Potatoes Au Gratin
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Creamy, cheesy, and indulgent, this potatoes au gratin recipe is perfect for holiday meals or any dinner that calls for something special.
This wonderful classic potatoes au gratin recipe is one of my go-to Thanksgiving side dishes, but it’s also perfect for any special dinner. It involves layering thinly sliced potatoes with heavy cream and grated cheese in a casserole dish, and then baking until the cream thickens and blankets the potatoes in a rich, creamy sauce. This dish is definitely worthy of a special occasion, but honestly, enjoying this au gratin potatoes recipe feels like a special occasion all on its own.
“I only gave this five stars because I couldn’t give it 10 stars. This may be my favorite side dish ever. It is amazing!”
What You’ll Need To Make Potatoes Au Gratin
- Russet Potatoes: Their high starch content makes them ideal for absorbing the cream and creating a soft, melt-in-your-mouth consistency. Russet potatoes are also ideal for making mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, and twice-baked potatoes. Yukon gold potatoes are not recommended.
- Salt: Enhances the natural flavors of the potatoes and balances the richness of the cream and cheese.
- Black Pepper: Adds a mild, warming heat that complements the creamy, cheesy layers.
- Finely Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano: Provides a salty, nutty depth that melts into the potatoes, adding flavor and texture. Be sure to use authentic Parmigiano Reggiano (not cheese labeled as Parmesan), which can be identified by its rind or labeling. If it’s unavailable, Pecorino Romano is a flavorful substitute.
- Heavy Cream: Creates the velvety sauce that makes this dish creamy and indulgent. You may be tempted to cut calories by using half & half or milk instead of cream. Please don’t! This is one of those recipes that requires heavy cream to thicken up.
- Fresh Thyme (Optional): Adds a hint of herbal freshness to balance the rich, creamy flavors.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by slicing the potatoes as thinly and uniformly as possible. You can use a mandoline slicer if you have one, but I never bother. (Pro tip: When slicing wobbly potatoes, it helps to cut a thin slice along the length of the potato, then turn the potato cut-side down on a cutting board so that it sits flat.)
Place the potatoes in a large bowl and toss with the salt and pepper. Be sure the potatoes are evenly coated.
Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Arrange some of the potato slices, edges overlapping, in a single layer on the bottom of the dish.
Sprinkle a quarter of the cheese over the potatoes.
Pour a quarter of the cream over top.
Repeat with the remaining potatoes, cheese, and cream, forming four layers. Pour any leftover cream over top.
Place in the preheated oven and bake, uncovered, for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and golden brown on top. (Don’t cover the dish with foil or you won’t get the beautiful coloring on top.) The top layer of the potatoes should be golden by the time the dish is done baking but if you want just a bit more browning, feel free to stick the baking dish under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes; just keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves, if using, and serve. (Note: If you have a large crowd coming and plan to double the dish, you’ll get the best results by baking it in two 2-quart baking dishes instead of one larger dish. The potatoes will cook more evenly that way.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Scalloped potatoes are typically made with thinly sliced potatoes baked in a simple cream or milk sauce, while potatoes au gratin include cheese, like Parmesan, Gruyere, or Cheddar, in the sauce and often have a crispy, cheesy topping. The addition of cheese is the key difference between the two dishes.
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Potatoes Au Gratin
Creamy, cheesy, and indulgent, this potatoes au gratin recipe is perfect for holiday meals or any dinner that calls for something special.
Ingredients
- Butter to grease the baking dish
- 2½ pounds Russet potatoes (3 to 4), peeled and sliced very thin
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup (4 oz) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2¼ cups heavy cream
- Fresh thyme, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease an 8-inch (or 2-quart) baking dish with butter.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the potatoes with the salt and pepper until evenly coated.
- Arrange some of the potato slices, edges overlapping, in a single layer on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle a quarter of the cheese over the potatoes, and then pour a quarter of the cream over the cheese. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, cheese, and cream, forming 4 layers. Pour any leftover cream over top.
- Place in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and golden brown on top. Let the dish settle on the counter for about ten minutes. Sprinkle with fresh thyme, if using, and then serve.
- Make Ahead: If absolutely necessary, this dish can be assembled a day ahead and covered tightly with plastic wrap (pressing the wrap directly against the potatoes so they don’t discolor too much). Store in the refrigerator and bake before serving. Note that the potatoes on top will still discolor a bit in the fridge, but it shouldn't be noticeable after baking.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 399
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated fat: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Sodium: 518 mg
- Cholesterol: 101 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Jen: This is the one recipe of yours that did not turn out. I followed the recipe exactly and sadly – the cheese mixture curdled and the potatoes were al dente. The taste was fine it just looked un- appetizing. After researching WHY the curdling and al dente occurred – I now know that the high heat causes curdling and that making a cheese sauce will prevent it from happening again. Also, in the future before slicing I will par boil the potatoes. Thanks for all and please keep sharing – Renee
My brother, who is a fan of your recipes, made these potatoes for a Thanksgiving side and they were a hit. Outshined the turkey and my 2 homemade pies!
This is now my go to recipe for Au Gratin Potatoes! Soooo, easy and so much tastier than making the roux version, which I don’t really like. I add a bit of cheddar cheese along with the Parmesan. Sometimes I slice an onion very thin and incorporate it in but you really don’t have to. Love this one!
I’m planning to make this for a crowd of 25. How would you suggest I go about dividing it up? I’ll probably use those rectangular heavy duty foil looking disposable pans.
Hi Christy, I’d suggest multiplying the recipe times 4 and using four of the 8-inch square aluminum pans. Hope everyone enjoys!
Dear Jenn,
I made these last weekend and my husband couldn’t stop talking about them! He loves au gratin potatoes, and has always loved the recipe I usually use. I didn’t tell him that I was trying a new recipe. He raved that these were the best au gratin potatoes he had ever eaten. Thanks again for a fantastic recipe!
Katy
I made this recipe for our Thanksgiving dinner. It was a hit! I believe it was the most flavorful version of Au Gratin potatoes I have ever eaten! I used Parmigiano instead of Parmigiano-Reggiano–The only alteration I made.
This BY FAR is one of most delectible recipes I’ve ever found online! It is a regular in our household with a couple of minor changes–but its delicious as written.
I add gruyere cheese in each layer and to lessen the richness, use half and half versus full cream.
I soak the sliced potatoes in cold water for a few hours before prepping and then drain and dry them on paper towels. It seems to lessen the starch.
Best recipe ever!! Make it NOW! Leftovers are even better.
This was excellent! For the cheese, I had on hand packets of parm cheese from an italian restaurant and slices of american cheese. The secret to this being so good (and decadent) is the heavy cream!
I’d give this recipe more stars if possible because it has become one of our favorite from this site. It’s easy, satisfying, and needs no specialty ingredients to languish in the frig, never to be used again. It’s also amenable to some substitutions if necessary. It calls for Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, but once I substituted one sweet potato for one of the Russets. No parmesan? Use Gruyere or Cheddar or a combo. Like onions or shallots, or even some garlic? Add some minced, scattered among the potatoes.
I have served this with roasted chicken, pork chops, ham (little pieces in with the potatoes), beef steaks. It really goes with any meat. It’s especially good with broccoli or brussels sprouts, as the strong tasting vegetable goes well with the creamy cheese sauce on the potatoes.
Try it. I bet you’ll agree with me that it is definitely a “keeper.”
This is the tastiest most comforting side dish you’ll ever make! I’ve made it more times than I can count…always have the ingredients on hand. It’s quick and easy to assemble. Sometimes I add a very thinly sliced sweet onion, so yummy!! Your family and guests will be impressed.