Mashed Potatoes au Gratin
We’re taking the two best potato sides—creamy mashed potatoes and bubbly, cheesy Au Gratin—and smashing them together into one legendary dish: Mashed Potatoes Au Gratin!
Inspired by the brilliant techniques of chefs like Jon Mitzewich from @allrecipes, this dish delivers maximum decadence with minimal fuss. Instead of thinly slicing raw potatoes, we start with a rich, fluffy mashed potato base, ensuring every single bite is perfectly creamy.
The mashed potatoes are loaded with butter, cream, and plenty of sharp cheese, then baked in a dish until the top is golden, bubbly, and utterly irresistible. The outside gets that glorious baked crust you love from an au gratin, while the inside remains luxuriously smooth like your favorite mashed potatoes.
It’s the ultimate show-stopping side dish for your holiday table, a Sunday roast, or any time you need serious potato comfort.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 4 lb russet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and quartered
- 1 head of garlic
- 3 sprigs of rosemary
- 4 tsp salt, or to taste
- 8 Tbsp butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cup gouda or cheddar cheese, shredded
- black pepper, to taste
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Potato Gratin
- 2 lb russet potatoes, peeled and halved and then sliced thinly
- 4 Tbsp butter, melted
- 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 oz parmesan cheese, shredded
- fresh chives, finely diced (garnish)
Instructions
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Prep and Boil Potatoes: Preheat oven to 400F. Place 4 lbs of scrubbed, peeled, and quartered potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add a handful of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are very tender but not crumbly, about 30–35 minutes. Drain thoroughly and transfer the hot potatoes to a large bowl.
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Infuse Cream Mixture: While the potatoes boil, combine the milk, heavy cream, garlic, and rosemary in a separate small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until the mixture is fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the mixture into a clean bowl, discarding the solids (garlic/rosemary). Set the strained, warmed cream aside.
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Prepare Mashed Base: To the hot, drained potatoes, add your butter and mash until just combined but still lumpy (do not fully incorporate yet). Slowly pour in the strained, warmed cream mixture, along with salt and pepper to taste. Mix until just combined. Fold in your shredded cheese until everything is evenly distributed.
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Assemble and Bake: Transfer the mashed potato mixture to a deep baking dish (e.g., a 9×13 inch pan or similar 9×11 inch cake pan) and spread evenly on the bottom.
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Finish Topping and Cook: Sprinkle the top generously with the remaining Parmesan cheese (as a finishing crust). Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. (The top should be deep golden, crisp, and bubbly).
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Rest and Serve: Remove the dish from the oven. Let the Mashed Potatoes Au Gratin rest for 15–20 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped chives.
Notes
- If you do not get the golden brown top – you can put your oven on broil to get the golden brown. Be careful so it does not burn.
Keywords: Side Dish, Potatoes, Mashed, Au Gratin
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