Two-Potato Gratin Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Cyril Renaud

Adapted by Amanda Hesser

Two-Potato Gratin Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 40 minutes
Rating
4(458)
Notes
Read community notes

This simple recipe allows the richness of potatoes and cream to shine through unadorned, and it is easily assembled. A gratin dish is not necessary; try using a cast-iron skillet. (For everything you need to know to make perfect potatoes, visit our potato guide.) —Amanda Hesser

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • Unsalted butter for gratin dish
  • 3medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced ⅛ inch thick
  • 1tablespoon chopped thyme
  • ½teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • cups heavy cream
  • 2small sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced ⅛ inch thick

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

453 calories; 31 grams fat; 19 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 671 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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Two-Potato Gratin Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter a medium gratin dish. Line bottom with a layer of Yukon Gold potatoes. Sprinkle with a little thyme and nutmeg. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and pour over a little cream. Add a layer of sweet potato slices, and repeat with the thyme, nutmeg, salt, pepper and cream. Continue layering, ending with sweet potatoes, thyme, nutmeg, salt, pepper and cream.

  2. Step

    2

    Bake in oven for 1 to 1¼ hours, until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Cover with aluminum foil if top gets too dark.

Ratings

4

out of 5

458

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

db cooper

I live in Southern California where the Yukon's sold are usually "small" and the sweet potatoes are usually quite large.

Wouldn't this recipe make a lot more sense if the produce measurements were in pounds, or cups?

Standard measurements are standard for a reason!

swelsh

This turned out very tasty, but I did alter it. I used 2 large Russets and 1 large sweet potato. Followed the layering instructions but did not add the cream between the layers as this recipe states. I sautéed an onion and then added 1.5 cups heavy cream with 1/2 cup whole milk to the sauté pan, scalded it, and then poured the cream/onion mixture over the top of the layers. Also added 1/4 cup of bread crumbs to the top (I used an oval Corning ware dish) and then cooked for 1 hour at 400 degrees.

dobes

I will try it soon, though I've often added sweet potatoes to such dishes. But - isn't it more an escalloped potato dish? I kept looking for the cheese!

Bobbi

I made this for a dinner party for 4 and it went over big. It looked beautiful in the cast iron pan, a big plus. It's nice to find a potato gratin recipe that is smaller than the usual 8 or more servings with the appropriately reduced pan size and cooking time.

shore cook

Making this tonight, I replaced half the cream with chicken stock. I also added some grated parmesan to each layer of potatoes, along with some grated shallots and grated garlic. Based on other comments, I baked this at a higher temp of 375 degrees. It was amazing! Definitely making this again. And again. And again.

Skbpdx

Yes. Absolutely. I wish the recipe editors would make this standard.

Frantzie Couch

Wrong recipe????

AlliMac

Absolutely scrumptious. We used the white sweet potatoes and they were just the right amount of sweet. Baked in a cast iron skillet. Would definitely make this again.

Gwen

Delish! Cooked at 375 for 1 hr. and used half cream half veggie stock as someone recommended! Also used dried thyme, but the fresh nutmeg and carmelized onions w/2 garlic. Perfect for 4 (w/enough for some to have 2nds).

Lew

Way too much cream, way too much thyme. Won’t make again.

Eudora

Followed others suggestions and used some veg broth and creamy oat milk instead of cream and was delicious. Also, did 400 degrees for one hour and covered with foil so it woiuldn't burn.

AlexK

This recipe lacks useful measurement. Small, medium, large are relative assessments. Even if I knew what you mean by small (no idea), does that mean I can't make this dish if there are no small sweet potatoes at the store? How big is a medium gratin dish? Or a skillet of unknown size. 300F is very low for this dish but maybe it would with very thin layers placed in a wide dish. Since we have no useful measurements, we'll never know.

leesat1

add gruyere cheese!

Beth Hill Bryant (Anchorage)

Did not have yukon gold but otherwise followed the directions. Easy to put together and ignore for the next 1.5 hours while I worked on other things. Very tasty and finished the left overs for lunch today.

Andrew

I tried making this, but even after an hour and a half at 300 it just was not cooking. I finally moved the temp up to 400, at which point it started to cook.

Bee

This potato gratin was amazing. In addition to following the recipe pretty much as is, I did add finely chopped shallots and fresh grated Parmesan cheese to the alternating layers of potatoes (along with a tad more cream). This gave the final dish a cheesy-juicy-creamy deliciousness.Also, it is just as good the next day for leftovers.

Lew

Way too much cream, way too much thyme. Won’t make again.

Beda

I've done this before, with the addition of gruyere and rosemary and it's delicious. I have one layer of sweet potatoes with about two or more layers of white potatoes.

mrs adamsmom

Perfect. But baked at 400, not 300. All other instructions accurate.

Gwen

Delish! Cooked at 375 for 1 hr. and used half cream half veggie stock as someone recommended! Also used dried thyme, but the fresh nutmeg and carmelized onions w/2 garlic. Perfect for 4 (w/enough for some to have 2nds).

Tim C

Put it in the oven with the Easter ham but even with extra time the potatoes didn't soften enough at that temperature. Overall, not as good as other oven potatoes.

nickipogue

First time making a gratin and highly recommend the cast-iron skillet technique. Per comment suggestions, I added minced shallots and a bit of parmesan to each of the layers. I might try garlic next time, too. Beautiful presentation - slightly crispy top, soft creamy layers beneath. My teenage boys went nuts.

Tim Owens

reduced cream by 1/3, added grated Gouda and diced Vidalia onion in each layer

RR

I have made one variation of this dish or another for years. Whatever potatoes you have, just make it work. Don't worry so much about how many or sizes. I usually add shallots or leeks or garlic or combo. If I don't have heavy cream, half and half or even milk and cheese. This is comfort food, delish and no stress!

n.b.

I think the cooking temperature may be wrong on this. The recipe says one to one and a quarter hours at 300.... but mine was still sort of raw after this time (certainly not in danger of being too browned as the recipe suggests). The one person who left a note and says it was tasty said they cooked it at 400 which makes more sense.

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Two-Potato Gratin Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between scalloped potatoes and potatoes al gratin? ›

The difference comes down to cheese. Scalloped potato recipes are usually baked in a basic cream sauce until soft and tender, with no cheese topping. Potatoes au gratin are a bit more decadent. They are made with lots of cheese sprinkled in between the layers of potatoes and also on top of the casserole.

How deep should a gratin dish be? ›

Butter a gratin dish (which should be long and large and about 5 cm (2 in) deep) and sprinkle 2 chopped garlic slices on the bottom, a pinch of salt and pepper and more nutmeg.

What do you serve with potato gratin? ›

Au Gratin potatoes are rich. Serve them with leaner proteins such as beef tenderloin, grilled or roasted chicken, and pan-seared fish. Another excellent pairing for Au Gratin potatoes is a fresh salad with herbs and a tart vinaigrette. Au Gratin potatoes make a great casserole and are a great entrée themselves.

What is the cooking technique of gratin? ›

Derived from the French verb gratiner — to broil — gratin is a process that involves topping a dish with either cheese or buttery breadcrumbs and baking or broiling until crispy. While potatoes au gratin is most traditional, the contents beneath the golden crust can vary widely.

What is the best choice scalloped potatoes? ›

The best potatoes to use for a homemade scalloped potato recipes like this one are baking/frying potatoes, either russet or Idaho. They have dry, light, and fluffy interiors that hold their shape when cooked. The starch in the potatoes helps to thicken the sauce while the casserole bakes.

What is a 2 qt gratin dish? ›

How Big is a 2 Quart Baking Dish?, measuring 8 inches wide by 12 inches long. It is also commonly found as 11 inches wide or 7 inches long, with a depth of 1.5 inches. Additionally, the rectangular variation is 11.1 inches x 7.1 inches x 1.7 inches deep.

What is the best material for a gratin dish? ›

The material can be copper, stainless steel, enameled iron, aluminum, glass. It really does not matter much because the food is usually cooked elsewhere and transferred to the au gratin pan for a brief period under the broiler.

Can I use a pyrex dish instead of a baking tin? ›

So, if you're in a pinch and need to use glass or ceramic cookware for recipes that call for baking pans, reduce the baking temperature by about 25ºF. It's also important to note some glassware, such as Pyrex, can be prone to thermal shock, meaning rapid temperature change could cause your bakeware to shatter.

Why did my potato gratin curdle? ›

The curdling is caused by high heat, which is hard to avoid in an oven. So to keep the sauce together, tackle it before the dish goes in the oven. Instead of simply layering grated cheese and milk or cream with the potatoes, you need to make a smooth cheese sauce.

Can you eat potato gratin the next day? ›

To speed things up you can microwave it then pop it in the oven (this is dense so takes quite a while to reheat in the oven, depends on depth of baking dish you use). Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. 7. Source: Adapted from Julia Child's Dauphinoise Potatoes recipe.

How long does potato gratin last in fridge? ›

How Do You Store Leftover Potatoes Au Gratin? Store leftover potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days.

What makes a gratin a gratin? ›

A “gratin” is any dish that is topped with cheese or breadcrumbs mixed with butter, then heated in the oven or under the broiler until brown and crispy, according to The Food Lover's Companion. The term au gratin or gratinée just refers to anything prepared in that manner.

What is the difference between scalloped and gratin potatoes? ›

Au Gratin potatoes contain cheese, whereas Scalloped Potatoes do not. Scalloped potatoes typically contain cream but can also contain flavorful stock instead of dairy. Try our Classic Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe or Classic Scalloped Potatoes Recipe.

Why are my au gratin potatoes watery? ›

If you used a pre-prepped potato from the refrigerator section instead of slicing your own, they can have preservatives that make them a bit watery. If you stored your potatoes in water to prevent discoloring, be sure to drain them well and pat them dry before adding to your casserole.

Why are scalloped potatoes called funeral potatoes? ›

Why are they called funeral potatoes? Funeral potatoes get their unique name from being a crowd-pleasing casserole served as a side dish at after-funeral luncheons (particularly in the culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints).

What is the real name for scalloped potatoes? ›

Potatoes gratiné

In the US, the dish is referred to variously as funeral potatoes, potatoes au gratin, scalloped potatoes, or au gratin potatoes. In English Canada, it is called scalloped potatoes or potatoes au gratin. In French-speaking Canada, the dish is referred to as patates au gratin.

Why does the sauce in my scalloped potatoes curdle? ›

The curdling is caused by high heat, which is hard to avoid in an oven. So to keep the sauce together, tackle it before the dish goes in the oven. Instead of simply layering grated cheese and milk or cream with the potatoes, you need to make a smooth cheese sauce.

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