Side Dish · French · Dinner ·

Rustic French Potato Gratin with Gruyère and Thyme

Name: Rustic French Potato Gratin with Gruyère and Thyme
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 105 min
Total time: 140 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Side Dish
Ingredients: 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; 1/2 cup Gruyère cheese, additional for topping; Fresh thyme sprigs

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.

4.2(357 reviews)

·By Ethan Brooks·September 25, 2025

Rustic French Potato Gratin with Gruyère and Thyme — Side Dish served and photographed from above

Prep

35 min

Cook

1 h 45 min

Difficulty

Intermediate

Serves

Ingredients

Servings

For the Potato Gratin

For the Topping

Nutrition

Per serving

Calories: 620 kcal
Protein: 19.1 g
Carbs: 31.8 g
Fat: 47.7 g
Fiber: 2.4 g

Whole recipe

Total

Calories: 3721 kcal
Protein: 114.5 g
Carbs: 190.6 g
Fat: 286.3 g
Fiber: 14.4 g

Breakdown by ingredient▾

Ingredient	Cal	P	C	F	Fib
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and sliced thinly	686	15	157	0.3	14
2 cups heavy cream	1600	6	12	168	0
1 cup whole milk	150	8	12	8	0
2 cloves garlic minced	8	0.3	2	0	0.1
1 1/2 cups Gruyère cheese freshly grated	642	48	4	54	0
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated	216	21	2	14	0
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves finely chopped	1	0	0.6	0	0.3
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste	0	0	0	0	0
2 tbsp unsalted butter softened for greasing	204	0.2	0	24	0
1/2 cup Gruyère cheese additional for topping	214	16	1	18	0
Fresh thyme sprigs	0	0	0	0	0

These are estimates, not dietary advice.

Preparation

Get these tasks done before you start cooking.

Preparing the Potato Slices

1
Preheat the oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2
Slice the potatoes
Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly using a mandoline.
Tip: Use a mandoline slicer for perfectly thin and even potato slices.
3
Dry the slices
Rinse and pat dry them thoroughly with paper towels to remove excess starch.

Assembling the Gratin

1
Butter the dish
Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish generously with the softened butter.
2
Layer the potatoes
Layer one third of the potato slices at the bottom of the dish.
3
Season
Season lightly with salt, pepper, minced garlic, and a sprinkle of thyme.
Tip: Ensure potatoes are sliced evenly to cook uniformly.

How to Make Rustic French Potato Gratin with Gruyère and Thyme

Total time: 2 h 20 min · Yields 6 servings

1
Layering
Repeat the potato and seasoning layers twice more, ending with the top layer.
2
Cream Preparation
In a saucepan, gently heat the cream and milk over medium heat until heated through — do not boil.
3
Final Assembly
Pour the warm cream mixture over the layered potatoes, ensuring even coverage. Sprinkle the top with the additional Gruyère.
4
Baking
Cover and bake at 350°F for 1 hour 20 minutes.
5
Browning
Uncover, increase oven to 375°F, and bake for an additional 10 minutes until golden.