Au Gratin Potatoes Comfort (Printable version)

Sliced potatoes baked in creamy garlic sauce with cheese for a golden, bubbling crust.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 lbs Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
02 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

03 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 2 cups heavy cream
05 - 2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
06 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Spices & Seasonings

07 - 1 tsp salt
08 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
09 - ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter.
02 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in heavy cream, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Heat until just simmering, then remove from heat.
04 - Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in the prepared baking dish. Pour over half of the cream sauce. Sprinkle with half the Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses.
05 - Layer the remaining potatoes, pour remaining cream sauce on top, and sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère and Parmesan.
06 - Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
07 - Remove foil and continue baking for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and potatoes are tender.
08 - Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That first bite—creamy, tender potato with a crispy golden top—feels like the dish was designed specifically to make you happy.
  • It's elegant enough for company but honest enough to eat straight from the baking dish on a quiet night.
  • Once you nail the technique, you'll find yourself making it for every occasion, because it somehow suits them all.
02 -
  • Slice your potatoes uniformly or you'll end up with some overcooked mush and some still-crunchy pieces—use a mandoline if you have one, or a sharp knife if you don't, but measure your thickness with your eye.
  • Don't skip the resting period; it transforms the dish from a bit soupy to perfectly creamy and sliceable.
  • The cream mixture should simmer but never boil hard—high heat can cause it to break or separate, undoing all your good work.
03 -
  • If your potatoes are unevenly sliced, they'll cook unevenly—invest two minutes in uniform slicing and you'll save yourself frustration later.
  • The dish can rest in the fridge overnight before baking, which means you can do all the prep work the day before and simply pop it in the oven when you need it.
  • If the top isn't browning as you'd like in the final 20 minutes, increase the oven temperature by 10°C for the last few minutes, but keep a close eye on it.
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