Potatoes Au Gratin
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
We love this recipe! My daughter is coming for Easter and she cannot eat milk. Do you think this will work with a non dairy whipping cream?
Thanks
Hi Elizabeth, so glad you like it! . For a non-dairy option, some readers have commented that they’ve used Rich’s non-dairy coffee creamer (frozen), Silk’s heavy whipping cream alternative, and Trader Joe’s unflavored non-dairy creamer. (Please keep in mind that I haven’t tried any of these.)
Hi Jenn, I am a big fan of yours and love your recipes, and this one in particular.
I would like to make this gratin for Easter and am wondering if it would be okay to bake the potatoes half way (so they don’t discolour) and then bake them the rest of the way closer to dinner.
Do you think that would work?
Hi Jane, so glad you like the recipes! Unfortunately, what you’ve described will not work – sorry!
Can you use gold rush potatoes?
Hi Corinne, I’ve never tried them but I’d be a bit hesitant to. This recipe is a bit finicky so I wouldn’t fiddle with it too much. Sorry!
I made this for Christmas dinner. It was a huge hit. So tasty and very easy to make.
First, I adore your recipes and hope you are having a lovely holiday season.
I followed the new directions to the letter, and my potatoes shed a lot of water. I poured most of it out, but did add some to the dish. When I poured out liquid, I also poured out a lot of dissolved salt and a lot of pepper that was sitting on the bottom. I have no idea how much salt and pepper I lost, so in the end decided to play it safe and not add any, thinking we can add it at serving time. We’re pretty laid back here.
What I will do the next time I make this is use kosher salt (double the amount called for) and pepper mixed together. I will layer potatoes, cheese, cream then a quarter of the salt and pepper mix.
Whatever method someone goes with, this is the absolute best potato gratin I’ve ever had, and I’ve made and eaten a lot of them.
This was AMAZING!! I’m so glad I didn’t listen to the negative reviews, this dish is absolute perfection!! My entire family LOVED it. I followed the instructions as written – except I used 2 cups of whipped cream, based on other reviews plus it seemed right once I got there. Sliced the potatoes as thin as possible, used a 2 qt / 8 x 8 Emile Henry baking dish, and the potatoes were perfect after 70 min. Thank you Jen – for another winner & another keeper for my “Jen Binder” :). This one will be a new staple for special occasions & holiday meals.
I hope you are having a wonderful day! I am here to print out ANOTHER recipe for our dinner tonight and wanted too say a quick thank you for this wonderful recipe (which I prepared last night)- it was easy to assemble, looked and tasted amazing as noted by others- I followed the recipe exactly. I have found all the recipes I have tried thus far to produce excellent results 🙂
PS- this is the same commenter- I just wanted to say that although Jen said this would not reheat well- my family did not agree. This was THE fought-over leftover of the holiday. I may have not looked the same, but it still tasted great.
I am expecting 18 for dinner on Christmas Eve and want to make these potatoes. Can you give me some suggestions on how to make this work for that size crowd?
I am also making your beef tenderloin with red wine sauce and the green beans with shallots. Can’t wait to eat!
Hi Sarah, I’m obviously weighing in too late to help. Did you double the dish? I hope it came out OK and the meal was enjoyable!
This is simple, elegant, and delicious. It’s a classic and we had it with some salmon and it was perfect. I like to and a sprinkling of sharp cheddar and a layer of caramelized onions. Thank you for this simple and satisfying dish!
Hi Jenn
Question-Can red potatoes be used in this recipe instead of Russet? If so should they be peeled?
Thanks! Love your recipes!
So glad you like the recipes! I don’t recommend red skinned potatoes here – sorry!
Hi Jenn!
So I have made your recipe too many times to count lol. It is my absolute favorite. My problem is, my store was completely out of heavy cream. I do have half and half…will it work just as well? Or is there something different I should use? Or add to the half and half?
Thank you so much!
Hi Dawn, so glad you like this! Unfortunately, for this recipe, there’s no real substitute that will work. If you’re determined to make it, and you have another grocery store nearby, it’s worth the trip.