Potatoes Au Gratin in easy to serve 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! From Creamy Potato Salad, Caramelized Shallot Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Smashed Potatoes, Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Truffle Fries – the options are endless!
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 with filet, Pork Medallions, Steak, Salmon, Seared Scallops, Baked Chicken Breast, Turkey or Honey Glazed Ham.
They’re a great addition to your holiday gatherings for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas as well!
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!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Potato Gratin Stacks
- Easy
- Fuss Free
- Elegant
- Flavorful
- Make Ahead
- Individual Servings
Potatoes Au Gratin Ingredients
- Potatoes – Russet potatoes are the best to use for Potatoes Au Gratin. 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.
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.
Variations
- Don’t have leeks? Replace with shallots or onions.
- Add (cooked and chopped) bacon, prosciutto or ham for an extra savory touch.
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.
- Bake – Spread in baking dish. Bake covered.
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.
Tips
- Use a mandoline to expedite slicing potatoes and achieve consistent size.
- I used my classic muffin tin, which works perfectly for the individual size of these potatoes au gratin stacks.
- Use my favorite baking spray for a perfect release every time!
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!
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.
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
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Potatoes Au Gratin are always a hit! What’s your family’s favorite potato side dish?
More Individual Serving Recipes
Individual Potatoes au Gratin
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.
Notes
Variations
- Don’t have leeks? Replace with shallots or onions.
- Add (cooked and chopped) bacon, prosciutto or ham for an extra savory touch.
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.
