Name: French Onion Potato Bake with Cheesy Layers – Side Dish Recipes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced; 2 tablespoons butter; 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried); 1 cup beef broth; 1 cup heavy cream; 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese; Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; Optional: chopped parsley for garnish

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Let’s talk comfort food. This French Onion Potato Bake is one of those side dish recipes that sneaks onto your plate and steals the whole show. It’s buttery, cheesy, golden on top, and packed with the deep, slow-cooked flavor of homemade French onion soup. The kind of dish your grandmother might’ve made, only now it’s dressed up for a dinner party. We’re working with thin slices of potato—soft on the inside, a little crisp on the edge—smothered in caramelized onion, cream, and sharp cheddar cheese. It tastes like a cross between baked French onion soup and a cozy potato casserole, with that unmistakable old fashioned home cooking flavor that makes everyone go back for seconds. Or thirds. I’ve tried this with everything from roast chicken to green bean casserole, and it works every time. Want to keep things simple? Just this and a side of greens, and you’ve got dinner. It also scratches the itch if you’re craving side dish recipes easy enough to throw together on a weeknight, but still layered and rich enough to bring to a holiday table.

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy French Onion Potato Bake Recipe
3) Ingredients for French Onion Potato Bake
4) How to Make French Onion Potato Bake
5) Tips for Making French Onion Potato Bake
6) Making French Onion Potato Bake Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover French Onion Potato Bake
8) Try these Side Dish Recipes next!
9) French Onion Potato Bake Recipe
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

This dish blends potatoes, onions, cream, and cheese for a rich bite.
Caramelizing onions properly gives depth and sweetness.
You can prep it in advance and it reheats beautifully.
Pairs well with any protein or as a holiday potluck star.

2) Easy French Onion Potato Bake Recipe

This isn’t your average side. French Onion Potato Bake is where your basic potato dish shakes off its predictability and shows up with flavor and a crispy cheese top. Think of it as a casserole with better manners and a warm personality.

I started making this one night when I had extra potatoes and no desire to make plain mashed anything. We had soup on the brain, specifically French onion, and I thought, “What if that soup had a cheesy, potato-y cousin?” So, I sliced up those gold beauties, caramelized some onions until they were nearly jam, and baked it all in cream and broth. Let’s just say we didn’t talk much at the table. Too busy eating.

It fits right into your folder of old fashioned home cooking recipes, and even better, it ticks all the boxes of side dish recipes easy, comforting, and weeknight-worthy. If French onion soup met scalloped potatoes and they got along—this would be their happy result. Stick around and I’ll show you how to make it the way we do at Healthy Living Mindset.

3) Ingredients for French Onion Potato Bake

6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced: These potatoes cook up tender and hold their shape. You’ll want them sliced thin so they cook evenly and soak up that oniony goodness.

2 tablespoons butter: Use real butter here. It helps coax the sweetness out of the onions as they caramelize.

2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced: They’ll shrink a lot, so don’t worry if it looks like a mountain at first. These are the heart of that French onion flavor.

2 cloves garlic, minced: Adds a mellow richness. Let it cook just enough to mellow the sharpness.

1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried): Brings a woodsy aroma that makes the dish feel earthy and homey.

1 cup beef broth: Adds that soup base feel. It binds everything and gives depth that water or plain cream wouldn’t.

1 cup heavy cream: For the luscious, creamy element. It soaks into the potatoes and makes every bite feel rich without being too heavy.

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese: We use this for that deep, savory layer and gooey finish. You can swap in Gruyère if you’re chasing the soup vibe harder.

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste: Season each layer lightly as you build it. Potatoes love salt, but keep it balanced.

Optional: chopped parsley for garnish: It brightens the final plate and makes it look less like you forgot the vegetables.

4) How to Make French Onion Potato Bake

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 375°F and grease a 9 by 13 baking dish. Don’t skip this. You don’t want your cheesy masterpiece sticking to the pan.

Step 2. Melt butter in a big skillet over medium heat. Toss in the onions and cook them low and slow. Stir them often and let them turn golden and sweet. This takes time—about 20 minutes. Trust me, it’s worth it.

Step 3. Stir in garlic and thyme, let them bloom for a couple of minutes, then add the beef broth. Let it simmer until slightly reduced. That’s your flavor magic happening right there.

Step 4. Layer half the potatoes into the dish. Season with salt and pepper. Pour half the onion mixture over the top. Repeat the layers again. Press it down gently with a spatula to help it settle.

Step 5. Pour the cream evenly over the top. Then scatter all the shredded cheddar like you’re tucking it in for a warm cheesy nap.

Step 6. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Then remove the foil and let it bake another 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly around the edges.

Step 7. Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving. If you sprinkle parsley, it’ll look like you know what you’re doing. This one fits right in with baked French onion soup vibes.

5) Tips for Making French Onion Potato Bake

Patience is key when caramelizing onions. If you rush, they won’t taste sweet and mellow. Low heat and time build the flavor that makes this dish special.

Slicing the potatoes evenly is more important than it sounds. Uneven slices mean some parts stay firm while others turn to mush. A mandoline or sharp knife and a little focus help a lot.

Use good cheese. Skip the pre-shredded bag if you can. Freshly grated cheddar melts better and brings more sharpness. It’s small, but makes your dish feel like old fashioned home cooking recipes should—personal and real.

6) Making French Onion Potato Bake Ahead of Time

You can make the full bake a day ahead. Assemble everything, cover, and keep it chilled. When you’re ready, pop it in the oven, just add 10 extra minutes to the covered bake time. That saves the day when guests show up or you just want to cook once and eat twice.

If you’re prepping even earlier, you can make just the onion mixture and keep it in the fridge. It holds up for three days and still packs the same punch.

This fits well in any side dish recipes rotation. We’ve used it at potlucks, Sunday dinners, and when we want to impress in-laws without saying a word. It always works.

7) Storing Leftover French Onion Potato Bake

Let leftovers cool fully before storing. Use a tight-lid container and refrigerate for up to four days. It heats up beautifully in the oven at 350°F covered with foil for about 20 minutes.

You can microwave it, sure, but the cheese won’t have that same golden glow. If you want to crisp the top again, use the oven or toaster oven. It’s worth the extra few minutes.

This dish carries the deep notes of homemade French onion soup, so leftovers never taste tired. They taste better, richer, more settled. Kinda like us by Thursday night.

8) Try these Side Dish Recipes next!

9) French Onion Potato Bake Recipe