Potatoes Au Gratin
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Tender, golden, and irresistibly creamy, potatoes au gratin is the kind of crowd-pleasing side that makes any meal feel 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.
For more easy gratin recipes to round out your dinner rotation, check out my cauliflower gratin and Brussels sprouts gratin.
“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: With their high starch content, russets soak up the cream beautifully and bake into soft, melt-in-your-mouth layers. They’re the best choice for this dish. Skip the Yukon Golds here—they won’t give you the same texture.
- Heavy Cream: The secret to the luscious, velvety sauce. You might be tempted to swap in milk or half-and-half, but don’t—this recipe really needs heavy cream to thicken properly.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: Adds a salty, nutty depth that melts right into the potatoes, creating incredible flavor and texture. Be sure to use true Parmigiano Reggiano. If you can’t find it, Pecorino Romano makes a great substitute.
- Salt, Pepper & Thyme: These simple seasonings bring everything to life—the thyme is optional but adds a subtle earthiness that pairs perfectly with the creamy potatoes and cheese.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Slice the potatoes. It’s key to cut the potoates 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.
Step 2: Season the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and toss with the salt and pepper. Be sure the potatoes are evenly coated.
Step 3: Assemble the gratin. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Arrange some of the potato slices, with their 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 the top—you want to use it all.
Step 4: Bake. Bake the gratin for 60 to 75 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and golden brown on top. Don’t cover the dish with foil — you want that beautiful color to develop. The top should be nicely golden by the time it’s done, but if you’d like a little extra browning, pop it under the broiler for a minute or two (just keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn). Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves, if you like, and serve warm.
More Potato Side Dishes You May Like
Potatoes Au Gratin
With layers of thinly sliced potatoes baked in cream and melted cheese, this 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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Will this reheat ok if I make the day before? The oven will be used for our turkey and won’t have room to cook these for as long as is required. Thank you!
Hi Monique, Unfortunately this is one of those dishes that doesn’t reheat well. Sorry!
No disrespect meant to the chef here, but I have reheated leftovers in the microwave and they were still really good. Mind you, if I were serving this dish to company, I would want to freshly cook it for them. (“;)
I make this for Thanksgiving every year. It’s a crowd favorite. Thank you for sharing it.
Hi thank you for the lovely recipe. Can’t wait to try it. By the way I also love the white colored gratin baking dish you used. May I ask what brand it is? I’d like to buy something like that too.
Hi Jun, That dish came from Sur La Table and it’s from their every day porcelain collection. Hope you enjoy the potatoes if you make them!
Thank you so much!
This recipe looks great! What are your thoughts about making ahead and freezing them?
Unfortunately, I don’t think this would freeze well — sorry!
I make this every year and freeze it for thanksgiving. It freezes very well.
I too have found cooked scalloped potatoes freeze well.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! What an absolutely amazingly simple and delicious (no fail) recipe. Made this recipe today for the first time (to accompany a baked ham) exactly as written except I added a pinch of nutmeg to the potato slices along with the salt and pepper on the potatoes for taste. They turned out picture perfect (just like the picture in the recipe instructions). This will now be my ‘go to’ au gratin scalloped potato recipe. Many thanks again!
Trying this tomorrow, it looks delicious! What would you say to using half and half rather than heavy cream? I was thinking of parcooking the potatoes in the half and half for 20 minutes or so to reduce/concentrate it. Also wondering whether adding an alternate layer of sweet potatoes (maybe cut a little thicker) would work. Thanks!
Hi Jennifer, For the best results, I’d stick with the heavy cream. And I do think you could add some layers of sweet potatoes but I’d slice them to the same thickness as the white potatoes. Hope you enjoy!
This recipe was amazing!! Everyone loved it. I cooked it early with plans to reheat for dinner. Reheated in 350 oven for 40 mins & covered with aluminum foil. Turned out perfectly.
I love au gratin potatoes and these are by far the best I have made. Many family requests it frequently. So easy and soooo delicious. I have referred many to your recipe and they have also loved it. I have made this is with Yukon Gold potatoes and different cheeses and it’s still great but best with the russets and parmesiano reggianio. Thanks so much. Your recipes are so good.
These potatoes sound easy and oh, so, yummy! Can they be made in a toaster oven (bottom “baking” rack) instead of on the medium rack of a conventional oven?
Hi Cindy, I haven’t tried it but I think it should work. Please LMK how it turns out if you make it!