Name: Cheesy Garlic Potatoes Gratin
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced; 1 1/2 cups heavy cream; 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese; 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Making Cheesy Garlic Potatoes Gratin—Just Like at My Place

Alright, so let me tell you, whenever I’ve got friends (or, honestly, just myself) craving something warm and ridiculously comforting, I go for this cheesy garlic potatoes gratin. I made this on a rainy Tuesday once because we had nothing in the fridge except potatoes and some random cheese, and now everybody asks for it on purpose. There’s something about the toasty cheese bits around the edge of the pan, and that creamy potato middle…not to be too dramatic, but it’s basically what cozy tastes like. Trust me, I’ve tried to ignore seconds, but who am I kidding?

Why I Always Come Back to This Gratin

I make this whenever I need a little pick-me-up (or I want to sneak some veggies past my niece—worked twice, maybe three times so far). My family goes wild for it, especially when I serve it with a roast chicken or, you know, just a very large spoon. Honestly, I’ve had times when the garlic was kind of… doing its own thing (you know when you get a giant garlic chunk and it’s like, POW?), but even then, people cleared their plates. I keep coming back because it’s easy, forgiving, and, on those busy nights when all I want to do is collapse onto the couch, I know it won’t let me down.

Here’s What You’ll Need (Or, What I Usually End Up Using)

About 2 lbs (or, say, 5 big-ish) potatoes—Yukon Golds are great, but honestly, whatever’s rolling around in the drawer’ll work (Grandma swore by Maris Piper but I’m not that picky)
2 cups cream—full-fat tastes best but, hey, I’ve done half milk, half cream once or twice and survived
2–3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated (or, erm, a heaping spoon of that minced stuff in a jar if you’re out)
1 cup shredded cheese (Gruyère if you’re feeling fancy, cheddar or even mozzarella if that’s what’s staring at you; sometimes I’ll mix the odd remnants just for fun)
Fresh thyme, a sprig or two (but dried totally works, I promise)
Salt & pepper—don’t be shy!
Butter, for greasing (technically optional, but if you skip it the potatoes might stick like glue… ask me how I know)
Pinch of nutmeg, if you’ve got it hiding somewhere (I always forget!)

How I Throw This Together

Prep the potatoes: Peek in the fridge, sigh dramatically, and peel your spuds. Slice them thin—like, potato-chip thin. I use a mandolin (living dangerously, once nicked my finger; proceed with caution!) but a sharp knife works, just get them as even as you can.
Get the pan ready: Butter your baking dish—this is not the time to be dainty. Really slather it. I use a bit too much sometimes, but those crispy edges are so worth it.
Layer and flavor: Start layering potatoes in the dish, overlapping a bit (don’t fuss too much). Sprinkle on some garlic, a bit of thyme, salt, pepper, and a little cheese. Repeat the layering till you run out—or get too lazy to do more. Save a decent handful of cheese for the top.
Cream goes in: Pour the cream all over, letting it sneak into every nook and cranny. This is where I usually sneak a taste of the cheese… quality control, right?
Bake it off: Throw it in a 375°F (190°C) oven for about 45-55 minutes. If it starts looking a bit too brown on top but the potatoes aren’t tender, just loosely pop some foil over it. When you poke a knife through and it slides in easy, you’re golden.
Rest and serve: Let it sit for 10ish minutes before digging in. It might smell like it wants to be eaten straight away, but trust me, it firms up as it cools (I learned the hard way—hot cheese is basically lava!).

What I’ve Learned Along the Way (Notes & Accidental Genius)

If your potatoes go greenish, just trim those bits off (nobody wants a weirdly colored slice in their serve)
Prep everything first, because if you forget the cheese in the middle…well, it’s still good, but not as oozy
I think this tastes better the next day, once everything’s kind of cozied up together overnight. But leftover potatoes rarely survive the night at my place!

Things I’ve Tried—And One I Regret

Tossing in caramelized onions—absolute game changer! Sweet and cheesy. 10/10 would do again.
Using oat milk instead of cream; honestly, it tasted okay, but didn’t have that creamy hug I wanted.
Roasting garlic separately and squishing it between layers. Takes forever but whoa, flavor city.

Do You Actually Need Any Special Equipment?

I always use my battered ceramic gratin dish but honestly, any ovenproof dish does the trick. I have, in desperation, used a glass Pyrex—it works fine, though you don’t get quite that browned edge. And if you don’t have a mandolin, just grab your sharpest knife and go slowly (bonus: you get to keep all your fingertips). I’ve heard some folks even use a food processor slicing blade; I’ve never tried, but you get the idea!

Keeping Leftovers (If You Have Them!)

Leftovers store in the fridge for 2-3 days, covered up. I like to reheat slices in the oven (wrapped in foil, 350°F for about 20 minutes) or just, you know, eat them cold form the fridge at midnight (I blame the cheese). Though, honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day!

How To Serve It Up (My Personal Favorites)

I love this as a main, right with a big salad (rocket, walnuts, and pears are fab). But it’s a classic side for roast chicken, or with sausages and mustardy greens. We used to make it at family gatherings and eat it straight out of the pan—no judgment here.

Stuff I Learned the Hard Way (Pro Tips?)

Don’t rush slicing—one time I tried to cut thick slices to save time, the potatoes took forever and were a bit crunchy. Not ideal unless you’re into surprise textures.
Actually, I find it works better if you let it sit before slicing. Too runny otherwise!
If using pre-shredded cheese, toss a handful of extra on top for max golden crunch (it sometimes clumps, but hey—it’s all cheese).

Real Questions I’ve Actually Got (FAQ)

Can I use sweet potatoes?
You can, but the result’s a bit sweeter and honestly not everyone in my crew was sold—your mileage may vary!

Is it freezer friendly?
Sort of. It comes out mushier after thawing, but if you’re prepping ahead for a big bash, it’ll do. I prefer making it fresh when possible.

Does it have to be cream?
Nope—try half cream, half milk, or even a bit of sour cream in a pinch. I once tried with all milk and it still worked, just less luxurious, if that makes sense.

Can I add other veggies?
Definitely! Thinly sliced leeks, onions, or even some spinach (for the greens-are-good-for-you types). Zucchini kind of disappeared though, would skip that next time.

Just a Quick Digression…

I once made this for a game night and dropped the whole dish on the way to the table. Monumental disaster, but my dog thought it was the best night ever. Just goes to show, sometimes you win, sometimes your dog does.

Oh, and if you want to geek out on potato varieties or cheese melting magic, Serious Eats has a fun breakdown here. Or if you want to make it extra garlicky, try the Bon Appetit version—it’s, dare I say, over the top.