After decades of making au gratin potatoes, I’ve perfected the balance of creamy, cheesy goodness in this classic French dish. My secret? Herb-infused cream, Gruyère cheese, and tender layers of potatoes, baked to golden, bubbly perfection. With simple ingredients and easy, step-by-step instructions, you’ll create a flawless dish that’s sure to impress at any holiday or special occasion. Whether you’re cooking for family or a crowd, this naturally gluten-free recipe never fails to wow—even the toughest critics!
The secret to my best-ever au gratin potatoes? It’s all about infusing the cream with herbs, garlic, and spices before layering it with the potatoes. This extra step ensures the rich flavors permeate every bite, turning a simple dish into something truly special. I also use a mandoline to slice the potatoes evenly, which helps them absorb the herb-infused cream perfectly and cook through evenly.
In addition to the herb-infused cream, I like to use a mix of Gruyère and sharp cheddar. While Gruyère gives that classic nutty flavor and smooth melt, the sharp cheddar adds an extra depth that really sets this recipe apart. The result? A cheesy, golden topping that bubbles up beautifully without becoming too oily.
Another key to success is not rushing the baking process. I recommend baking the potatoes low and slow, giving them time to soften and absorb all those infused flavors. And here’s a tip that’s often overlooked: let the dish rest for 10-15 minutes after baking. This allows the sauce to thicken and the flavors to meld, making every bite creamy, flavorful, and irresistible.
Yes, this dish takes a little longer to make, but trust me—it’s so worth it! Taking the extra time to infuse the cream and bake the potatoes slowly might seem like a lot, but the end result is rich, flavorful, and absolutely unforgettable. Once you taste that creamy, cheesy goodness with hints of garlic and herbs in every bite, you’ll see why this recipe is a must for special occasions. After all, some of the best things in life take a little extra time!
I made this recipe for our Easter family gathering! It was amazing. So flavorful and creamy…it didn’t last long!! This is our new go to potato dish for the holidays! You must make this!!!!
Susan
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Why You Will Love Dauphinoise Potatoes
- Fresh herbs and garlic gently infused in cream and milk mixture
- Earthy and nuttiness of Gruyère cheese, the perfect compliment to the rich ingredients
- A traditional and classic French dish that will become your the favorite holiday side dish.
What’s the difference between au gratin and scalloped
The primary difference between scalloped potatoes vs au gratin is that scalloped potatoes do not have cheese. Gratin, meaning cheese is a clear distinction in these amazing potatoes. And in this case, it means the King of cheese, gruyere cheese — delicious, nutty, melts beautifully.
Scalloped potatoes typically have flour in them in order to thicken them up, but not these potatoes, the thick cooked cream mixture along with the gruyere cheese does the job! Which also means they are gluten-free au gratin potatoes!
And if you enjoy this recipe, you need to try my broccoli au gratin recipe and this broccoli and cauliflower gratin too!
Best au Gratin Potatoes Ingredients
- Heavy Cream | Use the real heavy cream, it’s the holidays, and they deserve all the richness heavy cream brings.
- Whole Milk | The same goes for the milk, but if all you have is a lower fat percentage, then by all means use it! It just won’t be quite as creamy, thick and rich.
- Herbs | We will infuse the milk and cream with fresh herbs, garlic cloves, rosemary and thyme are the best. Fresh is best, but I have used 1 teaspoon of each herb in dried form in a pinch.
- Russet Potatoes | I think russets work and hold up the best, but I have also used Yukon gold, peel these potatoes unless you want a really rustic look.
- Gruyere Cheese | Use a quality gruyere cheese and grate it yourself, to avoid having the extra caking agents often in pre-grated cheeses.
- Butter | Just a touch, to finish off the dish.
- Kosher Salt and White Pepper | You may also use black pepper if desired, it will just show more in the dish!
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Best Cheese for Au Gratin Potatoes
For the best au gratin potatoes, I recommend a mix of Gruyère and sharp cheddar. Gruyère melts beautifully, offering a creamy texture and a slightly nutty flavor, while sharp cheddar adds a bold, tangy bite. This combination gives the dish a rich, cheesy topping that complements the creamy potatoes perfectly!
Best Potatoes for au Gratin Potatoes
I prefer using Russet potatoes for au gratin because their higher starch content helps create distinct layers, while still delivering a tender texture. Yukon Golds are another good option, offering a softer and creamier texture, but if you want those beautifully defined layers, Russets are your best bet!
Equipment needed
- Pan | A 9×13 ” pan, I love the Staub casseroles as they clean up beautifully!
- Mandolin Slicer | These really make it so simple to slice paper thin potato slices, you can with a bigger one or this simple hand held.
- Strainer | After you have infused the cream mixture with herbs and garlic, you’ll need to strain it all out.
Print this FREE Ingredient Substitution Chart
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How to make Potatoes Au Gratin
Step 1 | Prep pan and make infused cream
Grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish (glass or ceramic preferred) with 1 tablespoon butter, set aside. I smoosh the butter in the dish using a paper towel to get it all over.
In a small saucepan, bring milk, cream, garlic, rosemary, thyme, sea salt and pepper to a low simmer. Cook on low for 30 minutes.
Step 2 | Strain and prep potatoes
While cream mixture simmers, peel potatoes (my favorite peeler!) slice the potatoes ⅛ inch thick — if you’ve never used a mandolin slicer give it a try, your slices will be even and uniform and done lickity-split!
Place sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water until ready to assemble, then drain and pat dry, if a short period of time you can forgo this step, if longer, they will brown quickly.
Strain out herbs and garlic into a bowl, discarding the herbs and garlic. Reserve infused cream mixture.
Step 3 | Assemble potatoes au gratin Ina Garten style
Arrange potatoes in rows, overlapping slightly, seasoning each layer with sea salt and white pepper.
Sprinkle a handful of Gruyere cheese over potatoes and pour ½ cup cream mixture over the potatoes.
Repeat steps twice, finish by pouring remaining cream mixture over the top.
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Dot with 1 tablespoon butter; cover with foil and bake.
Step 4 | How to Bake Au Gratin Potatoes
Bake in preheated 375°F (190° C) oven for 45 minutes; then remove foil and continue baking, uncovered for an additional 45 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly and potatoes are fork tender (insert fork into potatoes, they should yield to gentle pressure.)
Can I make Potatoes Dauphinoise ahead of time?
Please make and bake these au gratin potatoes ahead and save yourself some precious time on your holiday.
- Bake gluten free au gratin potatoes a total of 60 minutes undercooking potatoes slightly, they should be a light brown instead of a deep golden brown.
- Once cooled, cover with a sheet of wax paper pressed into the potatoes (protect against freezer burn), then cover with foil, sealing baking dish well.
- If serving within 24-48 hours, refrigerate until ready to reheat. Or freeze-wrapped in plastic wrap, then again in foil up to 2 weeks.
- For best texture and flavor, thaw in refrigerator overnight or bake from frozen (might require a bit more time).
Fresh Tip
- While you may prep the dish and refrigerate baking the next day, your potatoes will turn a purple-brown. The color is a bit off-putting, but it won’t hurt you. So I recommend baking them ahead, cooling and warming on serving day.
Au Gratin Potato Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- Cheese Variations:
- Experiment with different cheeses. Instead of the traditional Gruyère or Emmental, try cheddar, Parmesan, or Gouda for a unique flavor.
- You can also combine multiple cheeses for a more complex taste.
- Vegetarian or Vegan Version:
- Substitute dairy cream with a non-dairy alternative like coconut cream or almond milk for a vegan version.
- Use vegan cheese or nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor in the absence of traditional dairy cheese.
- Sage | If you enjoy the flavor of sage, add a leaf or two to your cream herb infusion.
Storage Tips
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Can You Freeze Au Gratin Potatoes?
Yes, you can freeze au gratin potatoes! To freeze, allow the dish to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. You can freeze them up to 2 weeks ahead of time. When you’re ready to serve, you can either thaw the potatoes in the fridge overnight or bake them directly from frozen. If baking from frozen, remove the plastic wrap, then recover the dish with foil and bake at 350°F (175° C) for about 60-75 minutes, removing the foil for the last 20 minutes to let the top get golden and bubbly. Keep in mind, the texture may soften slightly after freezing, but the flavors will still be delicious!
How to reheat Potatoes Dauphinoise
- Place potatoes Dauphinoise in preheated 375° F (190° C) oven, covered with aluminum foil for about 30-40 minutes, removing foil last 10 minutes to brown. Should be bubbly around edges and warmed in center with a deep golden brown hue.
- To determine if warmed through, stick butter knife in middle of gratin holding for about 30 seconds. Remove knife, if warm or hot to touch, they are warmed through, if cool to touch, return to oven in 15 minute increments, covering with foil if browning too quickly.
- Or place on microwave safe dish and warm in 30-45 second bursts until warmed through.
Potatoes au Gratin Recipe FAQs
Sometimes we cannot get our hands on fresh herbs! I have been asked is it okay to substitute dried herbs for fresh herbs and the answer is YES!
HERB SUBSTITUTION RULE | Use ⅓ the amount of fresh in the recipe.
For instance: Instead of a tablespoon (3 teaspoons) of fresh rosemary, you would add 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary and thyme, etc.
A potato dish cooked in a cream, milk and cheese mixture.
While many people believe that the word gratin means cheese, the word gratin is actually derived from the French word grater or gratter, meaning to grate. One would assume that gratin then refers to grated cheese, however, often times it also meant breadcrumbs and or cheese that is browned and crisped. (Source)
Yes, without any changes! Unless you are using pre-shredded cheese (watch those ingredients), this is a completely vegetarian and gluten free potato holiday side dish.
What to Serve with Au Gratin Potatoes
When I think of potatoes au gratin I think of ham, but honestly this holiday side dish is great with turkey, pork and fish too! Below are a few of our favorites!
Best Easy Honey Baked Ham Recipe (not dry!)
Learn how to cook spiral Ham without drying it out, it is easier than you might think. My copycat Honey baked ham recipe is a perfectly moist spiral ham. With a honey sugar crust, most of the work is done in your crock pot.
Easy Air Fryer Halibut Recipe with Lemon Butter Sauce
Try this Air Fryer Halibut Recipe with Lemon Butter for a crisp and flaky fish with tangy golden lemon butter sauce. This recipe is an Air Fryer Halibut Recipe with No Breading made in just 30 minutes.
Best Juicy Marinated Pork Tenderloin (Air Fryer)
Have you ever made pork tenderloin in the air fryer? It only takes 25 minutes and uses fresh ingredients! A pork tenderloin with a sweet and savory cranberry orange chutney; perfect for a holiday meal or a Sunday dinner.
Comfort food at it’s best!
Best Roasted Air Fryer Turkey Breast Recipe (Boneless or Bone-In)
You can have this easy Roasted Air Fryer Turkey Breast on the table in less than an hour. Loaded with flavor, juicy and tender every time. Use boneless or bone-in turkey breast.
Best Easy Air Fryer Turkey Tenderloin Recipe
This holiday season, stay stress-free with this Air Fryer Turkey Tenderloin Recipe seasoned with a delicious spice rub, ready in 30 minutes!
Plus, be sure to check out all of our air fryer turkey recipes!
More Great Holiday Recipes
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast and Gravy
- Simple Tender Herb Butter Turkey
- Amazing Giblet Gravy
- Best Stuffing or Dressing
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Instant Pot Rustic Mashed Potatoes
- Praline Sweet Potatoes or Yams
- Harvest Fall Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
- Cranberry Relish
- Apple Pie with Streusel topping or this always popular Key Lime Pie
- Pear Bundt Cake
Best sides to serve with Au gratin potatoes
One cannot live on potatoes alone! So try my favorite holiday side dishes. below are a few of our favorites.
Ultimate Green Bean Casserole Recipe (No Mushroom Soup)
The ultimate green bean casserole with no mushroom soup is ready for the oven in 20 minutes! With fresh green beans, Worcestershire sauce with crispy bacon and fried onions or crispy panko!
Easy Homemade Corn Pudding Recipe without Jiffy Mix
This homemade Corn Pudding Recipe without Jiffy Mix is so simple, ready in a jiffy, without Jiffy! Using everyday, all-natural ingredients will become your favorite side dish, too!
Easy Cheesy Broccoli Au Gratin Recipe
This creamy and cheesy Broccoli Au Gratin Recipe is made with fresh and tender broccoli florets, sharp white cheddar, nutty gruyere cheese, and seasoned with minced garlic and fragrant herbs. The perfect holiday side dish.
Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole (Vegetable Au Gratin)
As we enter the holiday season, easy side dishes are a must and slam-dunk recipes like this vegetable au gratin are always a winner. You will also love my broccoli gratin, potatoes au gratin and this not your Grandma’s Green Bean Casserole.
Holiday Praline Yams (Sweet Potatoes)
An amazing make ahead side-dish for the upcoming holidays! Light, creamy, complex, with undertones of orange and cinnamon, touched with a hint of whiskey, not to mention the indulgent sweet pecan praline topping.
More of our favorite potato side dishes
Enjoy all of these fantastic potato sides!
I hope you loved these potatoes au gratin Ina Garten recipe — if you did, would you share your creation on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest? And be sure to comment below!
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Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream I used organic heavy cream
- 1 cup milk I use whole milk
- 7 cloves garlic crushed (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary fresh is best, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme fresh is best, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ – 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ – 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 6 russet potatoes about 3 lbs peeled and sliced thinly
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 6 ounces Gruyere cheese grated, or use similar cheese such as Emmenthaler or other strong cheeses.
- 2 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese optional, but adds another dimension
Instructions
Prepping Potato Gratin
- Grease a 9x13x2 inch casserole dish (glass or ceramic preferred) with 1 tablespoon butter, set aside. I smoosh the butter in the dish using a paper towel to schmear evenly.2 tablespoons butter
- Bring milk, cream, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper to a low simmer. Cooking on low for 30 minutes. Strain out herbs and garlic into a bowl, discarding the herbs and garlic. Reserve infused cream mixture.2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup milk, 7 cloves garlic, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, ½ – 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ – 1 teaspoon white pepper
- While your cream mixture simmers, slice the potatoes ⅛ inch thick — if you've never used a mandolin slicer give it a try, your slices will be even and uniform and be done lickity-split! Place sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water until ready to assemble, then drain and pat dry.6 russet potatoes
Assembling & Baking Potato Gratin
- Arrange potatoes in rows, overlapping slightly; seasoning each layer with sea salt and pepper. Toss together the gruyere and sharp cheddar cheese. Sprinkle a handful of cheese over potatoes and pour ½ cup cream mixture over the potatoes. Repeat steps twice, finish by pouring on an remaining cream mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon butter; cover with foil and bake.6 ounces Gruyere cheese, 2 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese
- Bake in preheated 375°F /(190° C) oven for 45 minutes; then remove foil and continue baking, uncovered for an additional 45 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly and potatoes are fork tender (insert fork into potatoes; they should yield to gentle pressure).
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Notes
- Bake gratin for a total of about 60 minutes undercooking potatoes slightly, remove from oven and cool quickly by placing in refrigerator (be careful and place a hot pad or trivet on your fridge shelf. Remove them when they have a light brown color instead of a deep golden brown hue.
- Once cooled, cover with a sheet of wax paper pressed into the potatoes (protect against freezer burn), then cover with foil and seal baking dish well.
- If serving within 24-48 hours, refrigerate until ready to reheat. Or freeze up to 2 weeks for best texture and flavor, thaw in refrigerator overnight or bake from frozen (might require a bit more time).
- Place in preheated 375°F oven (remove wax paper), covered for about 30-40 minutes, removing foil last 10 minutes to brown. It should be bubbly around the edges and warmed in the center with a deep golden brown hue.
- To determine if warmed through, stick a butter knife in the middle of the gratin, holding for about 30 seconds. Remove knife, if warm or hot to touch, they are warmed through, if cool to touch, return to oven in 15 minute increments, covering with foil if browning too quickly.
- While you can prepare the dish and not bake, the potatoes will oxidize and turn a purple-brown color, while this will not harm you, the color isn’t pretty, so instead bake and rewarm the day of serving.
Nutrition
Alli
Love these! They are delicious
Makes me so happy, Alli!
Bess Gordon
I hardly ever write a review but this was sooooo delish! I had some leeks so I sautéed those for a layer and they were crazy good. I baked covered for 45 minutes, took out, went to an event, came home and finished cooking it is such a keeper!
Thanks for making my day Bess!! So glad you loved it!
Julie D
Awesome recipe. I baked this in a huge cast iron skillet and talk about delish! I didn’t have the Gruyère cheese the first time I made it. But, I’m about to make it again with the Gruyère. My entire family loved it and devoured it quickly!
Thanks so much Julie! So glad you all loved it!
Linda Sjoberg
Everyone loved it!
Yay! So glad to hear that!!
AnnMarie
this recipe sounds amazing but when i look at other recipes it seems like they are using more cheese and less cream/milk Would there be a problem adding extra sharp cheddar and may be some parmesan to the cheese mixture. 6 oz cheese doesnt sound like enough
Thank you
You may certainly add more cheese if you wish AnnMarie, make it yours. It might be a little more “oily” with more cheese, so keep that in mind or maybe add another couple ounces half way through baking. The flavor of the herb steeped cream and the gruyere really shine in this recipe.
Julie B
These were fantastic. I swapped Yukon gold potatoes for Russets and I didn’t strain out the herbs and garlic (I did mince up the fresh Rosemary) turned out great. I’m thinking about adding fresh jalapeños.
Love your twist, Julie! So glad you loved it!!
Steph
If I was to par-cook the potatoes two days in advance (and then place in the fridge)…your instructions show to undercook for 60 min only, cool and then place in the fridge. How much of the 60 min would you cover vs uncover in the oven?
Hi Steph, I would keep them covered for the same amount of time as if you were cooking the whole time. Only cook for 60 total minutes. Make sure you cool them completely before refrigerating. Hopefully that makes sense.
Susan Smith
I made this recipe for our Easter family gathering! It was amazing. So flavorful and creamy…it didn’t last long!! This is our new go to potato dish for the holidays! You must make this!!!!
YAY! Thank you so much, Susan!
Laurel
This sounds delicious! Can this recipe be doubled? I am having about 20 people for Easter dinner
You sure can!! you might need to bake them a little longer if you do it all in one big pan or just split it between two pans
Heather
I saw your instructions for baking it ahead of time and refrigerating. But do you think I could just assemble them and put in the fridge and then bake the next day?
Hi Heather, I have never done that. Potatoes tend to turn funny colors when they’re exposed to the air but I would say if you make sure they’re well in the cream sauce and press some plastic wrap on top of it. It should be fine. Just make sure you bring it out about 30 minutes before you’re going to bake it so the shock to the casserole dish doesn’t break when it hits the heat of the oven. Let me know how it turns out!
Heather
Ok awesome! That’s what I was thinking based on other similar dishes I’ve made. Thanks for the quick reply!
You are welcome! Hope you love it! I might try the same this year too!
Patty
Maybe I’m being dumb. Use 1/2 of the cream mixture and then repeat for 2 more layers? So use none on the second layer and only cheese and the rest on the top OR split the remaining 1/2?
Split the remaining half, sounds like I need to clarify that a bit better! Sorry about that!!
Jody
This recipe looks amazing, but I have a quick question. I’m making scalloped potatoes to go with our prime rib on Christmas, but the night before we are having fondue with gruyere. Do you think a different cheese would be good in this recipe, or have you tried another? I feel like it might be too much gruyere for one weekend…but is there such a thing?
As far as I am concerned, you can never have too much, Gruyere ????. However, a sharp cheddar or Swiss (Emmentaler) would also be really good! Hope you love them!
Gaye Russill
I have not tried this recipe, but it sounds amazing! I was wondering if I can make the infused cream, and thicken it with corn starch (as it is gluten free), then assemble the casserole?
Hi Gaye — actually my recipe is Gluten-Free, naturally! I use the slow simmer of the cream and then the cheese to thicken it! I hope you enjoy it, it’s quite amazing!
Rhonda
I made a similar recipe recently but this looks much better. The other had no flour in it either and my potatoes were still floating in the cream mixture. How do you get it to thicken without the addition of flour.?
Hi Rhonda, this is an amazing recipe, I believe it’s a combination of simmering down the milk, cream mixture, using a starchier potato such as russets along with the cheese that helps it bubble and thicken. Sometimes if I do not put in quite enough potatoes mine will be “swimming” in the cream mixture a bit more too, but not typically, plus as it sits it firms up well! Hope that helps!
Joanne
So excited to make these for our Easter dinner! My mouth is watering already.
If fresh rosemary and thyme are not available what would you recommend for plan B?
Great question, Joanne! Generally speaking you swap ⅓ dried herbs for fresh. If a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or thyme, then add 1 teaspoon dried rosemary/thyme. And I have made it with dried herbs, I will update my recipe! Happy Easter!
Nikki
I could eat these all right up! So so good!
Julie @ Back To My Southern Roots
These look wonderful!!
Thank you so much Julie, they are dreamy!! LOL!
Jennifer A Stewart
Julie Menghini
We tried these potatoes and they are amazing! The way you infused the herbs made such a big difference and the cheese was definitely the hero in this dish. This is my new go-to for potato gratin!
michele
super easy to make and very tasty! Thanks
Michelle
Michaela Kenkel
Made these tonight — boy were they really THE BEST ever!!
Thank you Michaela!! So excited you loved them!
Deb
Love the cheesy goodness in this side. Can this be made ahead?
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