Tender Au Gratin Potatoes (Printable Version)

Sliced potatoes baked in creamy garlic sauce with layered cheese and a golden crust.

# 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

# How-To:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter.
02 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in heavy cream, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Heat until just simmering, then remove from heat.
04 - Arrange half of the sliced potatoes evenly in the baking dish. Pour half of the cream sauce over them. Sprinkle with half of the Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses.
05 - Layer the remaining potatoes on top. Pour over the remaining cream sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheeses.
06 - Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
07 - Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the top is golden and the potatoes are tender.
08 - Allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes before serving to set.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's foolproof once you understand that the potatoes will soften as they bake—no advanced skills required, just patience.
  • The cream sauce becomes silky and luxurious without any fancy techniques, while the cheese crust adds a textural contrast that feels indulgent.
  • You can assemble it hours ahead and bake it when you're ready, making it perfect for entertaining without last-minute stress.
02 -
  • Slice your potatoes uniformly—a mandoline saves time and ensures even cooking, whereas thick and thin slices cook at different rates and leave you with watery or tough spots.
  • Don't skip the resting step; those 10 minutes allow the cream to set slightly, so you get clean slices instead of a runny collapse on the plate.
03 -
  • Use a mandoline slicer for uniform potato thickness; it saves 10 minutes of knife work and guarantees even cooking.
  • Infuse the butter with garlic first, then let it cool slightly before adding cold cream to prevent curdling, though modern cream rarely breaks.
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