If there’s one potato dish you need in your life this winter season, it’s these extra cheesy potatoes au gratin. Simple, classic, and oh so comforting. The ideal side dish to add on to your Christmas menus!
The base of the dish is cream infused with lots of flavor – butter, shallots, garlic, and fresh herbs. Thinly sliced potatoes get tossed with this cream mixture and layered into a baking dish. I like to use two cheeses – creamy gouda and sharp gruyere – for lots of rich cheesy flavor. You’ll add half of the cheese as a center layer of the potatoes au gratin, and then finish with lots on top.
The cheese melts into the potatoes as they cook and become tender. The top gets nice and golden brown for the perfect crispy finish. You can top with more herbs and black pepper and serve this alongside just about any holiday meal – this beef tenderloin would be perfect! The potatoes feed a crowd, but also work really well as leftovers.
PrintCheesy Potatoes Au Gratin
simple, cheesy potatoes au gratin with herbs and black pepper
serves: 8
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter, plus more for greasing the skillet
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 large thyme sprigs
- 2 sage sprigs
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 4 lbs russet potatoes, scrubbed
- 8 oz shredded gouda cheese
- 8 oz shredded gruyere cheese
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease 12″ cast-iron skillet with butter.
2. Combine the butter, heavy cream, sliced shallots, smashed garlic cloves, and herbs in a saucepan. Add a generous pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat all the way low and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain the cream into a large bowl.
3. Meanwhile, slice an end off of each potato. Thinly slice the potatoes on a mandolin, a little less than an 1/8” thick. The potato slices should be very thin and pliable. Add the potato slices to the cream. Gently toss to coat.
4. Layer half of the potatoes into the skillet in concentric circles, with one potato slice overlapping the next (season with salt and pepper after each layer). Distribute half of the gouda and gruyere across the potatoes.
5. Arrange the remaining potatoes over top in a few more even layers, seasoning again. Distribute the remaining cheeses over top. Pour all of the cream into the skillet.
6. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover the dish and cook for 10-15 more minutes, or until golden. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Top with more black pepper and any extra herbs.
Notes
- This recipe serves a crowd. Cut it in half if you’re cooking for less people.
- To reheat the potatoes au gratin, cover the dish with foil and bake at 350F until warmed through.
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