Au Gratin Potatoes (Printable version)

Thinly sliced potatoes baked in a creamy garlic sauce layered with Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses, topped golden.

# 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

# Step-by-step guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter.
02 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. 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 dish. Pour over half of the cream mixture. Sprinkle evenly with half the Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses.
05 - Layer the remaining potatoes, pour over the remaining cream mixture, and sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses.
06 - Cover dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
07 - Remove foil and continue baking for 20 minutes until the top is golden and potatoes are tender.
08 - Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you've been cooking for hours, but it only takes 20 minutes of real hands-on work.
  • The cream and cheese melt into every layer, turning simple potatoes into something impossibly luxurious.
  • It makes enough to feed a crowd, and it's fancy enough to bring to any table without apologizing.
02 -
  • Slice your potatoes evenly—if some are thick and some are thin, they'll cook at different speeds and you'll end up with crunchy chunks alongside mushy layers.
  • The cheese doesn't melt into the dish evenly if you stir it; layering and baking is what creates those pockets of melted, creamy goodness throughout.
03 -
  • Buy good cheese—it's the star here, and the difference between grocery store Gruyère and a proper wedge from the cheese counter is immediately noticeable.
  • If your cream sauce breaks or looks weird, strain it through a fine mesh sieve into a fresh pot and start again; it only takes 30 seconds and saves the whole batch.
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