Potatoes au Gratin

By Mark Bittman

Updated Feb. 3, 2025

Potatoes au Gratin
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Michelle Gatton.
Total Time
50 minutes
Rating
5(5,294)
Comments
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The humble potato gets the red carpet treatment in this easy yet luxurious recipe for potatoes au gratin. Sliced Yukon Gold or russet potatoes (you can use either, but don't use a combination as they cook at different rates) are layered with half-and-half or heavy cream, topped with butter and grated cheese, then baked until golden and bubbly. Feel free to play around: Add leeks, onions, garlic or more cheese between the layers. Experiment with fresh or dried herbs. It's incredibly adaptable and practically foolproof. Just don't forget to season with salt and pepper as you go. Like all potato dishes, it needs plenty of seasoning.

Featured in: Yukon Gold Standard

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 3 to 4pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 to 3cups half-and-half or heavy cream
  • ¼cup grated Parmesan or Gruyère
  • Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

397 calories; 17 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 52 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 878 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 400 degrees. Seasoning each layer with salt and pepper as you go, layer the potatoes in a 10- or 12-inch ovenproof skillet.

  2. Step 2

    Dot the top with 2 tablespoons butter. Pour in half-and-half. (It should come about ¾ of the way to the top.)

  3. Step 3

    Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low and cook for 10 minutes, uncovered, until the half-and-half has reduced by about half.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer to the oven and bake until the top is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and cook until the potatoes are fork tender and the top is nicely browned, about 8 minutes more. Top with grated cheese and return to the oven until the cheese is melty and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg, if using, and serve.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
5,294 user ratings
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Comments

Margaux Laskey, Senior Staff Editor, NYT Cooking

Hi All! We've updated the recipe to include ingredient amounts and to clarify the instructions. I hope it helps!

Shawn Donovan

I layer leeks and onions between the potato layers, use heavy cream and go light on the cheese but heavy on the garlic. It's delicious. I'm making this for Thanksgiving Day dinner.

Teri

So do you cook the entire pan of potatoes and cream, etc. on the stovetop and then move to the oven?

Y

I simply place unpeeled yukon sliced potatoes in a bowl with cream, wipe a casserole with halved garlic then arrange the sliced potatoes in layers, sprinkling each with salt, pepper and perhaps sauteed leeks. Then I pour the cream on, top with cheese and bake at 375 for an hour. For make ahead, I bake for 40 min. and then before serving bake for the additional 20-25 min. Otherwise just bake for about an hour.

Maryhere123

I skipped the stove top part and just popped it in the oven for 30 mins at 400 degrees and then sprinkled cheddar and Parmesan on top because that's all I had and put it back in the oven for 15 mins. I added garlic and nutmeg before adding the cream and I have to say it was delicious. So easy and can be scaled up or down.

diane abt

Fabulous! Very rich! We took Barbara’s make ahead suggestion of cooking for 40 minutes, put aside…and then finish. And, worth it to use very good Gruyère cheese.

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