by Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) · Updated
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The most incredible side dish of Potato Gratin made with a creamy delicate cheesy sauce and baked to tender perfection is perfect for your dinner table.
On Thanksgiving, the turkey gets all the love. It isn’t like I don’t understand why. The bird is the word, and oh is it good. But there is something about those sides that accompany the turkey that really make the holiday special. That’s what makes this Potato Gratin Recipe so special.
This year, I’m adding this Potato and Squash Gratin from the New Prairie Kitchen Cookbookby Summer Miller to the fold, and I have a feeling it will be right at home.
Table of Contents
Perks and Highlights of the Best Potato Gratin Recipe
Cuisine Inspiration: Comfort Food with a Twist
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Vegetarian-Friendly, Gluten-Free Option
Key Flavor: Creamy, Savory with a Hint of Sweetness from the Squash
Skill Level: Intermediate
Sweet Highlights:
- Creamy Dreamy Texture: This isn’t your average gratin. Expect a velvety hug in every forkful.
- Squash Surprise: Butternut squash layers add a subtly sweet contrast that’ll have folks asking for your secret.
- Golden Perfection: That toasty, golden parmesan crust is just waiting to be cracked.
- Aromatic Accents: Honey and soy sauce aren’t just for your favorite stir-fry; they bring a complex, savory-sweet note to the table.
- Holiday Worthy: This dish doesn’t just bring the flavor, it’s got the looks to grace any festive spread.
Ingredients
- Butter: Start with a smidgen of butter to grease up that dish; it’s the slick secret to gratin greatness.
- Potatoes: Those Yukon gold potatoes are your creamy dream team players, ready to get sliced and diced.
- Squash: Half a butternut squash comes in to sweeten the pot, bringing color and a soft, nutty charm to your gratin game.
- Cream: Pour in the heavy cream, the luxe river that’ll cascade through your potato-squash masterpiece.
- Honey: Drizzle that honey for a touch of sweet that balances out the savory.
- Soy: A splash of soy sauce to add that umami depth
- Egg Yolks Only: They’re bringing the rich, golden custardy goodness to the mix.
- Parmesan: This showers down like cheesy blessings on your gratin.
How to Make Potato Gratin
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease the inside of an 8 × 8-inch baking dish with butter.
- Wash and peel the potatoes, reserving the peels. Set aside.
- Wash the squash. Remove and discard 1 inch off the top and the bottom. Using a vegetable peeler, and working away from yourself, peel the squash until you reach the deep-orange flesh. Remove and discard the seeds, but reserve the peels. Set aside.
- Fill a large bowl with cold water and set nearby. Using a mandoline slicer, slice the potatoes and squash paper thin, then transfer the slices to the bowl of water.
- In a large pot, heat the cream, honey, soy sauce, and reserved squash and potato peels over medium heat and cook until the liquid has reduced by ⅓, about 30 minutes. Add the butter. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.
- In a bowl large enough to hold the cream mixture, place the egg yolks. Whisk the yolks continuously while slowly pouring the warm liquid into the bowl. The goal is to temper, not cook, the eggs.
- In the prepared baking dish, place the potatoes and squash in alternating layers (potato, then squash, then potato, and so on), slightly overlapping each layer. Once a layer is finished, add just enough of the cream mixture to cover the vegetables. Repeat this process until all of the vegetables are used. Place the baking dish on top of a baking sheet to catch drips. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven, remove the foil, and top with the parmesan cheese. Change the oven setting to broil. Cook under the broiler for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the cheese is browned on top.
- Remove from the oven. Let the gratin rest for about 15 minutes before serving.
The recipe comes from Jason Simon of Alba, a contemporary American cuisine restaurant in Des Moines, IA. It has very few ingredients (it doesn’t even require salt or pepper though I added a tiny bit of pepper along with thyme to the top) but packs a lovely flavor punch.
How to Store
To store your potato gratin, let it cool to room temperature, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and pop it in the fridge. This dish stays tasty for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to reheat, warm it in the oven at 350°F until it’s heated through and the top gets crispy again, usually about 20-25 minutes. Microwave touch-ups are quick but you might sacrifice some of that awesome crunch.
Favorite Potato Recipes to Try
- Smashed Potatoes
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Southern Smothered Potatoes
- Potato Rolls
Potato and Squash Gratin
A wonderfully cheesy and flavorful potato gratin recipe that is perfect for holidays and special dinners.
4.12 from 18 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 40 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 312kcal
Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter plus more for greasing
- 3 Yukon gold potatoes
- ½ butternut squash
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 large egg yolks
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease the inside of an 8 × 8-inch baking dish with butter.
Wash and peel the potatoes, reserving the peels. Set aside.
Wash the squash. Remove and discard 1 inch off the top and the bottom. Using a vegetable peeler, and working away from yourself, peel the squash until you reach the deep-orange flesh. Remove and discard the seeds, but reserve the peels. Set aside.
Fill a large bowl with cold water and set nearby. Using a mandoline slicer, slice the potatoes and squash paper thin, then transfer the slices to the bowl of water.
In a large pot, heat the cream, honey, soy sauce, and reserved squash and potato peels over medium heat and cook until the liquid has reduced by ⅓, about 30 minutes. Add the butter. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.
In a bowl large enough to hold the cream mixture, place the egg yolks. Whisk the yolks continuously while slowly pouring the warm liquid into the bowl. The goal is to temper, not cook, the eggs.
In the prepared baking dish, place the potatoes and squash in alternating layers (potato, then squash, then potato, and so on), slightly overlapping each layer. Once a layer is finished, add just enough of the cream mixture to cover the vegetables. Repeat this process until all of the vegetables are used. Place the baking dish on top of a baking sheet to catch drips. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven, remove the foil, and top with the parmesan cheese. Change the oven setting to broil. Cook under the broiler for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the cheese is browned on top.
Remove from the oven. Let the gratin rest for about 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
To store your potato gratin, let it cool to room temperature, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and pop it in the fridge. This dish stays cozy and tasty for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to reheat, warm it in the oven at 350°F until it’s heated through and the top gets crispy again, usually about 20-25 minutes. Microwave touch-ups are quick but you might sacrifice some of that awesome crunch.
Nutrition
Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 526mg | Potassium: 490mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5870IU | Vitamin C: 17.4mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 2.8mg
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Reprinted with permission from New Prairie Kitchen by Summer Miller, Agate Midway, 2015.
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