This easy, cheesy, flavorful potato gratin is a perfect side dish for the holidays. It has only 6 ingredients, takes 15 minutes to prep and makes a beautiful presentation when it comes out of the oven. Oh, and did I mention it’s just delicious.
You start by slicing russet potatoes into thin, even slices and grating white cheddar cheese. Then alternate two layers of potatoes and cheese in a buttered baking pan.
Next pour a little garlic infused half and half over the potato gratin. Pop it in the oven for about an hour and out comes a bubbling, cheesy potato gratin that smells incredible and tastes as good as it looks.
A couple of notes:
You want to start checking the gratin around 40 minutes or so – to make sure the top isn’t getting too brown – if it’s really brown then cover loosely with a bit of tin foil. The center of my potato gratin got browner quicker then the rest of the casserole. So I just placed a piece of tin foil over the brown part so it wouldn’t burn and let the gratin continue to cook so the edges became brown as well.
You’re going to mince the garlic and then add it to the half and half. This will infuse the half and half with a slight garlic flavor. When you pour the half and half onto the potato gratin make sure that the garlic scatters evenly across the top of the gratin – you don’t want a large lump of minced garlic in one area.
PrintPotato Gratin
An easy, cheesy potato gratin that is perfect as a holiday side dish or any time you want a comforting dish that looks and tastes incredible.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 1x
Ingredients
- 2 to 2 1/2 pounds of russet potatoes – I used about 5 medium sized potatoes – washed, peeled and thinly sliced
- 8 oz of white cheddar cheese – grated
- 2 cups of half and half
- 1 large garlic clove – put through a garlic press
- 8 twists of black pepper from a pepper mill
- 2 tbs butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Wash and peel your potatoes.
- Slice the potatoes into about 1/4 inch thick slices and set aside.
- Grate the white cheddar cheese on the large holes of a box grater.
- Measure out 2 cups of half and half and add minced garlic and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Grease a 11 x 8 baking pan with butter.
- Layer half the potatoes into the bottom of the pan so they overlap slightly.
- Add a little less than half the cheese over the potatoes.
- Layer the second half of the potatoes over the cheese. The potatoes should overlap slightly.
- Layer all the remaining cheese over the potatoes.
- Stir the half and half and slowly pour over the potatoes and cheese. Make sure that the minced garlic – which will probably be in the bottom of the measuring cup as you pour – is even spread out over the top of the dish (so it doesn’t just land in a clump).
- Divide remaining butter into 6 small pieces – and dot the top of the gratin.
- Put the gratin in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Start checking the gratin at 40 minutes to make sure the top isn’t getting too brown. If it’s browning too much, but a loose piece of tin foil over the brown area.
Sheila
I take this to every “bring a dish” gathering, easy and delicious.
★★★★★
Geraldine
Great to hear! This one is a crowd pleaser – everyone loves it.
Alyssa
This look amazing! I just wanted to let you know that I have a food blog at Simply Creative Recipes where you can share your photos and I am linking to this post if you don’t mind. You are welcome to share your photos with a link back if you’d like. Happy Thanksgiving! Alyssa
Geraldine
Hi Alyssa – That sounds great! Thanks for sharing on your site. Have a great Thanksgiving!
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron
Oh I love potato gratin, and yours looks amazing! This looks like the absolute perfect side dish for thanksgiving …or any night 😉
Geraldine
Thanks Denise! This is my go to side dish for Thanksgiving – always a winner. Have a great weekend!
Rachel @ Bakerita
Oh yeah! This looks amazing. I love how gooey and cheesy this is. Potato gratin can do no wrong! Pinned 🙂
Geraldine
Hi Rachel – I agree, potato gratin can definitely do no wrong :). Have a good one!
Michela @ From Italy With Food
Yum! It’s just fantastic! I love both potatoes and cheese so I definitely love this recipe! It’s also so easy and fast… I think i’m going to cook it for dinner tonight! 😀
Geraldine
Thanks so much, Michela!
Nicole @ Waterloo, with Love
6 ingredients… 15 minutes…? YES PLEASE! 🙂 This looks so good!
Geraldine
Hi Nicole – hope you try it – it is ridiculously easy to put together and looks and tastes so good. Have a good one!
Alessandra // the foodie teen
This sounds amazing, and I love that you can just prep it and shove it in the oven to reveal something seriously impressive! Yum!
Geraldine
Hi Alessandra – hope you give it a try – it’s super easy to make. Have a great night!
Julia | Orchard Street Kitchen
Oh my, I love the look of this gratin! Anything that is covered in cheese is always going to be eye-catching to me 🙂 I like how easy this is to make, especially for an already-busy day like Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing, Geraldine!
Geraldine
I feel the same way about cheese, Julia. I wish I could eat it all day. Have a good one!
Crystal | Apples & Sparkle
Oh boy, I would be in trouble if I made this for any other occasion than a big family dinner! I couldn’t stay away! Best kind of dish in the world!! ; )
Geraldine
Potatoes and cheese are definitely a dangerous combination – but oh so good. Have a great one, Crystal!
Traci | Vanilla And Bean
It’s comfort food season! Potatoes are one of my favorite comfort foods, any way you prepare them. But when paired with garlic and cheese and 1/2 n 1/2?! I wouldn’t be able to be left alone with this pan of potatoes! Your method of steeping the garlic in the 1/2 n 1/2 is mouthwatering. I can see how the garlic would infuse every nook and cranny! Love that last closeup… the crusty cheese with the creamy potatoes? Perfection! Thank you for this Geraldine!!
Geraldine
Hi Traci – this is the first recipe that I had to stop in the middle of photographing and eat a piece! It smelled sooo good that I couldn’t resist. Just shows how much willpower I have around melted cheese – basically none :).
K / Pure & Complex
This potato gratin definitely had me drooling after viewing the photos lol. I haven’t had potato gratin in so long. Thanks for posting this recipe, I have to give it a try
Geraldine
Hi K – thanks for stopping by – hope you try it! Have a good one.
Michele @ Two Raspberries
this looks absolutely delicious! I love all carbs they are like my best friends 😉 YUM!
Geraldine
Hi Michele – won’t it be great if we could just eat carbs all the time! But that’s what the holidays are for – to eat what you want and as much as you want :). Have a great day!
Annie @ ciaochowbambina
Oh man…you had me at 6 ingredients and 15 minutes to prep! I can’t wait to make this! Looks scrumptious!
Geraldine
Hi Annie – I love easy recipes and this one is so simple to put together – I also think the amount of cheese has something to do with how good it tastes :). Have a good one!