Tender Au Gratin Potatoes (Printable)

Sliced potatoes baked in creamy garlic sauce with melted cheese and a golden crust.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

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

→ Dairy

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

→ Spices & Seasonings

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

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the 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, pepper, and nutmeg. Heat until just simmering, then remove from heat.
04 - Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in the prepared baking dish. Pour half of the cream mixture over the potatoes, then sprinkle with half of the Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses.
05 - Layer the remaining sliced potatoes on top, pour the remaining cream mixture over them, and sprinkle with the remaining cheeses.
06 - Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
07 - Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes until the top is golden and potatoes are tender.
08 - Allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The cream sauce infuses every layer so completely that each bite melts on your tongue with pure comfort.
  • That golden, crackling cheese top is honestly the best part—crispy edges hiding creamy depths underneath.
  • It's fancy enough for company but honest enough to make on a random Tuesday when you need something warm.
02 -
  • Slice your potatoes evenly and relatively thin—thick chunks take forever to cook and thick thin ones turn to mush, so aim for about the thickness of a coin.
  • Warm your cream mixture before pouring it over the potatoes; cold cream will cool the dish down and extend cooking time, and you might end up with undercooked potatoes and separated sauce.
  • Don't skip the resting time—it sounds like nothing, but those 10 minutes let everything firm up enough to serve properly instead of falling apart on the plate.
03 -
  • Buy your cheese from the block and grate it yourself—pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting as smoothly and completely.
  • If your potatoes finish cooking but the cheese hasn't browned, crank the oven to 220°C (425°F) for the last 5 minutes under close watch—this speeds up browning without drying out the interior.
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