Easy Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin! – This dish looks so fancy but it is so incredibly simple! It’s just turning the sliced potatoes upside down!
Simply toss sliced potatoes with fresh cream, garlic and cheese. Stack them up and put them in the pan!
Don’t touch that dial! I know, these look sooooo hard to make, but believe me when I say they are incredibly easy! Four ingredients and no fancy equipment needed!
How to make Easy Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes
We didn’t use a mandolin slicer. We didn’t even heat the cream before it was poured in. We simply sliced the potatoes with a trusty sharp knife and tossed them in cheese, garlic and cream….heavy cream my friends. No messing around here.
Line the potatoes up vertically in a 2 quart baking dish.
Pour the remaining cream over these beauties and into the oven it goes! They come out beautiful every time.
TIPS to make Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin
- I used large russet potatoes. You will need 6 of them. Bigger the tater, the prettier this dish will be.
- Cut off the small ends of the potatoes and discard or save for breakfast (yum!). This keeps the potato slices uniform. But it doesn’t have to be perfect! You can see there are various sizes of potato and the dish still came out very pretty.
- DO NOT PACK THOSE TATERS TO TIGHT. They need just a little wiggle room. Depending on how thick your potatoes are, and how large your cooking vessel is, the cooking time can vary on this dish. Remove a potato slice from the middle to check. If still a little firm, cook another 10 minutes.
- OVERNIGHT: Assemble the night before, cover and refrigerate. Warm up on the counter 20 minutes or so before baking.
Need an easier tutorial of this delicious dish? Check out this video below!
Get ready to impress your friends and family with this masterpiece…they will never guess how easy it really was!
Need more Easy Potato Recipes? Here are a few of our favorites!
To Cheesy Potatoes!
Clink!
Kathi
What do you think about this recipe?Have questions?Comment below!Don’t forget to like us on Facebook, and connect with us on Instagram and tag your @Laughingspatula recipes with #laughingspatula,while you’re at it…We love to see your pics!
Hey and check out our new YouTube Channel!
Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin
This impressive looking but incredibly easy to make casserole is not only pretty, but tastes amazing! Don't let the fancy exterior fool you, this is a breeze to make!
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely grated Gruyère cheese
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 cloves large garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 4 pounds to 4 ½ russet potatoes peeled and sliced about 1/8-inch thick., about 6 very large
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In medium bowl, combine Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses. Remove 1/2 cup and set aside for topping.
- In a large bowl, add cream, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper.
- Add potato slices to cream mixture and toss with your hands until every slice is coated, making sure to separate any slices that are sticking together.
- Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.
- Begin to place potatoes vertically in dish. Continue placing potatoes in the dish, working around the perimeter and into the center until all the potatoes have been added, being careful not to pack the potato slices too tightly.
- Pour the excess cream and cheese mixture over the potatoes until the mixture comes halfway up the sides of the casserole. You may not need all the cream sauce.
- Cover dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove foil and continue baking an additional 30 minutes or until the top is pale golden brown. TIP: Pull a potato slice from the center of the casserole to check for doneness. If still too firm, cook an additional 10 minutes.
- Top with the remaining cheese you set aside and bake for another 10 minutes.Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.
- Leftovers? Chop them up the next day and use as hash browns! Heck ya!
Notes
- I used large russet potatoes. You will need at least 6 of them. Bigger the tater, the prettier this dish will be.
- Cut off the small ends of the potatoes and save for breakfast (yum!). This keeps the potato slices uniform. But it doesn't have to be perfect! You can see there are various sizes of potato and the dish still came out beautiful.
- DO NOT PACK THOSE TATERS TO TIGHT. They need just a little wiggle room. Depending on how thick your potatoes are, and how large your cooking vessel is, the cooking time can vary on this dish. Remove a potato slice from the middle to check. If still a little firm, cook another 10 minutes.
- OVERNIGHT: Assemble the night before, cover and refrigerate. Let it warm up a bit on the counter, about 20 minutes or so, before baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 882mg | Potassium: 1023mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1180IU | Vitamin C: 13.8mg | Calcium: 315mg | Iron: 2.2mg
Amy says
This looks AMAZING!! Because of COVID-19, I will be making my first Easter meal for just my small family of 4. I am not sure if my kiddos will love the stronger Gruyère cheese. What do you think of substituting in half of the Gruyère for cheddar? Thank you for your thoughts!!
Kathi & Rachel says
You absolutely can! Will be delicious and more kid friendly for sure!
Kathleen says
Excited to make this recipe! Can you use Red Skin potatoes instead of Russet? I know they are not as large, but I already have Red Skin on hand.
Thanks!
LaughingSpatula.com says
Hi Katherine, yes, you can! They are a little firmer than russets so might take another 10-15 minutes in the oven depending on the size of the potato. Check to be sure they are done in the middle by removing one small slice and testing. Let us know how it turned out please!
Kathleen says
Thank you so much for the quick reply! As an update – This dish was absolutely amazing. I used the red skin potatoes I had on hand, and it was to die for. Can’t wait to make it again!
Lisa Wolf says
These potatoes were so easy to make & tasted great, I just dumped them all into a pan(to busy on christmas to make them pretty) & they still turned out great & also great for anyone who cant have gluten, my niece has celiac & she loved them
Kate says
Can you use any type of cheese, such as havarti?
LaughingSpatula.com says
Hi Kate – I’m afraid not. Havarti is a very fatty cheese and it would leave the casserole oily. Swiss is an option as is cheddar. Harder cheeses would work best for this recipe.
Barbara says
If I am using Yukon Gold potatoes would I peel them? I didn’t think it was necessary but wondered
LaughingSpatula.com says
You don’t have to…more of a personal preference.
Mogie says
Could you use regular milk instead of heavy cream?
Kathi @ LaughingSpatula.com says
Sorry but no. It would not be thick. If you only have milk, you can make a white sauce in lieu of the cream. 2 cups of milk cooked in a saucepan with 4 tablespoons flour. Heat till bubbling and thick. Hope that helps!
Tonya says
Made these tonight and paired with some yummy meatloaf! These were amazing!! My new go to potato recipe. Thank you for sharing!!
Deb says
These are fantastic! Made for thanksgiving and was asked to make again today for Christmas. Super easy! And was an excuse to buy a mandolin slicer ????
Kathi @ LaughingSpatula.com says
Yay! I am so glad you loved them and they are so pretty too :). Merry Christmas!
Elizabeth Galloway says
Made this for Thanksgiving dinner. It was wonderful, the cheese got crispy/crunchy on the top and edges, such great flavor and creaminess!! We will be making this again!
Kathi @ LaughingSpatula.com says
We are so glad you loved it! Thank you so much for taking the time to send such a nice note!
Sharon says
Yes! I love that I don’t need a madolin slicer for this. Mine broke years ago and I haven’t found a reason to buy another except to make Au Gratin Potatoes. Not anymore! Thanks for sharing this recipe. They look to die for and I can’t wait to make them 🙂
Kathi Kirk says
Thank you Sharon! I don’t have the coordination for a mandolin slicer and would prefer to keep my finger tips attached…ouch! LOL!
Debi at Life Currents says
This looks fabulous! Fancy enough for Thanksgiving dinner, comforting enough for leftovers for brunch the next day! I wonder if it’d be good with Yukon Golds as well?
Kathi Kirk says
They are my fave potatoes but I chose russets since they are bigger and make for a more impressive looking dish. If you use Yukons you will probably have to increase the cooking time by 15-20 minutes. Thank you for your nice note!
Kristine says
Oh these potatoes sound like the perfect side, well, for any meal! I love potatoes so much! Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Kathi Kirk says
Thank you Kristine! Hoping you get a chance to try it!
Platter Talk says
Beautifully done! I have 10# of Yukon Golds waiting to become this! Thanks.
Kathi Kirk says
Love your site! Still drooling over the Chicken Fried Stead recipe! Thanks for your note!
J @ Bless Her Heart Y'all says
Oh my goodness! These look like cheesy potato perfection! What a pretty dish to set on the Thanksgiving Day table too!
Susan P says
I make these often, however, I’ve never considered placing the slices vertically. This looks so amazing. Will definitely try this method. Thanks for the recipe.
Kathi Kirk says
It’s amazingly easy and comes out looking like you worked hours on it…the perfect dish!
Elaine @ Flavour and Savour says
LOVE that Gruyere-Parmesan combo!! These would be perfect for a holiday dinner. Pinning!
Kathi Kirk says
Thank you Elaine! Nothing says holidays like cream, cheese and potatoes!