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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Absolutely the best recipe ever! I’ve made scalloped potatoes for years and always had cooking time challenges. I follow your recipe exactly and they turn out perfectly every time and they are so SIMPLE to make. We’ve switched to Gruyère cheese and it’s a family hit.
A visiting British friend watched me make them recently and was astonished at how easy they were to make (and how amazing they tasted). It’s not a dish she’s ever made and she went home with the recipe.
About to make Baked Ziti for visiting grandkids. Only recently discovered you and your amazing recipes. They’ve all been hits. Thank you!
Would Yukon gold potatoes work the same as russet?
Unfortunately not – sorry!
Absolutely scrumptious. The two oddballs (who doesn’t love potatoes?!) I live with actually would both put potatoes far below pasta, rice, or bread for a starchy side, but they love this one. So, so good!
Hi Jenn, I have made this au gratin, and loved both the potatoes, and the simplicity of the recipe. If i increase the recipe to 1.5, can I use a 2 quart casserole? Thanks.
Linda
Hi Linda, Glad you like it! I don’t think 1.5 times the recipe will fit in a 2-quart dish. If you want to double it, I’d suggest a 3-quart.
Made these tonight to accompany a steak dinner. WOW is all we can say – everyone loved them, including my fussy B-In-Law. And so simple! Yet another Jenn hit, thank you!
I make this every-time we have a big roast beef dinner. It never fails to impress. We prep it ahead of time and have it cooking in the little Breville oven so it is a wonderful aroma when guests arrive.
It is a no fail recipe.
I’m taking a dish to a friend following surgery and am wondering if I could add diced ham to the recipe to make it more of a meal.
Hi Peggy, a few readers have mentioned that they’ve added ham to this, and that the moisture from the ham added a little bit too much moisture to the dish. If you want to try it, I’d reduce the cream to 2 cups. Hope that helps and your friend enjoys!
Hi Jenn, I’ve made this recipe a few times, and it’s always a big hit!! I’m planning to make again in the same oven—and at the same temperature—as some vegetables I’ll be roasting in prime rib fat. That means the oven will be set for 425 degrees. Any thoughts on how to adapt the recipe so I can make the potatoes and veggies at the same time? Thanks, and Happy New Year!
Hi Alex, I’d cook at 400 but cover the potatoes for the first 30 minutes so they don’t get too brown. Hope that helps!
I love all of your recipes Jen. I learned to cook from your books. I had trouble with this one. Has anyone parboiled the potatoes first? For how long? Sliced or whole? The first time I made it we ended up not having potatoes with dinner because they didn’t cook. 2 hours in oven. Ii follow your directions exactly. I am starting to think it might be a gas vs. electric stove that causes my issues.
Hi Laurie, I’m so sorry you had trouble with this one! You’re not the first to mention this issue, but I haven’t been able to replicate the issue in my kitchen—and for most people, the timing seems to work. May I ask what type of baking dish you used (material and size)? Are you by chance at high altitude? Do you have a gas or electric oven?
Same issue here. Also cooked an additional hour after realizing the potatoes were not done. Still have hard uncooked potatoes. Not high altitude, electric oven, ceramic casserole dish. I’m putting it back in again, but covering with foil to see if they’ll cook through this time. The sauce is delicious though.
I’m sorry that the timing didn’t work for you! Did it come out okay (albeit taking much longer in the oven than the recipe indicates)?
My go to Christmas side dish to accompany prime rib. It is perfection! After making it a few times, I realized that 2 cups of cream, or just a tiny smidge shy of that, is the perfect amount. I found with 2 1/4 cup, it’s a little soupy and takes longer to come together. If you do less than 2 cups, it will come together faster but you risk the dish not melding together as perfectly and can be just slightly dry. So trust the process and cook it for 90 minutes uncovered if that’s what it takes for it to absorb the cream. It’s truly the best!