For different takes on a gratin recipe, try my Cauliflower Gratin or Butternut Squash Casserole! This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. If I had my way I would eat potatoes every day! I am such a meat and potato lover. That is especially true when it comes to a holiday dinner, when potatoes are a non-negotiable item. These rosemary potatoes au gratin are like a warm blanket on a rainy day. I want to crawl right in there and never leave. NEVER!! Even though they are fairly decadent, I make this creamy au gratin potatoes recipe a few times a year. They are always massively popular with the family, especially this version with aromatic rosemary and sharp Comté cheese! Any fans of scalloped potatoes will find this recognisable and easy to love. But it has taken the familiar version and cranked up the flavour and sophistication, all with a nod to the French origin of this dish. The difference is, and what makes this an au gratin recipe rather than scalloped potatoes, is the use of cheese. In fact, au gratin means a dish topped with cheese. And who doesn’t want more cheese?
How to add more flavour
To impart more flavour into my scalloped potatoes, I infused the heavy cream they are cooked in with fresh rosemary, fresh bay leaf and garlic. And let me tell you, that extra teeny tiny step made a world of a difference! Please don’t skip it because it will give your regular potatoes an oomph they always longed for. The cream mixture does a lot of work in this recipe, so it’s worth the effort to pack it with flavour. I also topped them with sharp French Comté cheese, which I absolutely love. But any sharp cheese such as extra mature cheddar or gruyere will do the trick.
What potatoes should I use?
As unsatisfying as this answer might be, it depends on what you like. If you like firmer slices that keep their shape like I do, then go for waxy varieties like the red ones in the photo below. But if you like your potatoes falling apart and blending into the sauce, then floury potato varieties like Maris Piper in the UK or Idaho and Russet potatoes in the US are for you. Floury potatoes can absorb flavours better than firmer varieties but do tend to fall apart when cooked.
Serving suggestions
Rosemary potatoes au gratin are a substantial side dish that should be served with a hearty piece of meat. I think that it goes particularly well with ham. I recommend blackcurrant compote glazed ham as a fantastic choice, or pork roast with warm persimmon sauce. It will work with pretty much any roast, such as rosemary and thyme roast chicken or roast leg of lamb. Because potatoes au gratin are a slightly indulgent side dish, my preference is to serve them as part of a holiday table. So whether a roast turkey at thanksgiving or honey mustard crusted prime rib roast for Christmas, this is the side to choose!
Storage and leftovers
If you plan on making this potatoes au gratin ahead to serve it the following day, here is what you need to do. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and reheat in the preheated to 180C/350F oven to 25 minutes, then take the foil off and heat for additional 5-7 minutes. Note that I used a fairly shallow casserole dish. If yours is deeper, add an additional 10 minutes to the reheating time and of course check that it is hot throughout.
