There are recipes I make all the time. And there are recipes I only make on special occasions. And then ... there are recipes that I try to make from time to time and can never quite get "right". Potato Gratin, also known as Gratin Dauphinoise, was one of those recipes for YEARS.
Until now. I have finally perfectly my recipe for an easy potato gratin that is mind-blowingly creamy, decadent, and delicious. And my friends, it's yours to have.
This Gratin Dauphinoise recipe BELONGS at your Thanksgiving table. It's SO so easy to make, which leads me to ...
Can I make this Potato Gratin Recipe in Advance?
You absolutely can! In fact, you can make the entire thing in advance, including baking, up to three days before you plan to serve it, and then reheat this potato side dish right before serving. It's one of my favorite things (other than the fabulously creamy texture and rich flavor ) about this dish!
What goes with Potato Gratin?
I'd probably eat an old shoe if I could also eat potato gratin with it on the side. But let's say your standards are higher than mine.
This dish is so rich, that I'd definitely recommend a mix of vegetables and meats to go with it. Roasted Asparagus and a Beef Tenderloin round out this holiday side dish nicely. Bonus: I'll have recipes for both of them up on the blog SOON!
What does Au Gratin Mean?
Technically, all "Au Gratin" means is that the dish was sprinkled with breadcrumbs or cheese ( or BOTH, because dreams do come true. )
My potato gratin recipe doesn't have breadcrumbs, and to say it was "sprinkled" with cheese feels way too polite, but nonetheless a gratin it is.
What's the difference between au gratin and scalloped?
CHEESE! As mentioned above, "au gratin" has cheese in it. Scalloped preparations simple mean it was cooked in cream.
Personally, I'm a gratin or go home kind of girl.
If you like this potato gratin recipe, you might also like these other side dish recipes:
Without further ado, I give you the recipe for potatoes au gratin!
Potato Gratin
Ingredients
- 3 Russet Potatoes large ( about 2.3 lbs ). Sliced very thinly.
- 2.25 cups Heavy Cream
- 2 teaspoons Fresh Thyme Leaves
- 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1.5 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Combine the cream, thyme, pepper, and salt in a medium sized bowl.
- Grease a 2.5 - 3 qt baking dish. Butter is preferred, but I won't tell anyone if you use cooking spray.Place a layer of ¼ of the sliced potatoes in the dish, slightly overlapping each slice. It's fine if you have to overlap some pieces entirely with others.
- Sprinkle ¼ of the parmesan on top of the potatoes and pour ¼ of the cream mixture over it all.
- Repeat steps two and three until no ingredients are left. You should end with a sprinkle of cheese and pouring over of cream mixture.
- Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until potatoes in the center are tender and top is browned.
I think I used the wrong size casserole dish because I had many layers and the potatoes on the bottom were just a tad bit firm. However, it was delicious!