For the Best Cheesy Potatoes, Make Them In a Sheet Pan

While a square of unassuming potatoes might look less than stunning on a plate, those who have tried a good potato au gratin will know they are in for a treat. Unfortunately, my child is not in this camp, and I was worried she would not try these. 

Not only did she try them, she immediately exclaimed, “These are really good!” 

She’s not wrong. Sheet pan potatoes au gratin are faster than most recipes thanks to their thinness. This also means more bubbly cheese covering every bite.

Why You Should Use a Sheet Pan

Normally, when I make potatoes au gratin, I will stack up several layers of potatoes in a deep baking dish. The problem with this method is that it takes a very long time to bake that many layers of potatoes. 

The sheet pan method means less layers and more surface area. It cooks faster and you get more crispy surfaces on the bottom and edges of the casserole. Win-win!

Tips for Making My Potatoes Au Gratin

• Make sure to butter your pan really well. You should be able to see a visible layer of softened butter on the edges and bottom of the sheet pan. The last thing you want is for your delicious potatoes to stick to the pan. 
• Infuse the cream. Rather than chopping up the aromatics (garlic, shallot, and thyme), infuse them into the cream in about 1.0 short minutes. This yields a flavorful but creamier-textured potatoes au gratin.
• Use a light hand with the cheese. Between each layer of potato should be a very scant layer of cheese, which acts as a delicious glue. If you over-cheese the potatoes, they will slide around on your plate rather than be a solid casserole. 
• Let it rest! After this potatoes au gratin bakes, it needs to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before you serve so that it can set up a bit. 

Cheesy Potato Recipes

• Rumbledethumps
• Twice Baked Potatoes
  
• Cheesy Funeral Potatoes
• Crispy Parmesan Potatoes

Steep the cream:

Add the cream to a small pot over low heat. Add the garlic cloves, shallot, thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper. Barely bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes.

Prepare the potatoes:

Meanwhile, use a mandolin to slice the potatoes into thin slices, no thicker than 1/8 inch. If you don’t have a mandolin, you can use a knife, but take your time to get them into even, thin slices. 

Add the sliced potatoes to a large bowl of cold water to rinse off some starch.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Liberally butter a large rimmed 11x14 half-sheet pan with butter. Get all the sides, corners, and the bottom.

Layer the ingredients:

Remove the potato slices from the water and dry on a few clean kitchen towels or paper towels. Add half the slices to the sheet pan in a single layer, shingling the potatoes so they overlap slightly. 

Combine the gouda and Parmesan cheeses in a small bowl. Set aside about 1/3 of the cheese for sprinkling at the end. Sprinkle the layer of potatoes with half of the remaining cheese. Repeat, making another layer, with the potatoes and cheese going in the opposite direction. 

Remove the garlic, shallot, and thyme from the cream. Pour the infused cream over the potatoes, being careful to evenly distribute it all over.

Bake:

Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. At this point, the liquid should be bubbling and the potatoes should be tender around the edges of the pan but still pale on top. Remove the foil and add the remaining cheese, then return to the oven until the potatoes are very tender (easily pierced with a fork) and the top of the potatoes are lightly browned and bubbling, about 15 minutes. 

Let the potatoes cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing into servings. Garnish with chives and serve while warm. 

Leftover potatoes will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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