Potato Leek Gratin

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By Allison Ruth on April 6, 2023 | Updated April 26, 2023 | Rate Recipe

If you’re looking for a simple, rich side dish, this Potato Leek Gratin is the perfect recipe! With thinly sliced potatoes, sauteed leeks, a cream sauce, and a deliciously cheesy topping, it's the best combination of crisp, tender, and melty. It pairs well with Ham, Chicken, Beef or Fish, making it a great option for Easter and other holidays!

Looking for more delicious side dishes? Try our Egg Salad Deviled Eggs or our tasty Caramelized Carrots.

Table of Contents

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Mandoline Slicer for Food and Vegetables

Stoneware Oval Baking Dish, 14×9.5×2.5, White

Heat Resistant Thick Cotton Oven Mitts and Pot Holder Sets, Red

While there are many ways to make Potato Leek Gratin or Potatoes Au Gratin, I think it tastes best when you keep it simple. For this gratin, you only need a handful of ingredients, which allows the flavors of the leeks and the creamy garlic sauce to really shine. Best of all, because it doesn't require much, it's an easy side dish to add to your holiday menu.

Yukon Gold Potatoes – Peeled and sliced into thin rounds. It is possible to cut the rounds with a sharp knife, but it works best when you slice the potatoes with a mandolin so that they are uniformly thin.

Leeks – Leeks are notorious for hiding dirt and small pebbles between their leaf sheaths. Be sure to wash them carefully, pulling apart all the leaf sheaths to rinse well in between. Trim the leeks (you’ll only use the white and light green parts of the leek). Cut them lengthwise and then slice them into thin half-moon slices.

Heavy Cream – This adds a rich flavor to the finished dish. In a pinch, you can get away with half and half, but it really does taste best with cream.

Gruyère Cheese – Not only does this add a nutty, salty flavor to the topping, but it also crisps around the edges for delicious crunchy bites.

Butter – Use this to butter the gratin dish and to sauté the leeks and bring out their sweetness.

Bay Leaf – Use this to flavor the cream sauce.

Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves work best here.

Thyme – Fresh herbs add loads of flavor and work as a beautiful garnish for the finished dish.

Salt and Pepper – Necessary ingredients for flavor always.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously butter a 2-quart casserole or gratin dish (7×11″ or 14×9″).

Layer the thinly sliced potato rounds in the buttered gratin dish.

Sprinkle the potatoes evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of freshly ground pepper. Set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, 1 minced garlic clove, and the leaves from two sprigs of fresh thyme. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the leeks are tender and beginning to turn golden.

Spread the thyme and leek mixture over the layered potatoes in the dish.

Add the cream, remaining minced garlic clove, bay leaf, and remaining salt to the same pan you cooked the leeks in. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Pour the hot cream mixture evenly over the leeks and potatoes in the baking dish. Top with grated Gruyere cheese.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the gratin is golden brown and bubbling and the potatoes are tender.

When the Potato Leek Gratin comes out of the oven, it is ready to serve immediately! The cream will have cooked into the thin layers of the potatoes, making them soft and creamy. Likewise, the cheese topping is both melty and crispy around the edges. Every bite is to die for!

At our house, we always serve Potato Leek Gratin with our Easter Honey Glazed Ham! It also pairs well with the following main dishes:

Whatever you decide to serve your Potato Leek Gratin with, this bubbly, buttery side dish will steal the show!

What is the best kind of potato for this recipe?

What does Au Gratin mean?

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This Potato Leek Gratin is a fabulous recipe to enjoy for the holidays or to make for a Sunday supper. Creamy, cheesy with wonderful herbs flavors.

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Recipe calculation was provided by Nutritionix and is an estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

posted in: Easter Recipes and Ideas, Side Dishes