This is the best potato gratin, ever! Thinly sliced potatoes layered with a dreamy herb and garlic infused cream sauce, studded with rich and nutty Gruyère cheese; baked to golden, creamy, bubbly perfection! Oh and they are naturally gluten free!
Making a special meal, simply craving creamy cheesy potatoes or looking for the perfect side for your holiday meal, this is a must save recipe!
You might also love our other favorite holiday side dishes like Cheesy Potato Casserole, Best Stuffing Ever and Tender Tarragon Carrots or Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts.
What’s the difference between scalloped and au gratin potatoes?
The primary difference between scalloped potatoes and au gratin is that scalloped potatoes do not have cheese. Gratin, meaning cheese is a clear distinction in these amazing potatoes.
Nothing can get me drooling like a rich, hot dish of potatoes with a creamy white sauce quite like this one.
Why is this Gratin better?
- Fresh herbs gently cooked in cream and milk mixture
- Savory garlic simmering and infusing the cream
- And the full-bodied earthy and nuttiness of Gruyère cheese
Ingredients for Potatoes au gratin casserole
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk, I use whole milk
- 7 cloves garlic, crushed (or a teaspoon garlic powder)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 6 russet potatoes (about 3 lbs) peeled
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 6 oz Gruyere cheese or similar, grated
CAN I SUBSTITUTE DRY HERBS?
Sometimes we just 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 & thyme, etc.
Print this FREE Ingredient Substitution Chart
Click Download button below.
How Do you Make Potato Au Gratin from Scratch?
- 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 get it all over.
- Bring milk, cream, garlic, rosemary, thyme, sea salt and pepper to a low simmer. Cook on low for 30 minutes.
- Strain out herbs and garlic into a bowl, discarding the herbs and garlic. Reserve infused cream mixture.
- While cream mixture simmers, peel potatoes (my favorite peeler!) slice the potatoes 1/8 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.
How to Layer Au Gratin Potatoes with Gruyere
- Arrange potatoes in rows, overlapping slightly; seasoning each layer with sea salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle a handful of Gruyere cheese over potatoes and pour 1/2 cup cream mixture over the potatoes.
- Repeat steps twice, finish by pouring remaining cream mixture over the top.
- Dot with 1 tablespoon butter; cover with foil and bake.
- Bake in preheated 375°F 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 THIS GRATIN CASSEROLE AHEAD?
Yes, please make it ahead and save yourself some precious time on your holiday.
- Bake gratin for 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 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. 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.
Are Potatoes Au Gratin Casserole Gluten Free?
Yes, without any changes to the ingredients, unless you are using pre-shredded cheese (watch those ingredients), this is a completely vegetarian and gluten free holiday side dish.
Let me know how you will serve your Potato Gratin!? Comment below the recipe.
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Best Potato Gratin {Ever}
This is the best potato au gratin! A classic holiday dish; thinly sliced potatoes layered with a dreamy herb and garlic infused Béchamel sauce and rich and nutty Gruyère cheese; baked to golden, creamy, bubbly perfection! The perfect side for your holiday meal!
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk, I use whole milk
- 7 cloves garlic, crushed (or scant teaspoon garlic powder)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 6 russet potatoes (about 3 lbs) peeled
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 6 oz Gruyere cheese or similar, grated
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.
- 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.
- While your cream mixture simmers, slice the potatoes 1/8 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.
Assembling & Baking Potato Gratin
- Arrange potatoes in rows, overlapping slightly; seasoning each layer with sea salt and pepper. Sprinkle a handful of Gruyere cheese over potatoes and pour 1/2 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.
- Bake in preheated 375°F 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).
Notes
Tips for Making Ahead
- 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. 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.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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STAUB Ceramics Rectangular Baking Dish, 13x9-inch, White -
Mueller Austria V-Pro Multi Blade Adjustable Mandoline Cheese/Vegetable Slicer with Precise Maximum Adjustability
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OXO Good Grips Serrated Peeler
-
Cuisinart Set of 3 Fine Mesh Stainless Steel Strainers
-
Simply Organic Pepper, White, 2.86 Ounce
-
Lodge Stoneware Baking Dish, 9x13 Blue
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 servings Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 321Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 335mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 9g
The nutritional information is estimated and may not be entirely accurate.
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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!
These look wonderful!!
Thank you so much Julie, they are dreamy!! LOL!
Made these tonight — boy were they really THE BEST ever!!
Thank you Michaela!! So excited you loved them!