Description
Potato gratin is a crowd-favorite comfort food for a reason! This classic recipe is an elegant side dish to add to your holiday dinner or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, washed and cut into 1/8-inch thick (3mm) slices with a mandolin
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups heavy cream (heavy whipping cream)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cups grated gruyere cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Optional: 1-2 Tablespoons fresh parsley or fresh thyme, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Set out a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Prep Potatoes. If you haven’t already, wash the potatoes and use a mandoline slicer or sharp knife to cut the potatoes into 1/8-inch (3mm) thick slices. (Take your time with this step to get it right. Thicker potatoes will take longer to cook!) Place potatoes in a bowl of cold water if needed, while you prep the sauce.
- Heat Garlic. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Mix in the heavy cream and whole milk and stir to combine and heat through.
- Create The First Layer. Layer about 1/2 of the thinly sliced potatoes into the casserole dish as evenly as you can. Pour 1/2 of the warm cream mixture over the potatoes in the baking dish and sprinkle with 1 cup of the gruyere cheese.
- Create The Second Layer. Layer the second half of the potatoes and top with the second half of the cream mixture, but DO NOT top with the remaining cheese.
- Cover Pan Tightly With Foil, so that no steam will escape while cooking.
- Bake 40-45 minutes, then uncover.
- Top With The Remaining Gruyere Cheese and the Parmesan Cheese.
- Bake another 40-45 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling, the top is golden brown, and the potatoes are fork tender (you can easily pierce the potatoes with a thin knife or a fork.) If needed, you can bake the potatoes longer till they’re cooked through. If the potatoes begin to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent the pan with the aluminum foil until the potatoes are tender. If desired, you can broil the potatoes 1-2 minutes for a darker top–but watch them closely so they don’t burn!
- Finish the potatoes by letting them cool about 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley or fresh thyme.
- Serve & Store. Use a thin metal spatula to serve the layered potatoes. Keep in mind that the cream will be thinnest when it’s piping hot, but it will thicken as the potatoes cool a bit. Store leftover potatoes covered or in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days.
Notes
- Potatoes. I highly recommend Yukon gold potatoes. They won’t disintegrate or turn mushy even with the long cook time, and they’re thin-skinned so you don’t need to peel them! If Yukon gold potatoes are not available where you live, you can use russet potatoes, but you’ll need to peel them before slicing.
- Cream. Don’t be tempted to use low-fat milk here. I promise, it won’t be the same. Milk will be thinner, can curdle, and won’t give you the same luxurious creamy texture you’re looking for.
- Cheese. Gruyere can be pricey, so you can swap it out for white cheddar, sharp cheddar, or a cheddar-gruyere blend that can be more affordable, if needed.
- Herbs. Fresh thyme, fresh parsley, and fresh rosemary can all be delicious with potatoes. Feel free to add some as garnish, or add a little to the cream sauce for a stronger herb flavor.
Texture:
- The ideal texture you’re going for is fork tender. They should be firm enough to hold their shape, but tender enough you can easily pierce them with a fork. This takes a while with layers of sliced potatoes, so be patient with the cook time!
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American