Tender Au Gratin Potatoes (Printable Version)

Sliced potatoes baked in creamy garlic sauce with layers of melted cheese for a golden crust.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 pounds Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
02 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

03 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 2 cups heavy cream
05 - 2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
06 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Spices & Seasonings

07 - 1 teaspoon salt
08 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter.
02 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in heavy cream, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Heat until just simmering, then remove from heat.
04 - Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in the prepared dish. Pour half of the cream sauce over the potatoes. Sprinkle with half the Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses.
05 - Add remaining potatoes, pour remaining cream sauce on top, and evenly sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses.
06 - Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
07 - Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes until the crust is golden and potatoes are tender.
08 - Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving to set.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been cooking all day, but you'll barely spend an hour in the kitchen.
  • Everyone at the table will ask for the recipe, and you can make it seem like a closely guarded secret.
  • The creamy, cheesy layers are so satisfying that it works as both a side dish and a main course.
02 -
  • Slice your potatoes thin and uniform; if they're too thick, they won't cook through by the time the top is golden, and if they're uneven, some will be mushy while others are still firm.
  • Don't skip the ten-minute rest at the end—it makes the difference between a slide and a neat, layered slice on the plate.
  • The cream should simmer gently, never boil; if it boils, the fat and milk solids separate and the sauce loses its silky texture.
03 -
  • Use a mandoline to slice potatoes uniformly fast; it saves time and ensures even cooking, though a sharp knife and a steady hand work just as well.
  • Grate your own cheese from a block rather than buying pre-shredded; it melts more smoothly because it doesn't have the anti-caking agents that pre-shredded varieties contain.
  • If you're making this ahead, assemble it completely without baking, cover it, refrigerate for up to eight hours, then add five to ten minutes to the covered baking time when you're ready to cook.
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