Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes (Printable)

Tender potatoes layered with cream and melted cheese, baked to golden perfection with fresh herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 grated Gruyère cheese
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley

# Directions:

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 potatoes.
06 - Top with the remaining Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses.
07 - Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake an additional 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
09 - Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chives or parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but comes together in under 90 minutes, making you look like a hero without the stress.
  • The layers of Gruyère and Parmesan create this addictive umami depth that keeps people reaching for seconds.
  • It pairs beautifully with ham, roasted chicken, or even stands alone as the main event.
02 -
  • Slice your potatoes consistently thin (about 1/8 inch)—thick spots stay raw while thin ones turn mushy, so a mandoline is worth the investment.
  • Keep the cream mixture warm when you pour it; cold cream will shock the potatoes and slow cooking time significantly.
  • Don't skip the resting period—those 10 minutes let everything set properly so you get clean slices instead of a creamy puddle.
03 -
  • Slice potatoes right before assembling so they don't oxidize or dry out sitting on a cutting board.
  • If your cream sauce is already cooling when you need to pour it, warm it gently over the stove for 30 seconds—cold cream disrupts the cooking process.
  • Make this the day before and refrigerate unbaked, then add 10 to 15 minutes to the total bake time since it starts cold.
Return