Potatoes Au Gratin
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Made simply with sliced potatoes, heavy cream, and grated cheese, potatoes au gratin is the ultimate comfort food.
This wonderful recipe for potatoes au gratin involves layering thinly sliced potatoes with heavy cream and grated cheese in a baking dish, and then baking until the cream thickens and blankets the potatoes in a rich, creamy sauce. I’d say the dish is worthy of a special occasion — it is! — but the truth is that eating it is a special occasion unto itself. The only consideration to keep in mind is that the dish is best assembled right before baking. Once potatoes are peeled and sliced, they discolor quickly. Similarly, it cannot be baked ahead of time, as the cream tends to separate when reheated. I hope this doesn’t discourage you from trying the recipe, as it is truly delicious and worth the effort.
What You’ll Need To Make Potatoes au Gratin
- The best potatoes to use for au gratin potatoes are russets; they have the most starch and make the creamiest sauce. (Russet potatoes are also ideal for making mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, and twice-baked potatoes).
- You may be tempted to cut calories by using half & half or milk in place of the cream. Please don’t! This is one of those recipes that really requires heavy cream in order to thicken up.
- It’s important to use authentic Parmigiano Reggiano rather than domestic parmesan. You can tell if it’s the real deal by looking at the rind, which is embossed with the name over and over. (If the cheese is already grated, it should be labeled “Parmigiano Reggiano,” not “Parmesan.”) If you can’t find it, Pecorino Romano makes an excellent and even more flavorful substitute.
How to make Potatoes Au Gratin
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 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. The top layer of the potatoes should be beautifully 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.)
You may also like
- Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
- Baked Potatoes
- Parmesan Smashed Potatoes
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Maple & Thyme
- Twice-Baked Potatoes
- Quick & Easy Polenta
Potatoes Au Gratin
Made simply with sliced potatoes, heavy cream, and grated cheese, potatoes au gratin is the ultimate comfort food.
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 this tonight with a ham for Sunday dinner. I have been looking and looking for a recipe that will not have a pond of liquid after baking.
This was very flavorful but, again, swimming in liquid. Next time I will scale back on the cream and see if that is better.
This recipe (and, really, all of Once Upon a Chef recipes) never dissapoints and is so easy. Wish I could add a picture because it turned out exactly like the photo.
Looks yummy
Have you ever tried adding cornstarch to the cream and heating it up to thicken this up a little bit? I am reading a lot of comments with it being a little watery. I assume that’s from not using a starchy potato and maybe using milk instead of heavy whipping cream…. But I wasn’t sure so just asking if you think that would be a good addition to this recipe, and if so, would a few tablespoons do the trick? Thank you in advance, I’m excited to make this. Also…Made your cranberry sauce for thanksgiving and it was outstanding!
I’ve never tried it and I’d be reluctant to suggest it without trying it myself. (And glad you enjoyed the cranberry sauce!)
What is the binding agent for this recipe? My potatoes came out soupy and I notice other au gratin recipes have flour or corn starch- some kind of binding agent to make the potatoes come out more in a béchamel-type consistency instead of soupy. Did I do something wrong?
Hi Brittni, I’m sorry that these came out soupy for you! They shouldn’t have that texture — they’re not overly saucy but have more of a creamy, compact texture. Did you by any chance use 1/2 and 1/2 instead of heavy cream?
I’m making this for the first time for Thanksgiving. Is it ok to assemble two days early, refrigerate and then bake?
Hi Lori, I don’t recommend it; the potatoes will discolor. Sorry!
Could I use Yukon potatoes for this recipe? I have a bunch to use up.
Hi Amy, I wouldn’t recommend Yukons here — sorry!
Is it because of the water content in Yukon Gold potatoes? Thanks–all of your recipes are terrific!
Russets are starchier which helps the cream to thicken.
Hi! I need to bake these ahead of time and then reheat at the hostess’s home… What would be the best way to reheat them?
Hi Alex, Unfortunately this is one of those dishes that doesn’t reheat well. If there’s going to be oven space, you can assemble the dish ahead of time, refrigerate, and then bake right before serving.
Hi Jenn,
Do you have to peel the potatoes?
Thanks
Yes, I recommend peeling them. 🙂
This is the best potato gratin dish, I’ve made it several times for guests and it’s always the first dish to run out. Jenn, I was wondering how you would suggest scaling this dish up for a 2.5qt and also 3 qt baking dish? I have both sizes and not sure how to adjust baking times etc. Thanks for sharing your excellent recipes!
So glad you like this! If you want to use a 2.5-quart baking dish, I’d multiply all the ingredients by 1.25. The bake time will likely be a little longer but not sure by how much so you’ll need to keep an eye on it. And I wouldn’t recommend making this in a 3-quart baking dish as I’m not sure it will cook evenly. For the best results, I’d double the recipe and make it in two 2-quart baking dishes. Hope that helps!
Sadly, this recipe doesn’t tell me how many side servings it provides. I have to make a potato bake for a friend’s dinner party of 7 people. Perhaps just a very small note on how many side servings this recipe produces is a good idea?
And as most of the world is metric, perhaps (in brackets) the metric conversions?
Hi Ofio, You’ll see the number of servings right above the prep time in the recipe box (it serves 6 to 8 so it should be perfect for a group of 7). And the great majority of my recipes (including this one) include conversions to metric/weight measurements. To view them, scroll down to the recipe, and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you. Hope that helps!
I made this and it was very good. I made with a mixture of Gruyere and Swiss cheese. Will definitely make again.
I have made this several times. It always gets rave reviews.
I made your potatoes au gratin yesterday for Easter dinner. It was a success and 2 wives asked for the recipe, which I gladly shared. It was a delicious and very simple dish to make, except for finely grating the Parmesan cheese maybe. 🙂 Your recipe is a keeper and will be made many, many more times in the future. Thank you!!!!
I have made these countless times but find I need to use a larger dish than specified. That’s ok! I use a cast iron french oven and they turn out great. I really should only make a half recipe as I find they don’t reheat very well for me. I also only ever use 2 cups of cream because it comes in 2 cup cartons here. I also just mix the salt and pepper in to the cream- I swear that’s what the recipe used to say. Why get a whole other bowl dirty?
If anyone has a reheating tip, I would appreciate it. They just turn in to an oily mess for me (still tasty) !
Don’t reheat in a microwave unless you first bring it to room temperature and then heat it at 15-20 seconds at a low temperature. Stir it at each interval until it gets warm, not hot. Reheating in a microwave is problematic though. It must be done *really* slowly.
If you don’t want to drive yourself nuts with the microwave, you can also bring it to room temperature and then slowly reheat to warm over simmering water in a double boiler.
However you do it, don’t try to make it hot. That’s when the fat molecules separate. It is possible to reheat it though. I’ve done it before. The end result isn’t as good as the first time it was served, but you have used up leftovers and it’s not separated which is the goal, right? 🙂
Thank you! Apparently I haven’t made this since last Easter. So I missed your reply. I think I’ll just solve the problem and eat them all. Or, the kid h does love them is a teenager now so I’ll just feed him a huge portion. Hehe
Thank you for all the wonderful recipes and facile formatting in your books and online. You are our go to for all recipes!
Cheese Question: We have folks in our family who love their cheddar yet, we’d like to use Gruyere, also. Would this work and if so, what proportions would you use?
So glad you like the recipes – I’m flattered that they are your go-to’s! I haven’t tried it, but I think it would be fine to use a combination of cheddar and Gruyere. I would suggest doing a half cup of each. Please LMK how it turns out!
I was wondering your thoughts of using Gruyere with Parmigiano Reggiano. What would this do to the taste? I’m serving potatoes au gratin this Easter to a large crowd, and had originally purchased Gruyere for a different recipe, till I realized it had flour and I like yours as it’s gluten free. Do these two cheeses go well together, or will they clash? TIA for your response. And thank you for always publishing delicious recipes.
Hi Jeana, This will work well with Gruyere. I haven’t tried it with a combo of the two, but I think you can definitely get away with it. Please LMK how it turns out!
Making these potatoes tomorrow for friends on their 52nd anniversary, along with grilled prime steaks, your haricot verts with shallots. They adore truffles as do we and on one trip together in Italy we went to the truffle fair in San Miniato in November. What a privilege! Could I introduce some of d’Artagnan’s truffle butter in this? Thank you again for such wonderful recipes that work, really, really work. For me, this is unusual in the world of food. And, I am so impressed that you respond to your followers’ comments.
Hi Pat, so glad you like the recipes! If you’d like to add some truffle butter to this, I would add just a bit as the recipe already has a lot of fat in it. You could also use it to butter the baking dish to add some additional truffle flavor. Hope your friends enjoy!
Im planning on making your potatoes au gratin for Easter can i substitute whole or 2% milk
for the cream to make it a little healthier.
Thanks for all the wonderful recipes.
Hi Cindy, So glad you like the recipes! Unfortunately milk won’t work here — sorry!
Simple and delicious! Everyone loved it. Thanks for another great recipe.
Can you 1/2 the recipe?
Sure!
Hi Jenn,
This dish looks really good. Can you suggest some vegetarian side dishes to go with this for a dinner?
Thanks,
SK
Hi SK, here are a couple of options that come to mind, particularly if you want to stay with the French theme: French Grated Carrot Salad, White Bean Ragout (although it’s a bit summery). If you’d like to try a soup, you could go with the French Lentil Soup. (You can omit the bacon and it will still be very tasty, but if you’d like, you could add some browned vegetarian sausage and/or a pinch of smoked paprika (which will lend a bit of smoky flavor that the bacon contributes). Hope that helps and you enjoy whatever you make.
Made the au gratin potato dish last night as a side for my husband’s deliciously prepared Weber grilled French style herb roasted chicken.
It was delish
I did the recipe with a twist
I whipped in 1/2 cup of plain sour cream to the heavy cream before pouring it on the potato layers
Thickens the cream just a little but added a rich tang to the creamy layers we liked
Absolutely delicious and foolproof. If having company, I would make as is, but my husband and I try to limit dairy on a daily basis so I substituted with full-fat coconut milk and a dash of nutmeg and it turned out great. Thank you for another winner!
Brought this to a potluck and it was a hit!
This were divine! Part of Christmas dinner last night and they were enjoyed by all. Followed the instructions as written. Thank you for another great and reliable recipe. I enjoy your added instructions and tips and helpful photos and videos. Both cookbooks are great, too, btw!
I made it for Christmas this year and it turn out great. Used a mandolins to slice potatoes and it went very fast. Used more cheese then called for. Served it with baked ham.
Made these recently but potatoes turned gray. What should i do to prevent this?
Hi Carol, Did you make the gratin ahead of time?
It was oxidation. They were exposed to the air too long before being soaked in the cream. It’s happened to me. Sometimes they’ve turned a dark pink too. Depending on how many pounds I need to slice, I sometimes put them in a bowl of water. Then drain, pat dry and assemble the gratin.
Hi Jenn,
Is it possible to use evaporated milk instead of heavy whipping cream in this recipe?
Hi Erin, I don’t recommend it – sorry!
I accidentally pored way too much cream in the potatoes…they seem to be swimming in it. Would you advise pouring some off the top or just bake as is but for longer time?
Thx. Happy Holidays !
I would pour some off if you can.
Simple to make and absolutely delicious!! Thanks again for a winner Jenn!
Jenn…The recipe calls for 1 1/2 teaspoons salt…is that coarse kosher salt…or fine sea salt…. I know it makes a difference in the taste. Just need guidance about the kind of salt…help?!
Hi Annie, It’s fine sea salt. My recipes all call for fine sea salt/table salt unless otherwise specified. Hope that clarifies!
Not sure why now, but I have always been intimidated by the idea of making au gratin potatoes from scratch. Maybe it is the fact that many recipes call for the mandolin? While I do own one, it terrifies me so I don’t go near it.
Made this last night and it was so much better than even the renditions you might get from a high end steak house. Very simple to make and the moment the dish came out of the oven perfectly brown on top and sizzling around the edges was such a moment of pride.
Thank you, Jenn for all your amazing recipes!
Could I double the recipe and bake in a tin baking pan?
For the best results and most even cooking, I’d bake them in two separate 8-inch baking pans, but you can get away with using one 9 x 13-inch dish. Hope that helps!
I did a test run at this last night in prep for Christmas. Good all around comments. I had a bit of a time finding the cheese though. I did find a grocery near that had both kinds of cheese in the recipe and bought a small slice of the Parmigiano Reggiano. This is probably a bit on the low class side but they did have a 16oz container of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano at Costco. Yes, I bought it and used it. The potatoes turned out delightful. I was surprised at how long they took in the oven. I did slice them quite thin but they still took over an hour to bake.
Hi Jen – Love your recipes, they are usually my holiday go-to! I made these last night to test out before Christmas Eve dinner and I followed your recipe closely. I found that I just needed to reduce the amount of heavy cream by about 1/4 c and allowed the potatoes to cook for the full 75 minutes. I even made them a few hours ahead of time and covered with plastic wrap to see how that would work for me and I’m thrilled to say they turned out great! I’m going to be cooking these Friday night for about 20 people. I like your suggestion of cooking these in separate batches for more even cooking, but I was wondering if you think I should stick to the 2qt baking dish and just make 3 batches, or if you think I could make two batches using a 3 3/4 quart baking dish and just increase the ingredients slightly? I’d hate to tweak too much since following your recipe yielded great results, so I was hoping you could weigh in. Would the amount of cooking time increase, even if baking 3 2-qt batches at the same time? Thanks!
Hi Andi, so glad you like the recipes! You could probably get away with making two of the batches in the 3-3/4-quart baking dish but you’ll get the best results and most even cooking by using three 2-quart baking dishes. Regarding cooking time, it will be slight but you may need to keep them in the oven for a bit longer simply because the oven will be more crowded. Hope that helps!
Haven’t made this yet but would like to for Christmas. Wondering if I used a 13×9 dish should I double recipe? Any advice greatly appreciated.
Hi Renee, You could get away with it, but would suggest using two 8-inch baking dishes for more even baking. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Can I ask your advice? If you were to double the recipe, how would you adjust proportions and baking time? I’d like to make this for Christmas dinner (15 people). Many thanks! I make your recipes all the time—delicious and easy to follow. Your cookbook is wonderful!
Hi Betsy, So glad you like the recipes! 🙂
If you want to double this, for the best results, I’d bake it in two separate pans. That ensures that it will cook evenly. They may take a few extra minutes in the oven, but not much. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
The best potato gratin I’ve ever had!! I made this for a dinner party for 6 – a big hit!!
If I wanted to increase the potatoes to 5 instead of 4, how much more would I have to increase the other ingredients? Don’t really want to make 2 casseroles. Thx so much.
Kathy
Hi Kathy, I would just increase the cream so that it covers all of the potatoes. Also, make sure that you don’t pile everything too high or it could bubble over and make a mess of your oven. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much! Happy Holidays!!
How thin is thin for the potatoes?
Hi Marjory, you basically want to get them as thin as you possibly can. I try to get mine sliced to be about 1/8-inch thick.
Hi Jenn,
I have made a recipe very similar for years – here are some comments. I first sauté a couple of thinly sliced large leeks in butter. Then assemble 4 layers. First layer spread leeks, salt and pepper (it’s important to season each layer). Second layer sprinkle shredded cheese – I like Mexican 4 cheese, season S&P. Keep making layers alternating as above. Put imported parmesan on top. Last slowly pour heavy cream in the corners pressing the potatoes down and tilt the dish back and forth to get the cream in the layers. Pour cream until potato is barley covered . Everyone likes it and I never have leftovers – drats.
I won’t have enough room in my oven this Christmas to make these. Would I be able to put them in a crock pot?
I don’t recommend it for these — sorry!
I’m making these tomorrow for our Holiday Dinner. I have pecorino-romano thinking was parmigiana-reggiano. Can I safely use the pec-rom or should I run to the cheese shop to get the parm-reg?
Anyone, in case Jenn isn’t able to respond by noon tomorrow PT.
Happy Holidays!
Hi Susan, No worries, I have made this dish with pecorino Romano and it’s equally delicious. Enjoy! 🙂
How would your recommend adjusting the recipe in order to double the servings?
Hi Kristin, for the best results, I’d bake it in two separate pans. That ensures that it will cook evenly. They may take a few extra minutes in the oven, but not much. Hope everyone enjoys!
This is one of our fav side dishes. A tip to share…I use a cheese slicer to slice the potatoes. It gives consistent and perfect potato slices every time.
I made this and it was delicious. I did need to bake a little longer but that may have been because I made 2 of these and had them in the oven at the same time.
Tasty but too much cream. Or maybe I used too few potatoes. 🙂 I had to use the longer cooking time as the potatoes were cooked but still a bit firm (for my husband at least). Heated up great for leftovers the next day!
When I discovered this recipe, my first thought was, “surely it will need another cheese besides Parmesan.” Wow. was I wrong! I substituted Romano and this was fabulous. The only problem is that it may be too good. I want more tonight. Everyone took seconds and it ended up serving four. Thanks for yet another great recipe, Jenn.
I did get a re-education on mandolin safety when preparing 🙂
Followed the directions exactly. Cooked for thanksgiving and sad to say the potatoes were not cooked all the way through. I was embarrassed no one ate them. Maybe my pan was too deep? I’m not sure what I did wrong. Glad it worked for others.
Sorry to hear they weren’t fully cooked! Did you slice them very thinly?
These potatoes are fabulous. I crispy fried a couple of shallots and sprinkled on the finished dish. I will make these again and again.
If preparing this the day before do you take out of the fridge & let it sit at room temp about 30 minutes before baking? And if needed about how many extra minutes would the potatoes need to bake in the oven?
Thanks….Mary
You don’t have to let them sit out at room temperature but it couldn’t hurt. And I’m not sure how much longer it will take in the oven, but I’d guesstimate about 10 minutes.