Rustic French Potato Gratin with Gruyère and Thyme

Name: Rustic French Potato Gratin with Gruyère and Thyme
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Side Dish
Ingredients: 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes; 2 cups heavy cream; 1 cup whole milk; 2 cloves garlic; 1 1/2 cups Gruyère cheese; 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 1/2 cup Gruyère cheese; Fresh thyme sprigs

A creamy, cheesy layered potato dish enhanced with fresh thyme.

This classic French gratin is irresistibly creamy, with tender layers of potatoes and a rich, cheese-laced cream — an ideal side dish for an elegant dinner.

1 h 45 min
6
Intermediate

Ingredients

For the Potato Gratin

2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes

peeled and sliced thinly

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

2 cloves garlic

minced

1 1/2 cups Gruyère cheese

freshly grated

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

freshly grated

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

to taste

2 tbsp unsalted butter

softened for greasing

For the Topping

1/2 cup Gruyère cheese

additional for topping

Fresh thyme sprigs

Preparation

Preparing the Potato Slices

Preheat the oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Slice the potatoes

Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly using a mandoline.

Use a mandoline slicer for perfectly thin and even potato slices.

Dry the slices

Rinse and pat dry them thoroughly with paper towels to remove excess starch.

Assembling the Gratin

Butter the dish

Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish generously with the softened butter.

Layer the potatoes

Layer one third of the potato slices at the bottom of the dish.

Season

Season lightly with salt, pepper, minced garlic, and a sprinkle of thyme.

Ensure potatoes are sliced evenly to cook uniformly.

Cooking Process

Layering

Repeat the potato and seasoning layers twice more, ending with the top layer.

Cream Preparation

In a saucepan, gently heat the cream and milk over medium heat until heated through — do not boil.

Final Assembly

Pour the warm cream mixture over the layered potatoes, ensuring even coverage. Sprinkle the top with the additional Gruyère.

Baking

Cover and bake at 350°F for 1 hour 20 minutes.

Browning

Uncover, increase oven to 375°F, and bake for an additional 10 minutes until golden.

Plating & Serving