Cheese and Potato Pie (Printable version)

Layers of creamy potatoes, onions, Gruyère and cheddar baked to golden perfection in a comforting British pie.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2.6 lbs floury potatoes (Maris Piper or Yukon Gold), peeled and thinly sliced
02 - 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

04 - 5 oz Gruyère cheese, grated
05 - 5 oz mature cheddar cheese, grated
06 - 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
07 - 3.5 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk

→ Seasonings

09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Topping

12 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)

# Step-by-step guide:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter an 8-cup ovenproof pie or casserole dish.
02 - In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, cooking for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned. Remove from heat.
03 - In a bowl, combine the heavy cream, milk, Dijon mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
04 - Layer half the potato slices in the prepared dish, slightly overlapping. Top with half the onion mixture and sprinkle with half the Gruyère and cheddar.
05 - Repeat with remaining potatoes, onion mixture, and cheeses.
06 - Pour the cream mixture evenly over the layers. Press down gently with a spatula to compact.
07 - Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
08 - Remove the foil and bake for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
09 - Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chives if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It turns humble potatoes into something luxurious without any fancy technique or hard to find ingredients.
  • The creamy, cheesy layers are exactly what you want when the weather turns cold and you need real comfort food.
  • It holds beautifully, so you can make it ahead and reheat slices throughout the week without losing any of that golden, bubbling magic.
02 -
  • Slice the potatoes as evenly as possible, ideally with a mandoline, or they will cook unevenly and some will turn mushy while others stay firm.
  • Do not skip the resting time after baking, or the pie will be too loose and runny when you try to serve it.
  • Press the layers down firmly before baking so the cream can reach every corner and the pie holds together when sliced.
03 -
  • Use a mandoline to slice the potatoes paper thin and consistent, which makes all the difference in how evenly everything cooks and how beautifully the layers hold together.
  • Grate the cheese yourself instead of buying pre shredded, which often has anti caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the cream.
  • Press the pie down firmly with a spatula before baking so the cream soaks all the way through and binds the layers into one cohesive, sliceable dish.
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