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Roasted Garlic Potatoes au Gratin

My all-time favorite comfort meal recipe is Roasted Garlic Potatoes au Gratin. It has layers of finely sliced potatoes that are full of the rich flavor of roasted garlic and creamy, cheesy delight. It’s great for any occasion and sure to satisfy everyone!

About this Dish

This classic French-inspired side dish has thinly sliced potatoes covered with a creamy sauce and baked until they are soft and golden brown. The word “au gratin” means “with a crust,” which is what happens when the dish is baked. Roasted garlic is what makes this recipe stand out. It gives the dish a rich, savory flavor that makes it even better.

Potatoes au Gratin with Roasted Garlic

Dinner and sides are the main course; Western and French food are the types of food.
Level of difficulty: Easy

8 servings
Time to get ready: 30 minutes
Time to cook: 1 hour and 10 minutes
416 kcal per serving
1 hour and 40 minutes in total

Things You’ll Need

Pick medium-sized potatoes, like Russet or Maris Piper in the UK, because they keep their shape well when baked.
Garlic: Roast a head of garlic to give the dish a sweet, caramelized flavor.
Creamy sauce: Heavy or double cream, milk, and butter make a rich sauce that covers the potatoes.
Cheese: For a nutty flavor, use a mix of Parmesan cheese. For a creamy texture and melting quality, use Gruyère or mozzarella cheese.
Seasonings: Fresh thyme leaves, nutmeg, salt, and pepper make the dish taste even better.

◯ 8 to 9 medium starchy potatoes (approximately 1.2 kilogram), sliced very thin
◯ Cut the top off of 1 head of garlic.
◯ Olive oil
◯ 1 cup (250 ml) of heavy cream or double cream
◯ 1/4 cup (60 ml) of whole milk
◯ 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, plus extra for coating the dish
◯ 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves (or 1/3 teaspoon of dried thyme)
◯ 1/4 tsp nutmeg
◯ 40g of grated parmesan cheese, divided into 1/2 cup
◯ Two cups (approximately 220g) of shredded Gruyère or mozzarella cheese
◯ Add salt and pepper to taste.
◯ Fresh chives for decoration

How to Make Potatoes Au Gratin with Roasted Garlic

This is just a quick look at the recipe. The complete list of ingredients and instructions are at the bottom of this post.

Cook the garlic. Set your oven to 350°F (180°C) before you start. To get to the cloves, cut off the top of a head of garlic. Drizzle olive oil on top, add salt, and wrap in foil. Roast for 30 minutes, or until the food is tender and golden. Let it cool down before you touch it.
Get the potatoes ready. Put some oil on a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish. Use a mandoline slicer to peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices. Put the potato slices in the dish in layers, standing up.
Make the sauce that is creamy. Put the heavy cream, milk, butter, half of the grated parmesan cheese, thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a saucepan. Warm up the butter and mix everything together carefully. Add the paste made from roasted garlic.

Put in the oven. Pour the creamy mixture over the potatoes, making sure they are all covered. Put foil over it and bake it for 40 minutes. Take off the foil, add the shredded cheese and the rest of the parmesan, and bake for another 30 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.

Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) before you start.
Start by toasting the garlic. To see the cloves, cut off the top of the garlic head. Put the garlic head on a piece of aluminum foil, spray it with olive oil, and sprinkle it with salt. Put the garlic in the foil and roast it in the oven that has already been heated for about 30 minutes, or until the cloves are tender and golden. Let the garlic cool down a bit before you touch it after roasting it.
While the garlic is roasting, butter a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish and put it aside.
After that, peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices. For even slices, I suggest using a mandoline slicer.
Put a stack of potatoes on the dish and stand them up in tiers (see the video below). Keep layering until you’ve used all the potatoes.
Put the heavy/double cream, milk, butter, half of the shredded parmesan cheese, thyme, nutmeg, and a bit of salt and pepper in a saucepan. Put everything over medium heat and stir it until the butter melts and everything is properly mixed. Don’t let it boil.
After roasting the garlic, take the cloves out of their shells and crush them into a paste. Mix the roasted garlic paste into the cream mixture until everything is completely mixed.
Pour the creamy sauce over the potatoes in the baking dish, making sure they are all covered. Use kitchen foil to tightly cover the dish.
Put the potatoes au gratin in the oven that has already been prepared for 40 minutes.
Take off the foil and add the shredded Gruyere or mozzarella cheese and the last 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese to the potatoes.
Put the dish back in the oven, without covering it, and bake for 30 more minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown and the potatoes are soft enough to eat with a fork.
Take the potato au gratin out of the oven when it’s done and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
Add fresh chives over top and enjoy!

Top Tips

Use a mandoline to cut potatoes into thin, even slices that will bake evenly in the oven.
Roast garlic: For the best flavor, be sure you roast the garlic until it is soft and caramelized.
Let it rest: Before serving, let the dish cool for a few minutes so that the flavors can mix and the creamy sauce can set.

Storing and Freezing

Let the leftover Roasted Garlic Potatoes au Gratin cool all the way down before putting them in an airtight container and putting them in the fridge for up to three days. I don’t like freezing this dish, but you can store leftovers in single servings for up to two weeks if you like. Please be aware that the taste and texture of this dish may change.

Questions and Answers

Can I use other kinds of cheese?
Yes, you can try other melting cheeses like cheddar, havarti, or Monterey Jack to find the one that tastes best to you.

Is it okay to use heavy cream instead?
You can use half-and-half or milk and melted butter instead of heavy cream if you want something lighter. Keep in mind that picking milder options may change how rich and creamy the meal tastes.

Can I prepare this meal ahead of time?
Yes, you can put the dish together a day ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it. When you’re ready to serve, just cover it with foil and bake it as suggested.