Use German potato salad to make a super quick potato cheese casserole. The perfect side dish for holiday meals, steak dinners, and backyard barbecues.
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A quick potato gratin
Potatoes au gratin or potato gratin is simply a potato cheese casserole with a crisped top. Au gratin means topped with cheese or crispy bread crumbs, and this super easy side dish has both!
I make a stunning potato gratin recipe with Yukon Gold and sweet potatoes that will impress the crowd. It's in my cookbook Live Life Deliciously, but I've included it on the blog to give you a taste of what's in my book!
THIS recipe for potato cheese casserole takes a shortcut route to cheesy potatoes gratin. And using already cooked and seasoned, sliced potatoes makes it so quick you can eat it with any meal - and make holiday meal prep a breeze.
Potatoes and creamy cheese sauce baked in the oven can take up to an hour just to cook in the oven. I wanted the same taste and texture in half the time!
I used Read German potato salad to make a super quick potato gratin. The potatoes are already cooked for me! I simply add the creamy cheese sauce and cook until bubbly and golden.
Read German potato salad adds flavor
German potato salad is traditionally a boiled potato salad seasoned with a tangy and sweet vinegar dressing. Many contain bacon and herbs for extra flavor.
Read German potato salad comes in convenient cans, right from the grocery store, and has the same great flavor of a traditional recipe.
The bacon in the salad adds a delicious smoky flavor and since it's already cooked it can be eaten cold or heated.
I have added a cheese sauce and baked my recipe until hot, creating a glorious potato cheese casserole that's great as a side dish for any meal.
Potato cheese casserole in half the time
A combo of your classic potatoes gratin and tangy German potatoes allows you to make a great German potato salad casserole.
Of course, there are tender sliced potatoes, a cheesy, creamy sauce, herbs and bacon flavor, and a crispy top. They are the best home made cheesy potatoes you'll ever make.
The best part: you can make it in half the time! Here are my tricks.
- -Use prepared German potato salad already flavored with a piquant and sweet dressing.
- -Make a quick cheese béchamel sauce on the stove so you don't have to wait for it to come together in the oven.
- -Top with cheese and broil it to get a golden crust.
- -Crispy toasted bread crumbs to give it the classic au gratin bite.
What to eat with German potato salad cheesy casserole
Simple German potato salad is a summertime staple. Served at barbecues and cookouts. In fact, I have a collection of recipes for potato salad, and many are German style.
Adding cheese and serving German potato salad hot turns it into a genius side dish.
The big cooking holidays call for really great side dishes. Thanksgiving kicks off the cooking season and holds rank as having the best sides! However, Thanksgiving and Christmas aren't the only time to eat this potato cheese casserole.
Here are some main dishes that answer the question of what to eat with German potato salad made into a cheesy casserole.
- Glazed Holiday Ham with Pomegranates
- Classic Roasted Turkey
- Spiced Honey Ham
- Roast Leg of Lamb
- Prime Rib with Horseradish Cream
📖 Recipe
Shortcut Potato Cheese Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup (½-oz) finely grated Parmesan
- 1½ cups (6 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon fresh)
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley (or ½ teaspoon chopped fresh)
- 3 cans (15-oz each) READ German Potato Salad
- 3 tbsp panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375ºF.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and flour together. Whisk in milk, salt and garlic powder and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. When milk thickens after about 2 minutes, stir in Parmesan and 1 cup sharp cheddar.
- Remove from heat and stir until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in thyme and parsley. Gently stir in the cans of READ German Potato Salad.
- Transfer mixture to a 2½-to-3 quart baking dish. Arrange some potato slices in rows of shingles on top if desired.
- Bake casserole until heated through and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Heat broiler to high.
- Top casserole with remaining ½ cup of shredded sharp cheddar and bread crumbs. Place under the broiler and cook until top is dark golden and bread crumbs are getting crisp, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Serve hot, topped with extra herbs if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Main Dish Recipes
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- Beef Tenderloin with Fresh Cranberry Relish
- Thanksgiving Leftovers Poutine with Sweet Potato Fries
- How To Grill Pork Tenderloin: Topped with Goat Cheese, Rosemary, and Honey
- The Best Mexican Meatballs With Chipotle And Adobo
- Real Cashew Chicken Recipe
- Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps
About Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in the food publishing business for over 20 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television & advertising. Order my new cookbook & stick around for amazing things to eat.
Megan Palmer says
I love potato salad! This recipe reminds me of funeral potatoes but even better!
Mia says
This looks like a tasty little side dish! Thank you for a new twist!