The Best Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe
Creamy, cheesy, and baked to golden perfection, this Au Gratin Potatoes recipe is pure comfort food. Tender Yukon Gold potatoes are layered with Gruyere cheese and a spiced cream sauce, making it the perfect side dish for holidays, family dinners, or whenever youโre craving something extra special.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold peeled and sliced into โ slices (approx 8 medium yukon gold potatoes)
- 2 ยฝ cups Gruyere cheese grated
Spiced Cream
- 3 cups heavy cream/whipping cream
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 3 bay leaves
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Cream: Preheat your oven to 400ยฐF. In a saucepan, combine the Spiced Cream ingredients and bring them to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer for 10 minutes to infuse all the flavors.
- Prepare the Dish and Potatoes: Grease a 9x13-inch rectangular casserole dish to prevent sticking. Peel the potatoes and slice them into โ -inch rounds for even cooking. Transfer the sliced potatoes to a large bowl.
- Coat Baking Dish and Potatoes with Cream: Spoon just enough of the simmered herbed cream to cover the bottom of the greased casserole dish. Pour the remaining cream over the sliced potatoes in the bowl and gently toss to coat them evenly.
- Layer the Potatoes and CheeseUsing a slotted spoon, layer โ of the potato and onion slices at the bottom of the baking dish, leaving most of the cream in the bowl. Lightly season this layer with additional salt and pepper (beyond what is listed in the ingredients). Sprinkle 1 cup of Gruyere cheese over the potatoes, then top with โ of the remaining cream. Repeat layers.
- Add the Final Layer: Top the casserole with the remaining potato and onion slices, then pour the rest of the cream evenly over the top.
- Bake and Broil: Cover the casserole tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove it from the oven, sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top, and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes. Test the potatoes in the center to ensure they are tender (baking time may vary depending on the thickness of your slices). Once the potatoes are fully cooked, broil the casserole until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
- Let It Rest and Garnish: After removing the casserole from the oven, let it rest for 10โ15 minutes to allow the layers to set. Just before serving, top with a sprinkle of fresh thyme for a burst of flavor and color.
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