If you’re looking for a hearty meal, this Slow Cooker Beef and Potato Au Gratin is the perfect recipe to try. Packed with hearty Russet potatoes, ground beef, and simple flavors, your family will love this dinner choice.
I love a hearty one-pot meal in the slow cooker like this one and my Seasoned Chicken and Veggies Recipe or Homestyle Pot Roast Dinner.
What is potato au gratin?
Au gratin potatoes are often confused with scalloped potatoes because they look similar. While scalloped potatoes typically call for a mix of milk and heavy cream, potato au gratin ingredients include lots of shredded cheese between its layers.
For this particular recipe, a combination of ground beef, white onion, and shredded sharp cheese are layered before slowly being cooked to perfection. Who knew you could make potatoes au gratin with ground beef?
Recipe Ingredients
- Potatoes: The potatoes go in the slow cooker peeled; though I don’t mind skin on for most recipes, this one tastes great without. Be sure the potatoes are thinly sliced.
- Ground Beef: Adding beef to the recipe makes this au gratin potato dish a complete meal.
- Seasonings: These potatoes need heavy seasoning, so I went heavy with salt and pepper and added garlic powder, paprika, and parsley.
- Onion: White onion adds flavor and heartiness to this delicious casserole recipe.
- Beef broth: Evenly poured over all the layers to help everything cook evenly. Chicken broth works in a pinch!
- Cheese: It’s best to use a block of sharp cheddar cheese for shredding as it melts the best in meals like this.
Step One – Brown ground beef on the stovetop in a large skillet; add salt and pepper to taste.
Step Two – Mix the paprika, garlic powder, parsley, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Step Three – Peel and slice russet potatoes thinly and lay them on the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Add half of the potatoes to the slow cooker. Sprinkle over half of the onions and half of the seasonings.
Step Four – Add half of the meat.
Step Five – Sprinkle over half of the cheese.
Step Six – Add the remaining potato slices, seasoning, and onion.
Step Seven – Add the remaining beef.
Step Eight – Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and drizzle over the beef broth.
How to serve
- Since this is a one-pot meal, you can serve it as-is by scooping a nice serving into a bowl. If anything, garnish the top with fresh parsley.
- You can’t go wrong with sour cream and extra cheese for additional tasty topping suggestions.
- This is a proper comfort food, so garlic bread, garlic sticks, or homemade rolls also complement this casserole perfectly.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Brown one package (12-16 ounces) of bacon, crumble and use it in place of the beef in this recipe. You can also use ground turkey.
Use any potatoes (red, gold, or white potatoes). Just be sure they are thinly sliced. You can even use sweet potatoes for an entirely different meal.
You can stir together a can of mushroom soup with the beef broth before pouring it over the finished layers.
Add any remaining beef and potatoes to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the leftovers on the stove top over medium heat.
You can leave the skin on the potatoes if desired; it’s a personal preference.
Try more of my ground beef recipes:
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Slow Cooker Beef and Potatoes Au Gratin
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground beef plus a touch of salt and pepper to season
- 3 lbs. peeled russet potatoes sliced a ¼ inch thick (about 7 cups total after being sliced)
- 1 cup thinly sliced white onion
- 1 tsp. paprika
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. parsley
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheese
- ½ cup beef broth or chicken broth
Instructions:
- Brown the ground beef on the stove top, drain fat. Add a touch of salt and pepper to season.
- In a small bowl combine the paprika, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Add half of the potatoes in the slow cooker. Sprinkle over half of the onions, half of the seasonings, half of the meat, and half of the cheese. Repeat the layers again.
- Drizzle over the broth evenly over the layers.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Do not open the lid during the cooking time or the potatoes will not get soft.
- Serve and enjoy!
How to Video:
Sarah’s Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Need an Instant Pot Version of this? Try this version:
Instant Pot Beef and Potato Au Gratin from The Centsable Shoppin’
Brandi says
If cooking in the oven, what temp would you set it for and for how long?
Letty says
Can I prepare everything and put in the refrigerator for the next day to cook
Sarah Olson says
I’m unsure if the potatoes would brown while in the fridge.
Tim says
Can I use ground chicken instead?
Sarah Olson says
Sure! If that’s what you like.
Timeka says
Can you make this recipe on top of the stove & if so, what would the cooking time be?
Rachel Bates says
I cooked in a stockpot on the stove top. I browned the meat, and didn’t drain. Added the seasonings and the broth, then added the potatoes and onions. I covered the dish, and cooked on medium about 15 minutes, then stirred and recovered and cooked another 15 minutes. I continued this cycle until potatoes were cooked and began to crumble with stirring. I turned off the heat, added cheese, and covered once more for 5 minutes to allow the cheese to melt. It was a hit– other than cooking on the stovetop, my only variation was no parsley, and added a little seasoned salt.
I says
Can I cook this recipe in the crockpot for 8 hrs. On low instead of 4 hrs. On high?
Sarah Olson says
I think 6-7 hours is the most I would do.
Jennifer says
I don’t have fresh parsley, but I have dried parsley. Is that ok?
Sarah Olson says
that is what I used. 🙂
Kelly says
I was thinking it said Crock Pot. Will the cooking time be the same? I did add an extra 4 ounces of Chicken Broth as I didn’t think 4 ounces would be enough.
Sarah Olson says
Crock pot is a brand of slow cooker. It should be fine!
Elex Gipson says
Would it be a good idea to boil the potatoes first or will they be done by just adding to slow cooker?
Sarah Olson says
They cook in the slow cooker. Keep the lid on the entire cook time.
Peggy says
Is this gluten free
Sarah Olson says
If the broth you use is gluten free, it would be.
Tiffany says
Should my potatoes be covered in broth
Sarah Olson says
no, it’s there mostly to steam them and keep the potaotes from burning.
Donna Pratt says
Thinking I have everything I start to make this and oops no cheese only Laughing Cow and Cheddar cheese slices …in they go to replace the shredded cheddar … we will see how it turns out …doubled the broth–chicken as I used turkey ground and without the proper cheese want to make sure its not dry
Sarah Olson says
I think it will be fine! Let me know how you like it.
stacy says
If I double the recipe. would it be the same cooking time? or longer?
Brandie says
Has anyone tried this recipe for 8 hours on LOW rather than the 4 hours on HIGH in their crockpot? Still ok?
Karenish says
I finally got around to making this last night. Sooooo good! I used my mandolin to slice my red and white potatoes, so they were thinner than the 1/4″ called for, but the 4 hours was still the perfect cooking time. Thanks for the great recipe. Once already shared it.