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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Made for the first time for Thanksgiving everybody loved it. But had a few issues when following this recipe had to use 4-5 potatoes should have even used more there was to much sauce for the amount of potatoes and even did extra plus had to use about 2-1/2 cups of cheese used white cheddar cheese. Plus can never find heavy cream had to use heavy whipping cream. Will I make it again yes I will double it because everyone loved it But I will be fixing the recipe. I’m rating it 5 stars I did use other ingredients that could have been why I had issues. Taste was great and very creamy and all my guest can’t wait to Eat it next Thanksgiving.
Hi! I want to try these but I cannot find parmigiano reggiano where I live …what is a good substitute similar in flavor and consistency? Also, is regular shredded parmesan similar to parmigiano reggiano? Thank you.
Hi Steph, Gruyere would be a nice substitute for the Parmesan. And the difference between Parmesan and Parmigiano-Reggiano is slightly complex. (Parmigiano-Reggiano is a regulated term meaning that the cheese was produced in Italy). See more info about it here. Hope you enjoy the potatoes if you make them!
I can’t definitely say that making these potatoes with heavy cream is much better than heavy whipping cream. But, it seems that everywhere where I live or at least have banned heavy cream.
amazing!🤗
I just made this tonight for a work potluck tomorrow. I only had 2 cups of heavy whipping cream and a mix of cheddar cheese and a mexican blend. This is the best potatoes au gratin I have ever had! I was surprised I didn’t need to add any seasoning or garlic. It was so easy; I will be making again!
Hello Jen! I use your recipes all the time and they are consistently delicious. Last night, however, I made potatoes au gratin — alas, the results were disappointing. The taste was delicious but the whole mixture was absolutely soupy, so much so that I had to scoop out some of the liquid into a cup. I followed the instructions faithfully, using Yukon Gold potatoes — could it be that those type of potatoes are somehow a harder texture and thus don’t easily absorb liquids? I waited about 10 minutes before serving, to let everything cool down, but the excess liquid remained. I’d like to give it another try — how can I correct this?
Hi Toni, Sorry you had trouble! Did you by chance increase the quantities?
I think that the issue with Toni is the Yukon Gold; they just don’t absorb as much liquid when they cook. I’d try it again with Russets.
I followed the recipe exactly as written and it turned out beautifully! My family absolutely loved it and devoured the entire pan. 🙂
Hi Jenn,
Would this be too rich to serve with your Beef tenderloin w/red wine sauce, or should I just serve mashed, or roasted potatoes? As for vegetables I was thinking your Curried Carrots, or a Green Bean recipe? Also, which salad do you think would go best, your Arugula, Manchego, or the Arugula with beets and feta? I am serving as a appetizer your Wild Mushroom Soup and your Persian Lime Pie for dessert. Sorry there are so many questions!!
Thanks,
Mary
Hi Mary! I don’t think these are too rich but you could honestly go either way. For a vegetable, I’d do green beans. For the salad, either would work (first one is easier but second one is prettier 🙂 ).
I love this recipe! I have made it several times. It was a great side dish at Easter with the ham and also went great next to the prime rib at Christmas. It’s simple and easy and sooooooooo good!
Hi, I just wanted to thank you for sharing all of your recipes with us. I cooked these potatoes for my boyfriend as part of the first meal I ever made for him and tonight, 3 years later I’m probably making it for the 20th time. Needless to say he loves them and so do I along with many of your other recipes. This blog is my go to. Currently in the oven I have your banana bREAD WITH COCONUT AND PECANS. sorry I got excited 🙂 Trying this one for the first time – can’t wait. Thank you again