Let’s face it: figuring out the perfect recipe to bring to a potluck can be a real challenge. If we’re pressed for time or we want to keep things simple, sometimes all we bring is something pre-made that we bought at the store or a side of chips and dip. On the other hand, sometimes we want to bring something that will impress without spending too much time on it—and we still want everyone to like it.
Today, we have the perfect recipe for just that occasion. That’s because today, we’re going to make a cheesy potato bake that’s perfectly designed for any potlucks you may have coming up. Like many gratin potato recipes, this one packs plenty of creamy and cheesy flavor and takes very little effort to put together. Still, the flavors work together perfectly to create a dish that nobody will be able to say no to. So let’s get started.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 2 pounds of Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
- 2 cups of half-and-half (or milk)
- 1 1/2 cups of grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- salt
- pepper
Here’s what you do:
1. To get started, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and grease up an 8×12-inch casserole dish with some extra butter. Set these aside as you go to work boiling your potatoes.
2. Next, get out a big pot and add your cream or milk, potatoes, garlic and nutmeg into it. Season everything with plenty of salt and pepper, heating the entire thing over medium-high heat and up to a boil. Let it cook at a boil for about 10 minutes so that the potatoes get tender and the sauce starts to thicken.
3. Add more seasoning as necessary before taking the potatoes off the heat and pouring the mixture into your greased baking dish. Wrap your dish in foil and chill it if you’re not ready to use it yet, otherwise top it off with shredded cheese and pop it in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
4. When the time is up, check to make sure the potatoes are soft enough that they can easily be pierced with a knife. Take the dish out and let it chill for about five minutes before cutting into it!
As you can see, this dish is not particularly different from many potato gratin recipes. Still, it has one distinct advantage. A more formal potato gratin would typically need to cook for an hour to fully develop. Fortunately, this dish uses some cooking shortcuts so that time is reduced to only a half hour—and with all the same, delicious flavor.
Although this recipe is sure to be a hit as it is, you can always experiment as you get more familiar with it as well. Try adding in some seasonings of your own, or some additional veggies for a little more texture and flavor. Rather than pick between cheeses, why not use both? Above all, have fun with this recipe and let us know how it all turns out!
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