Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes (Printable)

Tender potato layers baked with creamy sauce and bubbly cheese for a rich, golden side.

# What You'll Need:

→ Potatoes

01 - 2 lbs Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

→ Cream Sauce

02 - 2 cups heavy cream
03 - 1 cup whole milk
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

→ Cheeses

08 - 1 1/2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated
09 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, milk, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Heat over medium-low until just steaming, not boiling. Remove from heat.
03 - Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in an even layer in the prepared baking dish.
04 - Sprinkle half of the Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses over the potatoes.
05 - Layer the remaining potatoes evenly on top. Pour the warm cream mixture evenly over all the potatoes.
06 - Top with the remaining Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses.
07 - Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake an additional 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
09 - Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chives or parsley if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The cream sauce does something magical during baking—it transforms into something richer and silkier than you'd expect, almost luxurious.
  • You can prepare this entirely ahead of time, which means less stress when you're juggling a holiday meal or weeknight dinner.
  • One bite explains why French home cooking has such a devoted following; it feels fancy but tastes honest.
02 -
  • Slice your potatoes consistently and relatively thin (about 1/8 inch)—uneven slicing means some pieces will be crunchy while others are mushy, and you lose that luxurious uniformity.
  • Never let the cream mixture boil before pouring; if it does, the dairy can separate and you'll end up with a grainy sauce instead of something silky.
03 -
  • If your baking dish doesn't have perfectly even heat distribution, rotate it halfway through the uncovered baking period so the top browns evenly.
  • The difference between a good au gratin and a transcendent one often comes down to using freshly grated cheese from a block rather than pre-shredded—it melts more smoothly and creates that silky sauce.
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