? I FRIGGIN' (real word) LOVE this idea!!!!!! Beer cheese soup is a favorite of mine but this could very well come in second. Genius!
Picture looks absolutely amazing! not a beer fan.. but willing to give it a try! thanks for sharing!
does the alcohol cook off enough to allow minors to eat it ?????
It does cook off. If you are uncomfortable you can use chicken broth in its place.
Enjoy!
I am not a beer lover, but recently discovered the advantages of cooking with beer: rich, deep flavors, boosts color, makes people ask: "what did you put in here? it's really good!" I used oatmeal stout in my favorite baked potato soup – substituting about 1/3 of the half-n-half/milk called for with the stout. It was absolutely delicious! I would not hesitate to use beer in this type of recipe – can't wait to try this for my family!
Do you need to cover these while baking?
I would not cover it as you want it to get browned on top. I made this last week and it was a huge hit. I used Sierra Nevada Snow Wit White IPA as the beer and it was a great choice. I think next time I might use half cheddar and half muenster. I also tried a crust of breadcrumbs on top but it got too soggy–I think next time I might try crushed potato chips.
I agree that cooking with beer adds a real depth of flavor – and these flavors go so perfectly together. I may have to make these tonight!
I am new to your blog and it looks great! I would love to learn about what skillets/pots and pans you use and recommend. Thanks!
Thanks ApplePie,
We actually have one coming up this month with one of our favorites!
GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yum TY
I am attending an office Thanksgiving potluck and our office has no oven, so I was wondering if this could be made in a crock pot?
I am absolutely loving your recipes! Last week I made your bacon beer cheese soup, and my husband and I finished the pot in one night! His favorite dish is scalloped potatoes-i want to surprise him tonight with a killer version of it. And this is it! Thank you so much! Your sight is so colorful, clean, and creative. It inspires me to want to cook more and try new dishes.
I am absolutely loving your recipes! Last week I made your bacon beer cheese soup, and my husband and I finished the pot in one night! His favorite dish is scalloped potatoes-i want to surprise him tonight with a killer version of it. And this is it! Thank you so much! Your sight is so colorful, clean, and creative. It inspires me to want to cook more and try new dishes.
Thanks so much, Jessie!!! We are so happy you enjoyed it!!
Have you ever put this together in advance and cooked it the next day? It looks amazing!
In your instructions, you state ‘Slowly add beer, chicken half and half’. Do you mean ‘and half and half’?
That is correct Nancy! I edited the directions. Thank you!
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Holy cow! I love Au Gratin potatoes and this just stepped it up to a new level LOL. The bacon and beer flavor just made it that much better!