Making a ham soon? Potluck brunch on the books? Just really really love cheesy, creamy potatoes? These Smoked Au Gratin potatoes are easy, made from scratch, topped with crunchy panko breadcrumbs, and smoked on our pellet grill!
Traeger Au Gratin Potatoes
Cheesy potatoes are definitely in my top 10 foods. What’s not to love about creamy, cheesy carbs, AMIRITE? These ones are made from scratch, but don’t let that scare you off. The ingredients are simple, the process is too, and the end result is way worth the effort to make these yourself and not out of a box.
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Smoked Au Gratin Potatoes shopping list
Wondering if you have to hit the store? Here’s the list of items you’ll need to make this recipe. For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Russet Potatoes
- Butter
- Flour
- Garlic
- Heavy Cream
- Whole Milk
- Salt
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Black Pepper
- Cheddar Cheese
- Smoked Gouda
- Panko Breadcrumbs
Try our Smoked Scalloped Potatoes too!
How to make Scalloped Potatoes in the pellet grill
This is just the overview so you can see what you’re actually getting into here. When you are cooking, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
1
Preheat your smoker
225°F is the goal!
2
Make the sauce
Melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for a few minutes. Add in the cream and seasonings. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until the liquid is thickened. Add in the whole milk, if necessary. (The sauce should be the consistency of gravy. Thick, but pourable. Only add the milk in if it is thicker than that.)
3
Build the casserole
Grease your baking dish and layer in some potatoes. Top with half the cheese and half the sauce. Top that with the other half of the potatoes, cheese, and sauce. Top with the breadcrumbs.
4
Smoke
Put the casserole in the pellet grill and smoke for an hour. Turn the temp up to 325° and continue smoking until the potatoes are fork tender.
5
Brown the top
Optionally, if your Traeger doesn’t quite do the trick for browning the top of your potatoes, you can stick them under the broiler. Just be careful! As you can see, I was really close to losing this pan walking away from the broiler for a second!
Try this with our Double-Smoked Brown Sugar Ham!
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FAQ
How do you store leftovers?
Covered in the fridge. These are easy, and can be made ahead of time too and reheated before serving.
What’s the best way to reheat leftovers?
If you’re reheating a single serving the microwave or air fryer is the best bet. Making a whole pan? The oven or pellet grill works!
What’s the difference between au gratin and scalloped potatoes?
They are very similar, but traditionally scalloped potatoes don’t contain any cheese. Au Gratin Potatoes DO, and also tend to have a crunchy topping (but some do not).
Looking for Easter Recipes? We’ve got all of them here!
More recipes to enjoy!
- Pork Belly Burnt Ends
- Smoked Brisket
- Spatchcock Chicken
- Pancit Bihon
- Smoked Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- Beer Can Chicken
- Smoked Hamburgers
- Smoked Chicken Thighs
- Traeger Salmon
- Traeger Pulled Pork
- Smoked Tri-Tip
- Poor Man’s Burnt Ends
- Traeger Pulled Pork
- Smoked Beef Ribs
Traeger Au Gratin Potatoes
These delicious homemade scalloped potatoes are cooked right on your pellet grill! There's nothing like wood-fired flavor to add that missing piece to your next bbq or holiday meal.
Ingredients
- 4 large Russet Potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons flour, all-purpose
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 12 slices smoked gouda
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat your pellet grill to 225°, following to factory instructions.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt your butter. Whisk in the flour until there are no more lumps. Cook, whisking frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic for the last 2 minutes of cooking the roux.
- Stir in the cream, salt, onion & garlic powders, and black pepper.
- Heat over medium heat until simmering, stirring continuously, until thickened.
- Add in the whole milk, if necessary. (The sauce should be the consistency of gravy. Thick, but pourable. Only add the milk in if it is thicker than that.)
- Coat a 2.5 quart baking dish with butter. Layer half of your sliced potatoes inside, and put half the cheeses on top of the potatoes. Pour half the sauce over the potatoes.
- Layer the rest of the potatoes on top, top with the remaining cheese, and pour the rest of the sauce on top. Sprinkle the top with the panko breadcrumbs.
- Smoke for one hour at 225°. Turn the heat up to 325°. Cook for an additional hour, or until the potatoes are fork tender. (How long this takes depends on the type of potato, how thick they are sliced, and how thick they are layered.)
- Optional - brown the top of the casserole under the broiler if the grill doesn't do the trick! You can also pre-toast the crumbs before putting them on the casserole if you would rather do it that way!
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 643Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 132mgSodium: 921mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 23g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate. If you are tracking these things for medical purposes please consult an outside, trusted source. Thanks!
Nicole Johnson
Nicole Johnson, a self-taught expert in grilling and outdoor cooking, launched Or Whatever You Do in 2010. Her blog, renowned for its comprehensive and creative outdoor cooking recipes, has garnered a vast audience of millions. Nicole's hands-on experience and passion for grilling shine through her work. Her husband, Jeremiah Johnson, also plays a pivotal role in recipe development, adding his culinary flair to the mix. Together, they form a dynamic duo, offering a rich and varied outdoor cooking experience to their followers.
Penny McCarty
Sunday 31st of March 2024
My family loves this and requests it often. The only thing missing j. The recipe is when to add the garlic cloves. I mince mine and add with the cream and seasoning and seems to work out fine.
Nicole Johnson
Monday 1st of April 2024
Whoops! I corrected that mistake in the recipe card. You added yours at the perfect time though. Thanks for pointing that out!