Perfect Potatoes au gratin

These Perfect Potatoes Au Gratin deliver creamy, cheesy layers of thinly sliced potatoes in a rich sauce with a beautifully browned cheese topping—all made easy in one pan! No fussing with a separate sauce. Just simple ingredients and big flavor. Perfect for family dinners or holiday sides.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword best cheese for au gratin potatoes, perfect potatoes au gratin, scalloped potatoes vs au gratin

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 373kcal

Author Evelyn Osborn

Equipment

Ingredients

2 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
4 large potatoes Russet or Yukon Gold
4 Tablespoons butter cut into 1/2 piece cubes + butter to grease the pan
1 ¼ cup Monterrey Jack Cheese (or Cheddar or gruyere) grated
salt
fresh chives sliced

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F.Start by peeling the potatoes, then use a sharp knife or mandoline to slice them about ¼ inch thick.
Butter a 7×11-inch baking dish and layer half of the potato slices in the bottom, overlapping them like fallen dominoes.
For extra flavor and richness, dot each layer with butter. (Real butter just makes everything better — it makes my soul happy, and as the Pioneer Woman says, “It makes my skirt fly up!” I smile every time I hear that.)
Sprinkle ½ cup of the Monterey Jack cheese over the first layer of potatoes.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cream, salt, and pepper until well blended. Pour half of the cream mixture evenly over the potatoes.
Repeat the layers: add the remaining potato slices, dot with more butter, sprinkle with another ½ cup of cheese, and pour the rest of the cream mixture over the top.
Cover the dish with foil and bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15–25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the top is starting to turn golden brown.
Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of cheese and bake for another 5 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Remove from the oven and let the dish cool for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped chives right before serving.

Nutrition