Potatoes Au Gratin (Ina Garten)
This Potatoes Au Gratin recipe is made with Russet potatoes, fennel, and Gruyere cheese–the perfect side dish for a dinner party or holiday gathering! Ina Gartin’s Potato-Fennel Gratin recipe is the best, and we’ve been serving it for years, as it pairs so well with prime rib, ham, and lamb!
For Easter Sunday, or any time of year, this Potatoes Au Gratin (Ina Garten) recipe is a crowd pleaser! These cheesy potatoes are cooked to perfection, and inspired by the wonderful Ina Garten. We’ve been making this recipe for years, in fact, it’s been on my blog since February 2015. That is almost 10 years that we’ve enjoyed this fennel and potato gratin, and I’ve recommended it to so many others.
Potatoes Au Gratin (Ina Garten)
Enjoy a 9×13 pan of this scrumptious Potatoes Au Gratin! It’s is cheesy, creamy, and delicious! We love it served with ham or Crusted Pepper Prime Rib, and it’s also delicious with any chicken recipe!
Read more: Potatoes Au Gratin (Ina Garten)
This post is inspired by Ina Garten’s Potato-Fennel Gratin Recipe. It’s truly different than the average au gratin potato recipe, and the mix of fennel and cheese is just fantastic! Thank you, Ina!
Easy to make ahead, I like to make the day before so it’s ready to pop in the oven the day of the party!
Why I love this recipe
- Easy to prepare the day before, and bake the next day (saves a lot of time).
- Delicious combination of fennel and Gruyere cheese (similar to a Swiss cheese), and onions.
- Crowd-pleasing. Everytime we serve this side dish, people ask for Ina’s recipe!
What is au gratin?
Gratin is how you prepare an ingredient (potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, etc) that is is topped with a browned crust, often using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, egg or butter. Gratin is a French cuisine method, usually prepared in a shallow dish of some kind.
Gather these ingredients
- Fennel bulbs (you can usually buy 2 in a pack from Trader Joe’s)
- Yellow onion: we use sweet onions
- Olive oil
- Unsalted butter
- Russet potatoes: don’t use any other kind than Russet (the best for gratin potatoes)
- Heavy cream
- Gruyère cheese (this cheese just makes this recipe!)
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
How do you make Potatoes Au Gratin (Ina Garten recipe)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Butter the inside of a 10-by-15-by-2-inch (10-cup) baking dish.
- Slice the onions.
- Pepare the fennel: Remove the stalks from the fennel and cut the bulbs in half lengthwise. Remove the cores and thinly slice the bulbs crosswise, making approximately 4 cups of sliced fennel. Saute the fennel and onions in the olive oil and butter on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until tender.
- Peel the potatoes, then thinly slice them by hand or with a mandoline. Mix the sliced potatoes in a large bowl with 2 cups of cream, 2 cups of Gruyère, salt, and pepper. Add the sauteed fennel and onion and mix well.
- Pour the potatoes into the baking dish. Press down to smooth the potatoes. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and 1/2 cup of Gruyère and sprinkle on the top.
- Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the potatoes are very tender and the top is browned and bubbly. Allow to set for 10 minutes and serve.
What do you serve with Potatoes Au Gratin?
There are so many dishes that you can serve potato gratin with, like Slow Cooker Short Ribs, Simple Chicken Parmigiana Recipe, and Cornish Game Hens.
Tips and substitutions:
- We use a large baking pan, usually a 9×13 pan for this recipe, but sometimes we double the recipe!
- If you need to swap out the Gruyere cheese, the closest cheese would be Swiss cheese.
- Start with gorgeous fennel bulbs. You can’t skimp on the fennel for this recipe. It’s a must!
- Sliced potatoes using this amazing OXO mandoline.
- Easy to make the day or 2 before, store in the fridge. When ready to bake, remove from the fridge for about an hour before popping into the oven to bake.
- You can also warm the potatoes in the oven before serving!
- Store leftovers in air-tight container for up to 3 days. They are amazing if you have any leftovers, served the next day in scrambled eggs. OH YUM!
More Au Gratin recipes to try:
- Our popular Cauliflower Bacon Gratin
- Green Beans Au Gratin
- Vegetable Au Gratin with Brussels Sprouts
- Beet and Turnip Gratin
Get the Recipe:
Ina Garten’s Potatoes Au Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 small fennel bulbs
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, 4 large potatoes
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 ½ cups grated Gruyère cheese, 1/2 pound
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Butter the inside of a 10-by-15-by-2-inch (10-cup) baking dish.
- Remove the stalks from the fennel and cut the bulbs in half lengthwise. Remove the cores and thinly slice the bulbs crosswise, making approximately 4 cups of sliced fennel. Saute the fennel and onions in the olive oil and butter on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until tender.
- Peel the potatoes, then thinly slice them by hand or with a mandoline. Mix the sliced potatoes in a large bowl with 2 cups of cream, 2 cups of Gruyère, salt, and pepper. Add the sauteed fennel and onion and mix well.
- Pour the potatoes into the baking dish. Press down to smooth the potatoes. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and ½ cup of Gruyère and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 1 ½ hours, until the potatoes are very tender and the top is browned and bubbly. Allow to set for 10 minutes and serve.
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
I have made this a few times, always a hit. This time I made a couple of changes. I halved the recipe as there were only three of us and a generous mountain of meaty pork back ribs. I included the full 2 TBSP of cream for cheese topping and the full 1/2 cup of additional cheese for topping. It was perfect!
(I also cut both the fennel and onion into inch slices as family mentioned the longer strips were too big…whatever works…the flavour is still there).
Hi, I think you had said you can prepare it the night before and bake it the day of , can you let me k ow if that would be okay, I am doubling the recipe so it would be much easier
I usually make and bake the day or 2 before, then I reheat it in the oven the day of.
This was excellent! I appreciate the short list of ingredients and even though I didn’t have gruyere (used cheddar/jack) and only one fennel it still tasted really good! Thank you for this recipe. I will definitely make this again.
Can this recipe be frozen?
I would think that after it is made and cooled, you could freeze it!
I have 2 au gratin dishes Each one holds 14 OZ. How long would each be in the oven with this recipe and at what temp??
Thank you for mentioning my Ashland book! And I do know your cousin :) A very talented photographer!! This morning, my daughter-in-law across the country emailed me this recipe, since she was trying it, and we couldn’t help smiling at the coincidence at your mention.. I’m glad she found this, since I’ll now be sure and bookmark your wonderful blog!!
Such a small world. Love your book, and enjoy the recipe! xo
You mentioned that you made this a day before…I find that my potatoes sometimes turn brown if not cooked immediately. Did you cook it when you first made it and then re-heat? If so, would love to know the timing so it doesn’t dry out. Thanks in advance!
I’ve done it both ways, Susan. This recipe is a little browner on top anyway because of the fennel and onions, baked into the cheese. I’ve cooked it ahead, and cut squares (reheated) and served. But the best is to serve it hot out of the oven! :)
To die for!!
Crispy outside, melty inside (it sounds like that), exactly the textures I love!
That is one SEXY gratin. Deeeeeuuuum.
That table setting is gorgeous, as is this gratin! I love adding fennel to dishes this time of year… especially ones that are on the heavier side to give it a little brightness. Gorgeous dish!
That looks so yummy, and the table is gorgeous! I love the pop of red. Have fun!
Oh yum! Just pinned that one! I don’t think I have ever made a gratin. I’ve made scalloped potatoes but pretty typical recipe. This looks so rich and yummy! And with salmon and everything else….my tummy is growling…winner winner chicken dinner
This dish looks amazing! I love fennel and I could probably eat an entire pan of this. Looks like a lovely party!
“keep me reasonably sweet”…
I love this poem / prayer sandy!
Your party sounds amazing!! I wish I could have a place to sit…enjoy those potatoes <3
Looks awesome, Sandy!! :)