These easy cheesy cast iron scallopeed potatoes au gratin are the perfect way to make a decadent, delicious comfort food side dish, with minimal effort. Thinly sliced tender potatoes are baked until perfectly tender in a silky, garlic and cream sauce. Topped with heaps of bubbly cheese, these potatoes are an irresistible perfect side dish! Looking for a little more spice? Try my Southwest Potatoes au Gratin for a delicious flair on this classic delicious recipe!
These potatoes are the perfect side to a juicy, roast turkey for Christmas or Thanksgiving, or a scaled down cajun turkey breast. If you're not in the mood for turkey, pair these potatoes with a glazed spiral ham or air fryer prime rib, with homemade cranberry sauce on the side!
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👩🏽🍳Why This Recipe Works
No cheese sauce needed: You do not need to make a cheese sauce in advance for this au gratin recipe. Everything comes together as the potatoes cook in the cream mixture, which is a huge time saver. You do not miss out on any of the rich flavor, which is the best thing of all!
One pan recipe: The best part about these cheesy potatoes au gratin is that you only need one sturdy pan. That makes both cooking and cleanup a breeze. Because this dish is so easy to make, you don't need to wait for a special occasion to enjoy them.
A great entertainer: These potatoes are great for feeding a crowd at sunday dinners or thanksgiving dinner, too! They are minimal effort, but still create a wow factor when entertaining or serving a crowd. The beautifully layered potatoes, which is where the scalloped part of this recipe comes from, look high effort and well put together, which your guests will love!
🥘Ingredient Notes
- Russet potatoes: Russet potatoes are the ideal potatoes for this recipe, as their high starch content helps to thicken the sauce as they cook. They also keep their fluffy texture once cooked through, which is exactly what you are looking for in this recipe.
- Shallots: Shallots add a mellow onion flavor, without being overpowering. The flavor can be described as a cross between mild onion and garlic. You can easily find shallots in the produce section near the onions and garlic, and sometimes can even find the pre-peeled.
- Heavy cream: Since this dish does not require a cheese sauce to be made in advance, heavy cream is important to use to get the same thick and creamy sauce. Heavy cream has a 35% fat content, as opposed to milk which is usually 1-2%. The fat content makes a big difference in how the sauce cooks.
- Sharp cheddar cheese & asiago cheese: For both cheeses, freshly shredded is the way to go. Pre-shredded cheese does not melt the same way that fresh cheese does, as they are usually covered with anti-caking powders.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
📖Substitutions
- Russet potatoes - If you do not have russet potatoes on hand, you can also use yukon gold potatoes, idaho potatoes, or even red potatoes. The starchier the potato, the better for this recipe.
- Fresh garlic - If are not a fan of fresh garlic or do not have it on hand, you can also use garlic powder.
- Fresh thyme: Dried thyme is a good substitute for fresh. Be sure to scale the quantity down, since dried thyme is stronger in flavor.
- Shallots: Sweet onions can work in place of shallots. If substituting with regular onions, avoid the more pungent types like red onions or regular yellow cooking onions.
- Sharp cheddar: You can use white cheddar, or even a cheddar cheese that is aged less.
🔪Variations
- Classic: Classic potatoes au gratin is made with a cheese sauce, typically made with an all purpose flour and butter-based roux, whole milk, and of course cheese. If you prefer that version, feel free to use it!
- Different cheeses: You will often find gruyere cheese in potatoes au gratin recipes. Feel free to go this route and use gruyere cheese, or even parmesan cheese, for extra nutty flavor.
- Meat: Layer in pieces of diced ham - or leftover holiday ham for a meaty twist on this potato side dish.
⏲️ Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
Collecting all your ingredients: This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Melt butter: In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter in 15 second increments until completely melted. You can also melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat.
Slice potatoes and shallots: Slice the potatoes thinly, to allow them to cook quickly. You can do this either using a sharp knife, or a mandoline slicer. Likewise, cut your shallots into thin slices. Finely mince the garlic cloves using a garlic press or a sharp knife.
Shred cheese: Shred your cheddar and asiago cheese using a box grater.
Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F.
Layer the thin potato slices and shallots in a round pattern, in a 12" cast iron pan. [photo 1]
Mix together the heavy cream with the melted butter and seasonings. Whisk until everything is combined. If your cream is slightly cold and not room temperature, your butter may solidify slightly in the cream. [photo 2]
Pour the heavy cream mixture over the potatoes and shallots. Press the potatoes down lightly, to ensure they are fully submerged in the cream mixture.
Top the potatoes with shredded cheddar and asiago cheese, and cover with aluminum foil. [photo 3]
Bake covered for 35 minutes at 400°F. Bake uncovered for another 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes, you can optionally broil the potatoes on HI until the top of the potatoes get an extra golden brown crust. [photo 4]
💭 Expert Tips
Make uniform slices: Try your best to slice the potatoes to the same width. This ensures that all the potatoes are cooked through at the same time, instead of having some slices cook faster than others.
Season in layers: Be sure to season the potatoes directly with salt and white pepper (or black pepper), as potatoes can be quite bland on their own.
🍽 Make Ahead & Storage
To assemble in advance, layer the sliced potatoes and pour over the cream mixture in the cast iron skillet without baking. Cover the skillet tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate. Bake when you are ready to serve.
Store any leftover cheesy potatoes au gratin in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They keep best for 3-4 days.
To reheat leftovers, place the cast iron skillet or a baking dish with the potatoes, in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes or until heated through. You may find that some of the oil from the cheese and butter will separate when reheated.
⭐ Recipe FAQs
Definitely. while a cast iron skillet provides even heat distribution, you can use a baking dish or casserole dish instead.
If the top is browning too quickly but the potatoes are not fully cooked through yet, cover the skillet with aluminum foil. This will allow the potatoes to cook through without getting too brown on the top.
The texture of potatoes may change after freezing, but you can freeze leftovers. Ensure they are tightly wrapped or packed in a freezer-safe container to prevent freezer burn, and use within 2-3 months.
📝More Side Dish Recipes
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Cheesy Cast Iron Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin
Equipment
- Mandoline
Ingredients
- 8 large Russet potatoes - thinly sliced
- 3 Shallots - thinly sliced
- 2 cups Heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup Salted butter - melted
- 4 cloves Garlic - finely minced
- 1 tablespoon Fresh thyme - finely minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon Sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon Ground white pepper
- ½ cup Sharp cheddar cheese - grated
- ½ cup Asiago cheese - grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Layer the thinly sliced potatoes and shallots in a round pattern, in a 12" cast iron pan.8 large Russet potatoes, 3 Shallots
- Mix together the heavy cream with the melted butter and seasonings. Whisk until everything is combined. If your cream is slightly cold, your butter may solidify slightly in the cream.2 cups Heavy whipping cream, ¼ cup Salted butter, 4 cloves Garlic, 1 tablespoon Fresh thyme, 1 ½ teaspoon Sea salt, 1 ½ teaspoon Ground white pepper
- Pour the heavy cream mixture over the potatoes and shallots. Press the potatoes down lightly, to ensure they are fully submerged in the cream mixture.
- Top the potatoes with shredded cheddar and asiago cheese, and cover with aluminum foil.½ cup Sharp cheddar cheese, ½ cup Asiago cheese
- Bake covered for 35 minutes at 400°F. Bake uncovered for another 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes, you can optionally broil the potatoes on HI for added color.
✱Recipe Notes
- Make uniform slices: Try your best to slice the potatoes to the same width. This ensures that all the potatoes are cooked through at the same time, instead of having some slices cook faster than others.
- Season in layers: Be sure to season the potatoes directly with salt and white pepper, as potatoes can be quite bland on their own.
Sandra says
We made these for Thanksgiving this year and OMG!!! These potatoes were luscious. So easy to prepare in one skillet too, which is a huge help during the holidays. Will definitely be making again for Christmas.
Daniel says
My wife made me peeled the potatoes but not sure if it is necessary?
Sunena Anand says
Hi Daniel! I personally peeled the potatoes for a smoother overall texture, but it is absolutely optional and comes down to personal preference. 🙂
Mo says
Hi there.
What size cast-iron to use for this recipe?
Friend of mine made au gratin potatoes with only Gruyere and the whole thing came out an oily greasy mess. Would it be better to use half cheddar or sharp cheddar and half Gruyere? I know you have a asiago listed. I just wasn’t sure about its creaminess or melting.
I love both Russet and Yukon Gold potatoes. I have a tendency to lean more towards Yukon. Which one do you recommend?
Thx!
Mo
Sunena Anand says
Hi Mo!
I used a 12 inch cast iron skillet for this recipe. I personally have not tried this recipe with gruyere, but I definitely think that cutting the gruyere with some cheddar will help with the greasiness. Asiago is a slightly drier cheese, which is why i like to use it alongside the cheddar cheese. You can definitely use Yukon gold potatoes, but russets tend to have some additional starchiness which helps thicken the cream sauce.
I hope you like it! 🙂
Mo says
Ty!
I plan on making this dish some time in August. I’m going to make it for my folks. I’ll let you know how it turns out and thanks for answering my questions.
Mo
Mo says
Hi there.
I had posted some questions yesterday, waiting moderation and appears my post is missing.
What size a cast-iron skillet do you use?
Also, would half sharp cheddar and a half Gruyere cheese works with this recipe?
Thx!
Mo
Camille White says
Just made this recipe and it was a huge hit! I made mine with manchego cheese since that is what I had on hand. I used a 10-in skillet but should have used a 12 as it was hard to handle because it was almost overflowing. Great recipe but cooks beware, it is extremely rich so you and your guests will actually eat less than you think. Will definitely make again.
Sunena Anand says
Glad to hear this was a hit, Camille! It is definitely not an everyday side, but it sure does hit the spot for those special meals, haha! 🙂