With a rich sauce, crisp golden crust, creamy gruyere cheese and a layer of creamed kale, this twist on au gratin potatoes is surprisingly simple.
Does any one ever turn down creamy, cheesy potatoes? With a rich sauce, crisp golden crust and a layer of creamed kale, this twist on au gratin potatoes is surprisingly simple. It’s assembled and baked in just one pan.
Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes with Kale and Gruyere is a bit rustic and a bit fancy. It’s naturally gluten-free and will be everyone’s favorite addition to a festive fall meal.
We are a potato-loving family around these parts, so when Potatoes USA asked us to come up with a twist on classic creamy au gratin potatoes that used everyday ingredients and could be made with just one or two pans, we couldn’t wait to get started eating….ummm testing.
Potatoes are (as you surely know) a super versatile ingredient. They’re convenient and provide a canvas of unlimited possibilities. And this au gratin potato recipe is super versatile as well. Just about any potatoes will work here, but I couldn’t resist these gorgeous red potatoes. The medium-sized red potatoes are easy to slice and layer. Keeping the skins on adds color and flavor to the finished dish.
How to Build Flavor in Au Gratin Potatoes
Two steps add flavor and color to this otherwise classic version of creamy baked potatoes.
- Infuse the cream with flavor – Heavy cream creates a rich sauce for these potatoes. To add flavor, simmer the cream with salt, pepper, garlic and fresh thyme for a minute or two.
- Layer the dish – This version has a base of savory kale and shallots hiding underneath the potatoes. It results in a pretty pop of color with every spoonful.
Layer the sliced potatoes on top and pour flavorful cream sauce over the whole thing.
Bake it until the potatoes are tender.
Then top it with cheese. Using two types of cheese is key here. The gruyere gets nice and creamy but parmesan gives the dish a golden crust.
Bring it to the table and dare anyone not to dive right in.
Want more creative ideas to put into use in your cooking this fall? Check out the Potato Goodness Facebook page for more of just that. All the potato goodness.
- 1½ cup Heavy Cream
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- 2 cloves Garlic, smashed
- 3 sprigs Thyme, fresh
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 3 cloves Shallots, diced
- 4 large Kale leaves, finely chopped (discard stems)
- 2 lbs Red Potatoes, ⅛ inch slices
- 2 oz Gruyere Cheese, grated
- 1 oz Parmesan Cheese, grated
- Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Combine cream, salt, black pepper, garlic (peel the cloves and smash them gently with the palm of your hand) and thyme in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and heat, stirring constantly, until the cream starts to bubble, 4 to 6 minutes. When cream starts to bubble, remove it from heat and continue stirring until it cools slightly. Let the cream sit while you prepare the rest of the dish (this will infuse the cream with flavor).
- Heat a large (12 inch) oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter. When butter melts, add shallots and kale leaves. Saute until kale is tender and bright green, ~4 minutes. Turn off the burner under the kale.
- Use a food processor or mandolin to slice the potatoes into ⅛ inch slices. (I think the dish is more beautiful with the peels on, but you can peel the potatoes first if you prefer.)
- Add the potatoes to the skillet, fanning them out over top of the kale.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the garlic and thyme from the heavy cream. Pour heavy cream over potatoes.
- Cover the skillet tightly with foil and bake until the potatoes are tender, 75 to 85 minutes.
- Remove skillet from the oven and turn on the oven's broiler. Discard foil.
- Sprinkle both types off cheeses over the potatoes, tucking some of the cheese between the potato slices.
- Return the skillet to the oven and broil until the top is golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. (Keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.)
- Serve immediately.
Thank you Potatoes USA for sponsoring this post. Make a delicious and convenient meal today with potatoes!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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Well done! I love the addition of Kale into a classic dish.