Name: Potato, bacon, onion and garlic bake recipe
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tsp olive oil; 4 bacon rashers chopped; 1 brown onion chopped; 1 garlic clove crushed; 1 1/2 kg potatoes peeled thinly sliced; 300ml Thickened Cream; 1/2 cup milk; 1 1/2 tsp chicken stock powder; 1/2 cup tasty cheese grated; 1 pinch cracked pepper *to taste

by moggybear Last updated on 12/19/2024

I’m warning you about this cheesy potato bake: don’t go planning on having leftovers as it just won’t happen. No matter how many times I make it, everyone dives in for seconds and sometimes even thirds! I’m sure it would be great to warm up the next day, but it seems I’ll never know! While normally served as a side, our bake with bacon, onion and potatoes is hearty enough for a main meal – just serve with a salad or omit the bacon and enjoy meat-free Mondays.

How to make this creamy, potato and bacon bake: key tips

Even though the potatoes are thinly sliced, this bake really needs to be cooked, covered, for a full hour. I’ve been impatient before and an undercooked potato bake is so disappointing. Poke the tip of a knife into the potatoes and if there is no resistance uncover and cook until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Instead of finely chopping the garlic, you can slice in half and rub the cut side all around the greased dish. This gives a more rounded garlicky taste.

Key ingredients in our creamy potato and onion bake recipe

Potatoes are funny things. They may all look similar, but they have different qualities. For this bacon and onion potato bake, you’ll need to use a floury variety of potato, like a sebago (if not labelled these are the ones sold as ‘brushed’). A floury potato breaks down well when cooking releasing starch that thickens the creamy sauce. Waxy potatoes on the other hand keep their shape, which is why they're better for a potato salad. Potatoes need a fair bit of seasoning and adding chicken stock powder is a great way of providing salt as well as chicken-y flavour.

I love a good bake, whether it’s sweet potato, mixed vegetables or one that uses leftovers like this chicken mornay recipe. Adding rice bulks out vegetables and we have a whole collection of pasta bakes.

Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams - Food Writer and Recipe Tester

- moggybear

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
4 bacon rashers chopped
1 brown onion chopped
1 garlic clove crushed
1 1/2 kg potatoes peeled thinly sliced
300ml Woolworths Thickened Cream
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp chicken stock powder
1/2 cup tasty cheese grated
1 pinch cracked pepper *to taste

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 200C. Lightly grease an 8-cup capacity baking dish.
Step 2

Heat oil in a large frying pan on high. Saute bacon, onion and garlic for 4-5 minutes until onion is tender and bacon is golden.
Step 3

Layer potatoes and onion mixture alternately in prepared baking dish.
Step 4

In a large jug, whisk together cream, milk and stock powder. Pour over potatoes. Cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour, until potato is tender.
Step 5

Remove foil. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake a further 15 minutes, uncovered, until cheese has melted and is golden.

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

What do you serve with a potato bake?

You could potato bake with a garden salad, with sausages or chops for a mid-week meal, or as a side dish at dinner parties. It’s also a popular summer barbecue self-serve dish, and pops up on Australian Chrismtas tables.

What are the best potatoes to use in a potato bake?

You want a potato that breaks down slightly and with a natural starch – like a sebago – that thickens the sauce. It’s best to stay away from potatoes that are waxy. Waxy potatoes are great when you want your potato to hold its shape (like in a potato salad), which is not the case in a potato bake (or gratin or casserole).