Cheesy baked Potatoes au Gratin are always a family dinner favorite. These potatoes baked in a rich sauce with cream, cheese, and a hint of garlic are the perfect side dish for almost any meal.
Rich, indulgent, and cheesy Potatoes au Gratin are a long-time favorite side dish for lots of folks. You simply can’t go wrong with this nearly perfect recipe that will fill your home with the most amazing aroma as they bake in the oven.
Even more perfect, the recipe takes only about 20 minutes to prepare and the rest of the work is done by the oven! Great for holiday celebrations and dinner parties!
Potatoes au Gratin is, in my opinion, one of the world’s great food pleasures. Potatoes cooked in cream laced with cheese and a bit of garlic. Oh, my, my, my.
And once you know the basic recipe, you can embellish it any way you want. Add some crumbled bacon to the mix. Or change the fresh herbs. Try different kinds of cheese. Use Cheddar instead of Gruyere and Parmesan.
Take it a bit further by turning it into more of a casserole with some cubed leftover ham or broccoli. Or both. I think it might be nice with leftover roast chicken and tarragon. See? Use your imagination to turn this classic into your own creation!
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: French
Cooking Method: Oven
Total Time: 1 Hour, 35 Minutes
Servings: 12
Primary Ingredient(s): Russet potatoes, garlic, butter, Gruyere and Parmigiano cheeses, heavy cream
Skill Level: Easy
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- Cheese, cream, and potatoes. Need I say more?
- It’s very versatile. Goes with almost anything.
- Kid-friendly. It’s so good, all you’ll hear at the table is silence :-) And maybe a couple of “yums!”
You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook!
You can see this recipe on page 145 of my cookbook, My Southern Table! Get your signed copy today.
Ingredient Notes
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- Potatoes — You’ll have the best results with russet potatoes. Russets are starchier and have less moisture than other potatoes. They also stick together better resulting in a better overall texture to the finished recipe.
- Heavy Cream — I use heavy whipping cream – yes, it’s a really indulgent recipe. Half and half will work, but you won’t have quite the same luxurious result.
- Garlic — You’ll need a nice fat clove of fresh garlic.
- Gruyere cheese — Please splurge on quality cheese for this recipe, especially if you’re making it for a holiday and special meal. You’ll be glad you did.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano — Same note for Parmesan as for the Gruyere. Get the real thing for making this.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Potatoes au Gratin
Preheat the oven to 350. Place an oven rack in the top position.
Prep the Potatoes and the Baking Dish
- Peel the potatoes. Slice them crosswise into about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick slices.
👉 PRO TIP: Slicing the potatoes is very easy to do with a mandolin if you are comfortable using one. If not, just stick with a good, sharp knife. As you work, drop the potato slices into a bowl of cold water. This will stop them from discoloring.
- Use the flat side of a knife to crush the garlic clove(s).
- Firmly rub the crushed garlic on the inside surfaces of a 10-inch gratin dish or small baking dish.
- Then, rub the inside of the dish with the butter.
Layer the Gratin
- Drain and pat the potato slices dry with paper towels.
- In the bottom of the gratin dish, arrange one layer of potatoes in an overlapping manner. Add a good sprinkle of salt and ground pepper, along with a little of each of the herbs and some of each kind of cheese.
- Make two more layers with the potato slices, salt, pepper, herbs, and cheese. End with the last of the two cheeses.
Add Cream
- Carefully drizzle the cream around the sides of the dish. Don’t pour it over the top. You don’t want to move the cheese that’s on top.
Bake
- Place the dish, uncovered, on the top oven rack and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes or until the cream has been absorbed by the potatoes and the top is crisp and brown.
Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
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Serving Suggestions
Almost anything goes with Potatoes au Gratin. I could make a list a mile long of the best main dishes to pair with this recipe, but I’ll try to keep it brief. Of course, there’s the classic pairing with prime rib and perfectly grilled steaks. And it’s always a welcome side with the Thanksgiving turkey or even with everyday fried chicken. Add a delicious slice of caramel cake to finish and you’ve created a masterpiece.
How to Make Ahead and Reheat
- To make ahead: You can make this recipe a day in advance, cool it completely, refrigerate it and reheat the next day. It’s often even more delicious after reheating.
- To reheat: Reheat in a 325-degree oven for about 20 minutes or until warmed through.
How to Store
- Storage: Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Freezing is not recommended.
More Recipes You’ll Like
- Crispy Roasted Potatoes
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Bacon Wrapped Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Ham and Cheese Stuffed Potatoes
- Easy Mashed Potatoes
- Melting Potatoes
- Funeral Potatoes
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes and Ham
- Pork Chops with Potatoes
- Loaded French Fries
- Herbed Roasted Potatoes
Questions About Potatoes au Gratin
I recommend a starchy potato such as russets for potatoes au gratin. Their texture helps the gratin hold together better than a waxy potato. Yukon Golds can also be used but, in my opinion, russets are better.
If your recipe turns out a bit watery, first it could be the type of potato you used. Remember, you want a starchy, fluffy potato for this. Waxy potatoes won’t absorb the cream in the same way. You may also just need to cook the recipe a little longer until all the cream is absorbed.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
Recipe
Perfect Potatoes au Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds russet potatoes
- 1 large garlic clove crushed and peeled
- 1 tablespoon butter softened
- salt and pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- ¼ cup Gruyere cheese
- ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese freshly grated
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Place an oven rack in the top position.
- Peel the potatoes. Slice them crosswise into about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick slices.2 ½ pounds russet potatoes
- Use the flat side of a knife to crush the garlic clove(s). Firmly rub the crushed garlic on the inside surfaces of a 10-inch gratin dish or small baking dish. Then, rub the inside of the dish with the butter.1 large garlic clove, 1 tablespoon butter
- Drain and pat dry the potato slices. In the bottom of the gratin dish, arrange one layer of potatoes in an overlapping manner. Add a good sprinkle of salt and ground pepper, along with a little of each of the herbs and some of each kind of cheese.salt and pepper, 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, ¼ cup Gruyere cheese, ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Make two more layers with the potato slices, salt, pepper, herbs, and cheese. End with the last of the two cheeses.
- Carefully drizzle the cream around the sides of the dish. Don't pour it over the top. You don't want to move the cheese that's on top.1 ½ cups heavy cream
- Place the dish, uncovered, on the top oven rack and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes or until the cream has been absorbed by the potatoes and the top is crisp and brown.
- Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- You’ll have the best results with russet potatoes.
- To make ahead: You can make this recipe a day in advance, cool it completely, refrigerate it and reheat the next day.
- Reheat in a 325-degree oven for about 20 minutes or until warmed through.
- Storage: Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on March 22, 2013. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
Hi Lana,
Do you leave the crushed garlic in the dish or is it just to season the dish before the butter? Thanks.
You do not leave the garlic in the pan. Rubbing the pan with it gives a very light garlic flavor to the finished dish.
Is this recipe for a 9×11 pan or smaller? I’m planning to make this for Christmas Eve with my husband’s family.
A 9×13 baking dish works great. The size doesn’t really matter much. You just need a dish large enough to hold your potatoes :-)
This was my mother’s favorite potato dish and every time I make it I think of her! Haven’t made these in a while and seeing them reminded me of how much I love them too! Will definitely be making in the near future!!
Nancy – one of the things I love most about food blogging is posting recipes that remind people of their childhood and of people they love. This is certainly one of those recipes for me as well. I do hope you’ll make it soon and think of your mother with every bite!
I’m not a big potato person, but when they involve heavy cream and lots of cheese? YES PLEASE!!!
Can you recommend any particular brand of mandoline? I have never purchased one, for fear of the loss of several fingertips ( you know how uncoordinated I am). But, this recipe really needs that instrument for the delicately thin sliced potatoes. Thanks for sharing.
Miss P
Miss P – I have a handheld one from OXO. It’s easy to store, goes in the dishwasher, and has the guard to keep your fingers well away from the blade. It’s also inexpensive :-)
My all-time favorite potatoes and they look fabulous!
One of our favorites, too, and so versatile!