Indulgent Potato Gratin Dish

This timeless potato gratin turns basic items into a decadent side that works great for everyday meals and fancy gatherings alike. Layering thin potato slices with smooth sauce and gooey cheese makes this the ultimate comfort food.

I whipped up this gratin for a small get-together when I wanted to make plain potatoes more exciting. The dish was gone in minutes, and now my family bugs me to make it for every holiday and family meal.

What You'll Need

• Butter: Creates the tasty foundation for the velvety sauce that holds everything in place
• Onion and garlic: Add wonderful smells and flavors that fill the dish without being too strong
• Fresh thyme: Brings just the right touch of herbs to balance the richness
• All-purpose flour: Makes the sauce thick enough to nicely coat each potato slice
• Milk or heavy cream: Forms the creamy base that makes any gratin truly special
• Gruyere cheese: Melts beautifully with a wonderful nutty taste that's just right for this dish
• Nutmeg: Adds a hint of warmth that makes the dairy taste even better
• Potatoes: Serve as the sturdy base with either russet or Yukon gold working wonderfully

How To Make It

Start The Sauce:

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat and toss in diced onion, cooking until it's soft and clear - around 3 to 5 minutes. This slow cooking brings out the onion's natural sweetness instead of browning it.

Put In The Flavors:

Mix in minced garlic and chopped thyme with the soft onions and cook just until you can smell the garlic, about a minute. Don't let the garlic brown or it'll taste bitter.

Thicken It Up:

Dust flour over the onion mix and keep stirring until everything's coated and turns slightly golden, about a minute. This step cooks out the raw flour taste and helps thicken your sauce.

Make It Creamy:

Slowly pour in milk or cream while constantly stirring to avoid lumps. Keep cooking and stirring until the sauce gets thick enough to stick to the back of a spoon, taking just a minute or two.

Melt The Cheese:

Turn down the heat before adding half a cup of shredded Gruyere, stirring gently until it's completely melted. Then mix in some nutmeg, salt, and pepper to match what you like.

Stack The Potatoes:

Spread a bit of sauce on the bottom of your baking dish then start laying potato slices in rows, adding sauce between each layer. For a quicker way, you can dip each slice in sauce before putting it in the dish.

Top It Off:

Pour any leftover sauce over your potato stack making sure every slice gets covered, then sprinkle the rest of your Gruyere on top so it'll form a tasty golden crust.

Bake Until Done:

Put it in a preheated 350°F oven and bake until the potatoes feel soft when poked with a fork and the top gets bubbly and golden, usually between 45 and 60 minutes depending on your oven.

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The smell of this potato gratin cooking has become what comfort means in our house. I remember once during a bad winter storm when our power went out. We finished cooking it on our gas stove in a Dutch oven with the lid on, eating by candlelight. My family still talks about that night years later.

Getting The Slices Right

Getting all your potato slices the same thickness matters for even cooking. A mandoline works best for getting them about 1/8 inch thick so they'll all cook at the same speed. If you're using a knife, don't rush it. You can soak your sliced potatoes in cold water for 20 minutes to wash off extra starch and keep them from turning brown, but make sure to dry them really well before using.

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Choosing Your Cheese

While Gruyere is the classic choice for potato gratin, you can totally try different cheeses. Mix them up for more interesting flavors. Sharp cheddar with smoked gouda makes an awesome American version, while fontina with parmesan gives it an Italian feel. Just pick cheeses that melt smoothly instead of ones that get oily when heated.

What To Serve It With

This rich potato gratin tastes amazing with roasted meats, especially beef tenderloin or leg of lamb where the creamy potatoes balance out the meat's richness. For a full meal, add a simple green salad with tangy dressing to cut through all that richness. If you're serving it as part of a bigger meal, let it sit for 15 minutes after baking so it'll hold its shape better when you dish it up.

Where It Comes From

This dish started in the mountain regions of France where they make really good butter and cheese. The original French version, called dauphinoise potatoes, usually doesn't have cheese and focuses on the perfect mix of potatoes and cream. Our version with Gruyere shows how the dish changed as it spread beyond France, becoming a favorite comfort food across Europe and eventually worldwide.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I make potato gratin ahead of time?

You bet! You can put your gratin together up to a day early and keep it in the fridge wrapped up. Just take it out about 30 minutes before you want to cook it. You might need to bake it 10-15 minutes longer if it's coming straight from the cold. Or you can fully cook it first, chill it, then warm it back up covered at 350°F until it's hot all the way through.

→ What's the best way to slice potatoes for gratin?

To get everything cooking evenly, cut your potatoes about 1/8 inch (3mm) thick all the way through. A mandoline really comes in handy here to get those super even slices. If you're using a knife, don't rush and make sure it's really sharp. When all your slices are the same thickness, everything will cook at the same rate throughout your dish.

→ Which potatoes work best for gratin?

You can't go wrong with fluffy Russets or buttery Yukon Golds for a gratin. Russets tend to get softer as they cook, soaking up all that creamy sauce and giving you a melt-in-your-mouth feel. Yukons stay a bit firmer while getting nice and tender, and they've got that natural buttery taste that makes everything better. You'll get amazing results with either type, or even try mixing them both.

→ How can I tell when my potato gratin is done?

Your gratin is ready when you see a few key signs: the top should be nice and golden with bubbles around the edges, the cheese should look all melty with some crispy spots, and most importantly, when you stick a knife into the middle, it should slide through those potato layers like butter. If there's any pushback when you poke the potatoes, just keep baking until they feel completely soft.

→ What can I serve with potato gratin?

Potato gratin goes amazingly well with juicy meats like beef tenderloin, prime rib, roast chicken, or holiday ham as a fancy side. For some nice balance, add something green like roasted asparagus, Brussels sprouts, or just a simple green salad with a tangy dressing. The rich, creamy texture works great at fancy holiday dinners but also makes plain weeknight grilled steaks or chops feel special.

→ Can I use pre-shredded cheese for potato gratin?

The bags of shredded cheese from the store have stuff added to keep the shreds from sticking together, but that same stuff can make your cheese sauce grainy instead of silky smooth. For the best results, grab a block of Gruyere or whatever cheese you like and grate it yourself right before you need it. The cheese you grate at home will melt way better and honestly tastes much fresher than the bagged stuff.