Plenty of garlic and cheese in Garlic Parmesan Au Gratin Potatoes For Two with layers of thinly sliced potatoes, Parmesan, and garlic. Serve it as a Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter side dish or with meat for a home-cooked dinner.
While making the shopping list for holiday dinners, there’s one conversation that always happens.
What kind of potatoes are we making this year? Most of the time it’s mashed, but sometimes it’s scalloped or au gratin.
I grew up making au gratin potatoes from a box because that’s how my parents made them. Bring milk to a boil, add box contents, cook.
It wasn’t until I bought a handheld mandoline (affiliate link) I started making homemade au gratin potatoes because I could never slice the potatoes thinly (and consistently) enough with a knife.
Cooking for the holidays, especially Thanksgiving For Two, Christmas For Two, Easter For Two, means there is always potato involved.
And when you add garlic and Parmesan, you know it’s going to be a winning side dish with these Garlic Parmesan Au Gratin Potatoes For Two.
It’s like a casserole of thinly sliced golden brown potatoes layered with plenty of cheesy goodness.
Since this is a recipes for two food blog, my au gratin potatoes for two is made in a small casserole dish and makes about 4 servings (2 helpings per person).
I mean, when was the last time you only ate 1 serving of Parmesan potatoes?
However, if you want to make literally 2 servings, you can easily cut the recipe in half and use a smaller casserole dish.
What’s the difference between scalloped and au gratin potatoes?
The main difference is au gratin has cheese while scalloped doesn’t, but most recipes, including my stove top scalloped potatoes, uses cheese.
Another difference is au gratin has breadcrumbs on top, but most au gratin recipes didn’t include breadcrumbs.
I’ve also seen recipes written as au gratin potatoes vs. potatoes au gratin.
In conclusion, the rest of the world doesn’t know the difference between scalloped and au gratin. They DO know anything with cheese and potatoes is a winner, no matter what you call it.
How do you finely slice potatoes for au gratin?
The key to cooking au gratin potatoes for two is to thinly slice the potatoes evenly using a handheld mandolin.
I reviewed my mandoline for my homemade salt and vinegar chips recipe so you can see it in action.
How do you thinly slice potatoes without a mandoline?
If you don’t own a mandoline, slice them carefully and evenly with a knife. Make sure they’re the same thickness so they cook evenly.
What ingredients are in au gratin potatoes?
The ingredients for au gratin potatoes for two are Russet potatoes, Parmesan cheese, and heavy cream with additional flavors such as garlic and thyme.
It’s important to use heavy cream instead of milk because the fat is important for the cheese sauce to bake properly. Otherwise, the sauce would be too thin and not stick to the potatoes.
If you don’t use heavy cream often, you can buy a small pint so you don’t have any leftover (although leftover heavy cream makes excellent whipped cream for pumpkin pie).
Which potato is best for au gratin?
I personally think Russet potatoes make the best potato for au gratin because of their higher starch level.
However, I’ve seen other gratin recipes using Yukon gold or even red potatoes. Whichever potato you choose, bake until the potatoes are fork tender.
Which cheese is best for au gratin
Since au gratin has cheese, let’s talk cheese. There’s no right or wrong answer. Usually when I think of au gratin, I think of cheddar cheese.
However, in this recipe I changed it up and used Parmigiano Reggiano, which is imported exclusively from Italy and made with only three ingredients – milk, salt, and rennet.
Sometimes you’ll see domestic Parmesan made in the U.S., which usually contains additives.
You can easily recognize it from the pinholes in the rind that spell out Parmigiano Reggiano, but depending on how the cheese wheel is cut, the holes may not always be present.
Ask your local cheese person if you’re unsure about whether the cheese is imported.
Do you peel potatoes for au gratin?
Peeling potatoes for homemade au gratin potatoes for two is optional. I personally peel them but they’ll still cook properly unpeeled.
Can you prep potatoes ahead of time?
Because holiday dinners involve a lot of prep work, you can slice your au gratin potatoes up to 24 hours ahead of time.
After they’re sliced, store them in a bowl of cold water. This keeps them from oxidizing and turning brown. If you’re storing them for more than an hour, refrigerate until ready to use.
When ready to cook, drain and rinse with cold water. Then let them dry completely before using.
How To Make Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes For Two
My Parmesan au gratin potatoes for two is baked in the oven rather than boiled on the stove top.
First, pick an oven-proof casserole dish. The baking dish in these photos is from the thrift store and says oven safe on the bottom.
It’s a 1 quart baking dish, so it makes roughly 4 servings. You can probably stretch it to 6 servings if you’re serving it for a big holiday meal like Thanksgiving.
When choosing your casserole dish or pan, make sure it has a wide surface area to make 3 layers. Au gratin potatoes cook better when spread over a wide surface area rather than stacking them thick.
If you stack them thick (say 5 layers instead of 3), the middle may be undercooked when the outside is ready.
Next, layer your potatoes, garlic, and cheese like you would with a lasagna. Once layered, pour your cream over top so it fills the gaps then top with more Parmesan.
Bake at 350F until soft and golden brown, about 60-90 minutes
Can I make au gratin potatoes the night before?
Because Parmesan au gratin potatoes for two takes 60-90 minutes to bake, it’s not a quick dish to make.
To help save time, you can fully assemble your homemade au gratin potatoes up to 24 hours ahead of time.
Once you finish layering, cover tightly with plastic wrap (pressing the wrap directly on the potatoes to minimize discoloring) and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Let the dish sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Since it’ll be cold going into the oven, you may need a longer baking time.
What To Serve With Parmesan Au Gratin Potatoes
Here are some recipes that pair well with homemade au gratin potatoes:
Parmesan Au Gratin Potatoes For Two
Plenty of garlic and cheese in Garlic Parmesan Au Gratin Potatoes For Two with thinly sliced potatoes, Parmesan, and garlic.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes (roughly 4 large potatoes), peeled and thinly sliced (preferably with a mandoline for even, thin cuts)
- 1/2 cup diced yellow or white onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/4 cups shredded Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Rub the butter in the bottom and up the sides of a 1-quart casserole dish.
- Layer some of the sliced potatoes in a single layer in the bottom of the dish, slightly overlapping.
- In a large bowl, mix together the onion, garlic, 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the mixture over the potato layer.
- Repeat the layering two more times, ending with a layer of potatoes.
- Pour the cream over the potatoes, filling in between the spaces. Top with remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Bake 60-90 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the potatoes are soft.
Notes
- To help save time, you can fully assemble up to 24 hours ahead. After layering, cover with plastic wrap (pressing directly on the potatoes to minimize discoloring) and refrigerate. Let sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Since it'll be cold, you may need more baking time.
- Liked this recipe? Check out my Stove Top Scalloped Potatoes.
- Planning your holiday menu? Check out Thanksgiving Dinner For Two, Easter Dinner For Two and Christmas Dinner For Two for recipe pairings.
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Rachel says
The only difference I can think of with the two is that maybe potatoes au gratin refers to the type of dish it’s baked in? But really, I have no idea what the difference is, just that I want a big helping of those!
Carla says
Oh that is a possibility too! I have seen au gratin pans for sale.
Doreen Torgerson says
Augratin potatoes have cheese in them. Scalloped potAtoes have a simple cream sauce.
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
lol I don’t care if their au gratin or scalloped they are delicious either way!!! This recipe looks like HEAVEN. I do adore all things Parm and garlic…and potatoes :P
Anna says
4 Servings? Any changes to double this recipe? Thanks!
Carla says
You can double the ingredients and either bake it in a larger casserole dish or bake it in two dishes. Baking time will probably be more towards 90 minutes if you have more layers.
Kate says
Is this one you can make ahead? I like to try and cut down on the kitchen chaos.
Carla says
Yes. Make it as directed (although depending on how soft your potatoes get, I may pull it at 60-75 minutes so it doesn’t turn into mush when reheating), let it cool, then wrap and refrigerate. When it’s time to serve, heat it back up in the oven.
Doreen Torgerson says
Yes, you can ,make it ahead and reheat them.
David says
I decided to surprise my wife by making dinner. I needed something to go with the main dish, and I saw this recipe. Let me tell you, it was great! What a hit. My picky adult son enjoyed it too.
Carla says
Excellent! Glad these potatoes were a hit!
Tennille says
THESE ARE AMAZING! I have made them three times and doing it again tonight. I have made them ahead too but didn’t bake them. Just stuck them in the fridge until I was ready to bake and just added a touch more cream before popping them in the oven and they were perfect.
Carla says
Glad to hear they can be made ahead of time! Thank you for the positive feedback
Megan says
When do you add the thyme??
Carla says
During Step 3
Deb says
These do not need to be covered while baking?
Carla says
Nope!
RaeAnn says
Scalloped potatoes doesn’t contain cheese, au gratin potatoes do. Pretty much the only difference.
Carla says
Thanks for the info!
Carol at Wild Goose Mama says
From a Box?!?! Gak!!!!! Well this wonderful recipe certainly is a long long long way from that. I need one of those slicers. I forgot I needed it. Lol. Hey I am a HUGE potato fan— and not huge because I eat potatoes either. I think they get a bad rap. I find they really help me lose weight because they make me full and satisfied. Of course when they are prepared as you have done here, well maybe the calorie count is elevated just a teeny tiny bit, but so worth it. Yum!
Carla says
Potatoes can definitely be healthy! It’s when you start adding cream, butter, cheese, etc. etc. that they get a bad rap. And of course I’m not helping with this recipe ;)
Stephanie says
Can these be cooked at a different temp? Want to cook with a ham at 275 degrees if possible. Or if made ahead of time, how long would you say to reheat at 275?
Carla says
I highly recommend sticking with 350F. Otherwise you’re going to end up with raw potatoes. You can certainly bake it ahead of time (or slightly under so the potatoes aren’t mush) and reheat until hot. I’d say probably 15-30 minutes? Start at 15 minutes and if it doesn’t feel hot enough, go another 15 minutes.
Another option – Make the au gratin ahead of time but bake it for 60 minutes instead of 90. While your ham is resting, bump the oven up to 350F and finish baking 30 minutes (bring it to room temperature first or you may need to add some extra time if it’s cold straight from the fridge).
Stephanie says
Thank you!
Annemarie says
This is the best comfort food! My family will love it with all that cheese.
Carla says
Can’t go wrong with cheese!
Pam Greer says
We used to have those boxed potatoes too! The real thing is so much better!
Carla says
Once you try this homemade recipe, you won’t go back!
Christina says
This is the perfect holiday side dish! My family loves all types of potatoes!
Carla says
Potatoes are the best, aren’t they?
Emily Meyer says
Oh wow these look amazing! I can’t have dairy but I’ll have to make this recipe for my husband. He would love it!
Carla says
Bummer on the dairy, but this recipe makes a smaller amount compared to most au gratin recipes, so your husband will be happy!
Ellen says
What a nice alternative to mashed potatoes for holiday meals. So cheesy good!
Carla says
Perfect for potato lovers!
Karen says
Can you put the ingredients together then freeze? If so, thaw and bring to room temp before cooking??
Carla says
I haven’t tried it, but I don’t think you’d be happy with the results. Potatoes and dairy can be finicky when frozen. The cream might separate after thawing as well as the cheese becoming grainy. The potatoes’ texture may be too soggy. However, research shows you can bake the potatoes THEN freeze it. I haven’t personally done it myself, but you can read more here: http://howtofreezefood.com/2017/04/07/scalloped-potatoes/
Aimee Shugarman says
These potatoes were the perfect side dish to our meatloaf. So tasty!
Carla says
Glad they worked out for you!
Sherri says
Oh my gosh…I forgot about those boxed au gratin potatoes! I used to eat those too. LOL. These potatoes would be a welcome addition to any holiday table. Simply scrumptious! :)
Carla says
Sometimes we forget about those things because they aren’t as good as homemade LOL Hope you give these a try!
Katie says
Oh wow- that crispy cheese on top is enough to make me want this recipe on my list of things to make sooner than later!
Carla says
Gotta love the crispy cheese!
Kelly Anthony says
That golden brown looks like perfection. Can’t wait to make these for my family!
Carla says
Let me know what everyone thinks!
Sandi says
I have been looking for a good recipe to make ahead of our holiday gatherings. I always like to make sure the kitchen is cleaned up before people arrive.
Carla says
I hear you! It’s no fun when you finally sit down to a nice family dinner then realize you still have to clean up afterwards.
Valheriee says
Can you use gruyere and parmessan cheese? Also i have seen recipes baking at 325. Somthing about cream breaking.
Carla says
Yes, I think gruyere would be a wonderful addition! As for the baking temperature, I’ve never had an issue with cream breaking at 350F. Make sure you’re using heavy cream because that fat is needed to keep it from breaking (not half and half or milk)
Marcia Rowell says
Yumm, yumm! I didn’t have enough potatoes, so I subbed in some thinly sliced butternut squash. And no parm here either, but I had some manchego and used that. It was all just wonderful. I live at high altitude, so I did cover mine for the first 30 minutes and then uncovered it to finish cooking and browning.
Carla says
Loved the idea of using butternut squash! And thanks for the tip on high altitude baking.
Pete says
Can I make it all up in the morning, put it in the fridge, and then cook it later in the day?
Carla says
I haven’t personally tried it, but I’ve had readers tell me they’ve made it ahead of time. Cover in plastic wrap when you store it. You also might need more baking time since you’d be baking it cold from the fridge.