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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It’s a keeper. Everyone loved this dish.
Can these be made ahead of time?
Hi Pam, They can be assembled ahead – see the instructions at the end of the recipe. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jen, loved the recipe; so delicious. Just wanted to check whether i could bake it half way a day in advance and then complete its baking the 2nd day.
While I think you could, Cynthia, I’m not sure I’d bother as you can easily get away with fully preparing this in advance and reheating. To reheat, cover it with foil, and put in a 350-oven for 15-20 min or until heated through. Hope you enjoy!
This recipe is way too soupy. Too much cream at 2 1/2 cups. Not edible at all.
This was absolutely amazing, I added less cream than the recipe called for as it was looking a little soupy and it turned out perfectly.
Fantastic recipe! I made this for Christmas Dinner this year and I think it was the highlight of the table! The sauce was creamy and rich, with lots of flavor. I added another handful of cheese just as a personal preference but it would have been perfect either way. My oven runs a little hot and it was ready in 45 minutes. Great, great recipe!
I used a large 12×8 Pyrex dish and did 3 layers of not very even slices. It took about 2 hours to cook. I also used fresh shredded parm from Trader Joes and organic Half and Half as there was no cream to be found anywhere day before Xmas eve. I generously buttered the dish as well. IT TURNED OUT AMAZING. I just returned from a Xmas Eve potluck where people were scraping the dish for the last bits. I was concerned since a few people reported separation and uneven cooking. Even with my lopsided slices, it worked. But an FYI, I was concerned about cook time since I was on a time schedule so I preassembled the night before. I had no discoloration of potatoes as I put foil on the pan overnight. I also took the cold pan out and put it in a 225 oven for about 3 hours while I was out doing errands. When I returned I cranked it up to 350. But, even with that, it took about 2 hours give or take on 350. I think the long cook time only made it taste better. But good to know for future if there is a scheduling issue!
Hi Jen I’m making your Potatoes Au Gratin for the second year in a row! We loved them! Im using red skins this year, shredded parm, and colby monterey jack. If I remember I’ll let you know how they turned out!
The recipe turned out very good! Very fattening but worth it!!
If I’m cooking brisket at 300 degrees at the same time, how long would the potatoes take? Thank you!
Hi Ruth, I’m guessing 1-1/2 hours but keep an eye on it to be safe. Enjoy!
Hi Jen, I am relatively new to your blog but have already made several yummy recipes.
I want to make the potato au gratin for Christmas dinner. When you make it what is your potato preference? Russets or Yukon Gold? Also do you think gruyere adds anything or should I just use Parm/reg
Thanks so much! Happy Holidays Bonnie
Hi Bonnie, Glad you are enjoying the recipes! I use Russets for this recipe — and I think simple is best so just Parm. 🙂
If I have a 4 quart dish can I bake a double batch together? If yes, what would the bake time be? Thanks so much!
Hi Erin, You could but I find I have better results baking in two smaller pans. Bake time would be just a bit longer – 10 min or so.