Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes (Print View)

Tender potatoes baked in creamy sauce with melted cheese, perfect as a savory side dish.

# Components:

→ Potatoes

01 - 2 lbs Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

→ Cream Sauce

02 - 2 cups heavy cream
03 - 1 cup whole milk
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

→ Cheeses

08 - 1 1/2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated
09 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, milk, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Heat over medium-low until just steaming, not boiling. Remove from heat.
03 - Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in an even layer in the prepared baking dish.
04 - Sprinkle half of the Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses over the potatoes.
05 - Layer the remaining potatoes evenly on top. Pour the warm cream mixture evenly over all the potatoes.
06 - Top with the remaining Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses.
07 - Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake an additional 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
09 - Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chives or parsley, if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but asks nothing of you except slicing potatoes and waiting.
  • The layers stay distinct instead of turning into mush—something I only figured out after making it three times wrong.
  • People genuinely think you've spent hours on this, even though most of it bakes unattended while you do literally anything else.
02 -
  • Slice your potatoes as evenly as you possibly can because thick ones will stay slightly undercooked while thin ones turn to mush—a mandoline slicer is worth the counter space if you make this more than once.
  • Don't skip the resting period; pulling it straight to the table means it's still hot and loose, and you'll end up with creamy potatoes sliding around instead of staying in neat sections on the plate.
03 -
  • Rub the baking dish with a cut garlic clove before buttering it if you want that whisper of garlic throughout—it's subtle but makes people wonder what you did differently.
  • Slice sweet onions thinly and layer them between the potatoes if you want sweetness that rounds out the richness; just know that onions release more water, so bake an extra 5-10 minutes.
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