LAND2SHORE / FROM CHEF NICO’S KITCHEN
Creamy Parmesan Potato Gratin
with Garlic and Gruyère
A good potato gratin earns its place beside the main course. Thin layers of Yukon Gold potatoes, garlic-infused cream, and two cheeses bake into a golden-topped side that feels special without asking you to master anything more dramatic than even slicing.
Chef Nico’s version gives the cream a short steep with garlic, thyme, bay, and nutmeg before it meets the potatoes. Parmesan and Gruyère go between the layers as well as on top, so the flavor runs all the way through. The result is rich, tender, and very comfortable next to a roast.
This recipe serves eight from a 9-by-13-inch dish. Allow time for both the covered and uncovered baking stages, plus the full 20-minute rest. The oven handles the patient part; your job is to resist cutting into it too soon.
THE RECIPE
Creamy Parmesan Potato Gratin with Garlic and Gruyère
PREPARATION
25 minutes
COOK / YIELD
1 hour 20 minutes
8 side portions
Made to Be Shared
A good potato gratin earns its place beside the main course. Thin layers of Yukon Gold potatoes, garlic-infused cream, and two cheeses bake into a golden-topped side that feels special without asking you to master anything more dramatic than even slicing.
Chef Nico’s version gives the cream a short steep with garlic, thyme, bay, and nutmeg before it meets the potatoes. Parmesan and Gruyère go between the layers as well as on top, so the flavor runs all the way through. The result is rich, tender, and very comfortable next to a roast.
This recipe serves eight from a 9-by-13-inch dish. Allow time for both the covered and uncovered baking stages, plus the full 20-minute rest. The oven handles the patient part; your job is to resist cutting into it too soon.
The Ingredients
Ingredients & Pantry
Potatoes and Cheese
- 3 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan
- 1 cup grated Gruyère
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, for the dish
- 1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
Garlic Cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
Before You Begin
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 8 side portions
The full measured recipe, printable instructions, and food-safety notes appear below.
CREAMY PARMESAN POTATO GRATIN
Let's COOK, Step by Step
Chef Nico’s preparation, with complete measurements and guidance in the printable recipe below.
01 | Garlic Cream
Infuse cream: Combine cream, milk, smashed garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in saucepan. Bring to bare simmer, remove from heat, and steep 15 minutes. Strain out aromatics and keep cream warm.
02 | Potato Preparation
Slice potatoes: Peel and slice 1/8 inch thick using a mandoline with its hand guard. Do not rinse; surface starch helps thicken gratin. Slice close to assembly time to limit oxidation.
03 | Assemble the Gratin
Assemble: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Layer one-third of potatoes in overlapping rows, add one-third of infused cream, and scatter with one-third of combined cheeses. Repeat twice, finishing with cheese. Press layers down so cream comes up around potatoes.
Bake and Serve
Bake: Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 30–35 minutes more until deeply browned and knife slides through center with no resistance. If top browns before potatoes soften, cover again and continue baking.
FROM THE CHEF
Chef Nico’s Notes
Use a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; for larger batches use additional dishes of the same size. Slice potatoes evenly 1/8 inch thick and do not rinse; surface starch thickens the cream. Infuse the dairy before assembly, press layers down, and allow full 20-minute rest for cleaner portions.
Always use the mandoline hand guard and dry oven mitts. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and use within four days. Reheat portions until steaming hot. Contains dairy.
AROUND THE TABLE
What to Serve With It
Serve with roasted prime rib, roast chicken, or a holiday turkey. Add green beans or a crisp salad to balance the rich cream and cheese.
Bring the baking dish to the table on a heatproof trivet, or cut portions after the full rest and arrange them on warm plates. Finish with the recipe’s chopped thyme.
Let your main course guide the wine: a white wine with some body alongside chicken, or your chosen red with beef. Sparkling water with lemon keeps the alcohol-free option bright. This dish contains dairy.
KEEP THIS RECIPE
Parmesan Potato Gratin with Garlic Cream and Gruyère
Thin layers of Yukon Gold potatoes baked in garlic-infused cream under a golden Parmesan and Gruyère crust.
- Total Time2 hours 5 minutes, including 20 minutes resting
- Yield8 side portions 1x
Ingredients
Potatoes and Cheese
- 3 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan
- 1 cup grated Gruyère
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, for the dish
- 1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
Garlic Cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
Instructions
Garlic Cream
- Infuse cream: Combine cream, milk, smashed garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in saucepan. Bring to bare simmer, remove from heat, and steep 15 minutes. Strain out aromatics and keep cream warm.
Assemble the Gratin
- Slice potatoes: Peel and slice 1/8 inch thick using a mandoline with its hand guard. Do not rinse; surface starch helps thicken gratin. Slice close to assembly time to limit oxidation.
- Assemble: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Layer one-third of potatoes in overlapping rows, add one-third of infused cream, and scatter with one-third of combined cheeses. Repeat twice, finishing with cheese. Press layers down so cream comes up around potatoes.
Bake and Serve
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 30–35 minutes more until deeply browned and knife slides through center with no resistance. If top browns before potatoes soften, cover again and continue baking.
- Rest and serve: Rest 20 minutes, then finish with chopped thyme.
Notes
Use a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; for larger batches use additional dishes of the same size. Slice potatoes evenly 1/8 inch thick and do not rinse; surface starch thickens the cream. Infuse the dairy before assembly, press layers down, and allow full 20-minute rest for cleaner portions.
Always use the mandoline hand guard and dry oven mitts. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and use within four days. Reheat portions until steaming hot. Contains dairy.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Sides
CHEF NICO’S ESSENTIALS
Ready, Set, Cook
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