Cheesy leeks and potatoes Au Gratin is a DELICIOUS cheesy leeks recipe using thinly sliced russet potatoes layered with a perfectly seasoned leek and cream mixture and lots of shredded cheese for a decadent potato side dish with a cheesy sauce. Au Gratin is a classic french recipe, also known as potatoes dauphinoise. This french classic dish is made even more french by adding in french leeks!
This creamy cheesy leeks recipe is an update of an old Season & Thyme favorite. It was time to get new pictures up and I tweaked the recipe just a bit, to make it even better. Before this gratin recipe had two cups of heavy cream, and though delicious, it was a bit much. I cut that back by half and added a cup of milk in place of one of the cups of cream. You can't even tell the difference. I also removed 2 tablespoons of butter, as the recipe called for 4 tablespoons previously.
This newly updated potatoes au gratin and cheesy leeks recipe is going to knock your socks off! By baking the ingredients all together, the cream and cheese come together, and make a delicious cheese sauce. This is the best recipe for cheesy leeks!
What Does "au gratin" Mean?
Au gratin is the french way of saying a dish is prepared with cheese and breadcrumbs and then browned in an oven or underneath a broiler. I didn't use breadcrumbs here, which means this is a naturally gluten free potato au gratin recipe! Feel free to add a sprinkle of breadcrumbs before you bake it, that would make for an extra crunchy topping! Another name for potatoes au gratin is potatoes dauphinoise. Potato Dauphinoise or potato gratin is different from scalloped potatoes because scalloped potatoes don't have cheese.
Ingredients for cheesy leeks and potato au gratin
- butter
- russet potatoes (yukon gold potatoes work as well)
- heavy cream
- sliced leeks
- sea salt
- pepper
- shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or shredded Gruyere cheese or shredded cheddar cheese)
- garlic clove
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
How Do You Prepare this Cheese Leek and Potato Bake
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
For this dish, you want to start by making your leek-cream mixture. In a skillet, sweat the leeks and garlic in butter for about 10 minutes until they start to cook down. Keep stirring to keep them from browning, this will keep their delicate flavor in tact.
Add salt, pepper, milk, and heavy cream. Cook an additional 5 minutes on medium-low heat. While the leeks are cooking, peel and slice potatoes. To slice potatoes, use a mandolin or very sharp knife to create very thin rounds.
Place one layer of thinly sliced potatoes (⅓ of total) down on the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with ⅓ of leek-cream mixture. Add ⅓ of the grated cheese (½ cup) and ⅓ of the parmesan cheese. Repeat until you have used up all ingredients.
Bake for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and serve.
How to make au gratin low carb
This potatoes dauphinoise recipe is naturally gluten free, and there is an easy substitute to make it low carb as well, and that is to make it cheesy leeks and cauliflower instead of potatoes. Substitute in about 4 cups of cauliflower florets in bit sized pieces for the sliced potatoes.
What to serve with cheesy leek and potato bake
When I made this, I served it as a side dish to a pork roast. I think it pairs very well that way. In fact, this would make a wonderful Easter dish to serve alongside your ham! I've made this in a cast iron skillet and in a regular baking dish, but you could certainly prepare it in a 9x13 pyrex dish for easy potluck transfer. Other dishes you could serve with cheesy leeks and potato au gratin are a beef roast, ribs, or even baked chicken breasts. This is a very versatile potato dish that everyone will love.
Have leftover au gratin potatoes?
Wondering what to do with any cheesy leeks and potatoes that you have leftover? This dish is the best the next day for breakfast with a fried egg and some bacon or sausage! It reminds me a bit of Cracker Barrel's Hashbrown Casserole.
More recipes with leeks
The most common way I have seen leeks used is in potato leek soup, otherwise known as vichyssoise. This creamy leeks recipe is a traditional French soup that can be eaten warm or cold. This dish takes those same flavors and turns them into a decadent gratin! Another recipe with leeks is this delicious Leek and Sourdough Stuffing.
Leek and Potato Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 tbs. butter divided
- 1 lb. russet potatoes about 3 medium sized potatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 3 cups cleaned sliced leeks
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- ½ tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 ½ cups Monterey Jack or Gruyere cheese
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 3 tbs. freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large skillet, melt 2 tbs. of butter. Add leeks and minced garlic and saute for 8-10 minutes. Add salt, pepper, milk, and heavy cream. Cook an additional 5 minutes on medium-low heat.
- While the leeks are cooking, peel and slice potatoes. To slice potatoes, use a mandolin or very sharp knife to create very thin rounds.
- Take remaining 2 tbs. of butter and coat cast iron skillet or baking dish.
- Place one layer of potatoes (⅓ of total) down on the bottom of the skillet. Cover with ⅓ of leek-cream mixture. Add ½ cup of Monterey Jack cheese and ⅓ parmesan cheese.
- Repeat until you have used up all ingredients.
- Cover with tinfoil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove tinfoil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.
Jude
When do we add the milk?
Sarah Baumeister
At the same time as the heavy cream. Thank you for pointing this out, I have adjusted the instructions.