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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I made these today and the recipe is perfection. I had almost given up trying to make au gratin potatoes but this recipe is simple and quick to assemble. I didn’t change a thing and I had no problem with extra liquid like others have reported. Definitely will be making these again.
I made these on Easter. I used a mandolin and doubled the recipe for leftovers. I used a stainless steel deep sided frying pan for oven and perfect, Wow! I never make good au gratin potatoes but these were probably the best potatoes we have ever had, my mother-in-law said so too. I’m making these next time instead of the funeral potatoes. I don’t care about using heavy cream it’s not like I make stuff like this all the time but for special occasions or to bring to a gathering, excellent, Simple ingredients.
Made these for our Easter dinner. While relaxing in the kitchen before the meal and prepping the dish my daughter-in-law, a great cook, said I have never seen this made before without making a roux. It always takes so long to make. This recipe is fantastic – quick, simple and delicious. My family loves their potatoes. These were a real treat, the dish was empty after dinner and best of all it was simple.
I made this yesterday. Such an easy recipe, thank you. But despite adding an extra potato, there was at least a cup too much liquid. I had to pour it out before serving, the potatoes were almost swimming. Flavours were great, just watch that you don’t drown the finished dish.
Hi Jen
Cam I leave the potatoes unpeeled and get the same results? Thank you.
Hi Karen, I prefer to peel the potatoes but if you don’t mind the skin, it will work. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn! I’m making these fabulous potatoes Saturday night for our second Seder. I did a test run last night; they were decadent and beyond amazing! Would the recipe work as well if I skip the potato-peeling step? Thanks in advance!
I do think it’d work as long as you don’t mind the texture of the skin. 🙂
Hi Jenn,
These potatoes are wonderful!The first time I made them I followed the recipe exactly as shown and it was tasty, but I felt it was a little too rich. I recently made them again and I used 1-1/2 c. milk and 1 c. heavy cream, 1/2 c. Gruyere cheese, 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, 1 leek (diced, light green and white parts only), and 1/2 container of fresh basil, chopped…it was better than the first time!! An awesome holiday dish!
Made this recipe was delicious. Served it with prime rib. Had friends over an they loves this dish. Nest time I would cut the cream, was just a little runny.
Are the nutritional facts for the whole recipe or one serving?
Hi Sarah, they’re per serving – hope you enjoy if you make it!
I don’t know if anyone else has brought this up, but I tried adding leftover ham to this to make it a meal, but it came out really wet. I’m guessing it pulled moisture from the ham maybe? Any suggestions? Do you think it would work to just reduce the heavy cream? My kids really love these potatoes (and they are VERY picky eaters), so I really don’t want to go find a different potatoes and ham recipe.
Thank you!
Hi I would try cutting back the heavy cream to 2 cups; I think that may help. 🙂
Thank you! I’ll give it a try!
Hello Jennifer, I would like to make this for my husband’s birthday, it looks fantastic and I’m reassured by the reviews saying it’s simple to make! I live in central Europe where our choice of potatoes is waxy or floury, that’s as good as it gets… I’m guessing waxy for this? Please advise, thank you!
Hi Kate, I’d go with the more floury variety. Hope you enjoy and happy birthday to your husband! 🙂
Oh – thank goodness I checked!! Thank you so much 🙂