Potatoes Au Gratin in easy to serve potato gratin stacks! This recipe is everything you love about potato gratin made with thinly sliced potatoes, cream and gruyere – plus it’s delicious little individual servings.
Potatoes make the most delicious side dish! But these little potato gratin stacks? They make potatoes feel so incredibly special.
They will take a little extra time in comparison to some of my shortcut recipes, but every decadent bite will be worthwhile.
Potatoes Au Gratin are incredibly creamy, cheesy, thinly sliced potatoes packed full of flavor. When you make them in stacks, they’re easy to serve and each portion is perfectly crusted at the edges! It’s a fun twist on Gratin Dauphinoise!
They’re easy, beautiful and have luxurious flavor! They’re easy enough to make on a weeknight, but delicious enough to serve at your next dinner party.
They freeze well so you can make a batch, freeze and enjoy as a simple side dish when you just need a few servings! The potatoes are perfectly softened through with lots of great texture from the browned edges of each serving – oh-so-delicious!
Potatoes, cream and cheese are slow baked to perfection in individual muffin tins to soak up all the creamy goodness. I think you’re going to love these potatoes, so let’s get started!
Why You’ll Love Potato Gratin Stacks
- Easy
- Fuss Free
- Elegant
- Flavorful
- Make Ahead
- Individual Servings
★★★★★
5 STAR REVIEW
“Great for a large crowd – Creamy and delicious”
—EDY—
These are one of the best Potato Side Dishes and I know you’re going to love them!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Potatoes – Russet potatoes are the best to use for these Potato Gratin stacks. Peel and slice thin (a mandoline makes this task a breeze).
- Cheese – White cheddar, gruyere, Monterey jack, mozzarella are all delicious options. I use a blend of white cheddar and gruyere.
- Milk and Heavy Cream – Use all heavy cream or a mix using the heaviest milk you have on hand.
- Salt and Pepper – Fresh cracked sea salt and ground pepper add texture and flavor.
- Leeks – Completely optional, but highly recommended! Leeks are in the onion, garlic, shallot family adding amazing flavor. Select leeks that have as much white/light green stem as possible. Remove roots and thinly slice stem.
- Jalapeño – To give this side dish a hint of spice.
Variations
- Don’t have leeks? Replace with shallots or onions.
- Add (cooked and chopped) bacon, prosciutto or ham for an extra savory touch.
Tools to Use
- Mandoline (You can slice by hand but this makes it so easy!)
- Baking Spray for a perfect release every time!
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Measuring Spoons
- Small Spatula (for removing the stacks)
- Muffin Pan
How to Make Potato Gratin Stacks
- Prep – Preheat oven and grease baking dish.
- Make Sauce – Combine milk, cream, cheese, salt and pepper, jalapeño and leeks. Toss with potatoes.
- Add to Pan – Using a large spoon, fill muffin tins topping with mixture.
- Bake – Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 minutes longer, until slightly golden brown.
Tips
- Need help with converting this recipe into more or less servings? Check out my Essential Measurement Conversion Chart or use the yield tab in the recipe card.
- While a mandoline makes slicing the potatoes so easy, you can slice by hand. Just be patient and make the slices as consistent as possible.
- When cooked perfectly, your potatoes should have no resistance as you cut in to serve. Check the resistance by slicing a knife through the center of one stack. Bake longer if they aren’t quite finished at 40 minutes.
- Remove from the muffin tin by gently scooping with a small spatula at the base of each stack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Simply heat your oven to 375 degrees, cover with foil, and reheat for around 45 minutes to ensure they are warmed through. (Remove foil during the final 10 minutes of baking.)
The key difference is cheese! Scalloped potatoes are made without cheese, while au gratin potatoes use cheese to create the creamy sauce. Scalloped potatoes also tend to be sliced a touch thicker than au gratin potatoes.
Best Potatoes for Gratin
Russet or any kind of “dirt” potatoes work well for gratin dishes. Russet potatoes are tender thanks to their starch making them ideal for gratin.
Make Ahead
Slice potatoes, make sauce reserving 1/2 cup, toss, fill muffin tins and cover tight with plastic wrap to prevent potatoes from browning and refrigerate. Add remaining sauce and bake just before serving.
Shortcuts
- Shred your cheese ahead of time to save a last minute step! Simply shred and store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 24 hours in advance.
- Make this dish ahead of time and freeze or refrigerate!
Serving Suggestions
Serve these fabulous potato gratin stacks with any of my favorite proteins.
- Pork Medallions
- Steak – In fact, they are one of the BEST Side Dishes for Steak
- Salmon
- Seared Scallops
- Baked Chicken Breast
- Honey Glazed Ham
How to Store
- At Room Temperature – You can leave your potato gratin stacks out for up to two hours while serving.
- Refrigerate – these potatoes au gratin can be packaged in an airtight container and stored for up to five days in the refrigerator.
- Freeze – You can freeze your potatoes au gratin before or after baking. It might change the creamy texture a little but they will still be delicious!
Dietary Considerations
- Gluten Free
- Nut Free
- Vegetarian
Potatoes Au Gratin are always a hit! What’s your family’s favorite potato side dish?
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More Side Dish Inspiration
Potato Gratin Stacks
Ingredients
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper thick flakes preferred, to taste
- ½ small jalapeño seeded and diced
- 2 tablespoons leeks sliced thin
- ½ cup white cheddar fresh grated
- ½ cup gruyere fresh grated
- 2 large russet potatoes peeled and sliced ⅛-¼" thick
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or line muffin tin.
- In a saucepan over medium high heat, add cream, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cream, jalapeño, leeks and cheese. Mix in potatoes.
- Using a large spoon, fill muffin tins topping with mixture. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake 10 minutes until slightly golden brown.
Julie’s Tips
Variations and Tips
- Don’t have leeks? Replace with shallots or onions.
- Add (cooked and chopped) bacon, prosciutto or ham for an extra savory touch.
- When cooked perfectly, your potatoes should have no resistance as you cut in to serve. Check the resistance by slicing a knife through the center of one stack. Bake longer if they aren’t quite finished at 40 minutes.
- Remove from the muffin tin by gently scooping with a small spatula (or even a butter knife) at the base of each stack.
How to Store
- At Room Temperature – Leave your potato gratin stacks out for up to two hours safely while serving.
- Refrigerate – Package in an airtight container and stored for up to five days in the refrigerator.
- Freeze – Freeze your potatoes au gratin before or after baking.
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
what is the easiest way to remove stacks from the muffin tin?
Great for a large crowd
Creamy and delicious