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 love these potates – so cheesy and creamy!! They turn out great every time.
It’s pretty hard to source heavy cream where I live (halfway across the world!)… How would you advice I adjust the recipe?
Hi Amy, Unfortunately, I don’t think this turns out well without the heavy cream, so instead of using this recipe, I’d suggest looking for one that uses a roux. While a bit different than mine, this one looks good and gets positive ratings. (Please keep in mind that I haven’t tried this myself.)
Hi! Can I use half & half or table cream or even milk in place of heavy cream? Also will other forms of cheese like cheddar or Gruyère be the same amounts if used for substitutes? Look forward to try making this! Thanks!
Hi Sheena, This is one of those recipes that really requires heavy cream in order to thicken up. Sorry! You could double the cheese if using cheddar or Gruyere.
Hey Jenn! Alright i just made it and it got a little watery. Is it supposed to have some creamy liquid still in the dish? The softness of the potatoes seems fine and the taste is pretty fragrant. I used cheddar in the end. Overall considered not bad for my first attempt by my hubby & little toddler. 🙂
Hi Sheena, While the top may be a bit moist, it really should be watery. Did you make any adjustments to the recipe? Glad either way that it was enjoyed by everyone. 🙂
Could it be watery because cheddar contains more moisture/liquid than a dry aged cheese, like the Parmigiano Reggiano you suggest in your recipe?
Hi Meg, While I guess it’s possible I’ve never made this with Cheddar so it’s hard to say for sure. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
These are the best potatoes au gratin I have ever had (or made!). The seasoning is perfect and the cooking time was spot on. The ingredients list is simple but wow what a recipe! I can’t wait to make this for family and friends. Thanks Jenn for an amazing recipe!
Is the baking time the same if you halve the ingredients for the gratin? Thank you!
Hi Susan, it should be about the same, but keep a close eye on it. Hope you enjoy!
These are so easy and taste amazing. The only thing I did a little different was to add a few thinly sliced sweet onions in between each layer and a little less Parmesan cheese. I couldn’t believe how good they were without having to make a roux. So easy. I’ll never bother making scalloped potatoes again. This recipe of potatoes au gratin beats anything else, hands down!
quite nice but i would add green onions or chives next time
Hi Jenn,
I made the au gratin potatoes for the second time last evening. The first time I had a two quart dish. They turned out perfect. This time all had was a large 9.5” pie plate. The potatoes were very watery. The only thing that was different from the first time I made them was the pan size. Do you think this could be the reason? I’m away for the winter and our rental has limited bakeware, so I chose the pie plate as it was the closest size to two quart. I want to make them again for guests we’re expecting. Any advice would be appreciated as these potatoes are fantastic! I do have a 13 x 9” pan, but thought that might be too big.
Thank you.
Jan
Hi Jan, I don’t think that using a 9 1/2-inch pie plate would have caused the potatoes to be watery, so that’s a bit of a head-scratcher. I don’t recommend using a 9 x 13“ pan for this as you’re right, it would be too large. Did you make any other changes to the recipe that could have impacted the texture?
I just double checked the recipe and I’m pretty sure I did not change or miss anything. I will pay close attention next time I make the potatoes. They still tasted great!
Thank you for your reply.
Jan
Made this for a the first time a month ago, and we loved it. Hubby pointed out we had frozen ham slices so let’s make this again, as a meal. I saw a previous reviewer said the added ham made it “wet” so I cut back on the cream. I mixed gruyere with the parm cheese. It was still soupy but I roasted some asparagus to serve with so we used the extra sauce as a quasi hollandaise sauce, YUM! Thanks for another fantastic dish!
This was delicious! I was searching online for a recipe for au gratin potatoes & came across this. Turned out incredible! I substituted shredded sharp cheddar & colby jack cheeses since it was all I had on hand and added melted butter. Probably twice the calories but it worked.
I just happened to stumble upon your site (yesterday) when I googled a question about making my au gratin potatoes ahead of time…. what a great “stumble” !! I was so intrigued by so many recipes, that I got up this morning and made three different things. I made the potatoes au gratin, Greek shrimp and the walnut bundt cake … each one was delicious! I can not wait to try more this week! Thanks for sharing your recipes!
So glad you stumbled upon the blog and enjoyed what you’ve made – happy to have you as part of the Once Upon a Chef community! 🙂
Thanks Jen, I was already back today, I made the Italian salad, and lemon pound cake … boy, are you good, the bad part is, it is sooo good that my husband and I are stuffed! I am so happy I found your site, Bravo, chef!
😊