Easy Cheesy Potato Bake with Caramelised Onions
I grew up on potato bake (or potato au gratin). It was (and still is) a favorite in our family, and rarely an event goes by without a variation of this recipe being made by someone. Well, this is my favorite way to make it: layers of creamy, cheesy potato slices cooked in cream until soft, meshed with flavors of caramelized onion and gruyere. It’s the ultimate comfort food, and I think you’re going to love it!
My mum has made potato bake since I can remember and my potato bakes are still loosely based on the ones she’s made hundreds of times for our family. While little changes are made the core is still the same. Thinly sliced potatoes, lots of cream, a good bit of added flavor, and a golden cheesy top!
Here’s why you are going to love my creamy potato bake
It’s a delicious side dish for SO many occasions. BBQs, a small dinner party, or even a Sunday roast. A total classic yet a little elevated with the addition of the caramelized onions!
Time-poor Mum’s – this one’s for you! You can easily prep ahead the caramelized onions days in advance. If you’re really short on time, you could cook the potato bake up until the final 2 steps. Cool, cover, and pop in the fridge, then the next day continue with the final layer of cheese and into the oven til cooked through and golden on top.
It’s full of really simple, easy-to-get ingredients!
What you need to get started
- Butter – I always cook with unsalted butter, however in this case it doesn’t matter if it’s salted or not.
- Pantry – brown sugar, cooking balsamic vinegar, chicken stock, sea salt flakes, freshly ground black pepper. Don’t use your most expensive balsamic for this one. Because we’re cooking with it you can get away with one suitable for cooking (not the more expensive drizzling ones). Look for bottles with two leaves on the label which indicates it’s a balsamic good for cooking with.
- Vegetables – potatoes, fresh garlic, brown onions
- Fridge – thickened cream (or heavy cream), parmesan cheese, Gruyere cheese.
- Herbs – fresh thyme, stripped of leaves, stalk discarded
Let’s talk potatoes…
When we’re making this potato gratin, we want to use starchy potatoes. The right type of potato can make or break this one! I use brushed / Sebago potatoes – these are the dirt-covered ones at the supermarket in Australia. They are perfect for roasting and baking and make the best potato bake due to their fluffy interior when cooked.
If you are in the United States, Russet potatoes or Yukon gold are great potatoes, or try King Edwards in the UK, as these are the best for making a cracking cheesy potato bake!
Substitutions and variations
If you can’t get your hands on gruyere cheese you can substitute it with another good melting cheese like Comte, Monterey jack cheddar cheese, or even tasty cheese (if you live in Aus).
Want to mix up your potatoes? Throw some sweet potatoes into the mix for a slightly different version.
Garlic powder can be substituted for fresh garlic.
Try vegetable stock instead of chicken stock for a vegetarian option.
Equipment
To make quick work out of slicing a kilo+ of potatoes, I use my Magimix food processor fitted with a 2mm slicing blade. You can also use a mandolin with a slicing blade. Aim for a thin slice (approx. 2-3mm) where possible.
You’ll also need a cooks knife, a skillet for caramelizing the onions, a small bowl, and a grater.
This recipe was baked in an enamel 29 x 21cm cast iron roaster. You could also cook this in an oven-proof casserole dish of similar dimensions.
The nitty gritty
- In a small skillet combine the sliced brown onions, butter, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar. Sauté on low heat for 40 minutes or until the onions have caramelized into a thick onion relish. Stir often so the onions don’t catch and burn on the pan. Pop aside to cool. I usually get around 3/4 cup of caramelized onions, once they are cooked.
- Slice your potatoes with a 2mm slicing blade in a food processor or with a mandoline.
- Combine the cream, chicken stock, crushed garlic cloves, grated parmesan, thyme, sea salt flakes, and black pepper in a small mixing bowl. Give it a quick whisk to incorporate all the flavors.
- Line the baking dish with half of the thin potato slices. Pour over half of the cream mixture and follow with sprinkling half of the caramelized, sauteed onions on top.
- Repeat step 4 with another layer of potatoes, cream mixture, and onion.
- Cover with aluminum foil and pop into the preheated oven. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 20 minutes to reduce the cream mixture
. - Remove from oven and cover the potato bake with grated gruyere cheese. Return to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.
- Leave to rest for 15 minutes before serving for the cream sauce to thicken.
Cooks notes
I always choose to grate a block of cheese as opposed to buying is pre grated. Why? Because grated cheese from the supermarket is caked in ingredients to stop it from sticking together. I like really good cheese so the last thing I want to do is tamper with that flavor!
When it comes to caramelizing onions, the secret to getting the most flavor is low and slow. That’s why in some traditional recipes you won’t find sugar, as onions have natural sugars in them that are released when cooked slowly. So my advice is if you only have 40 minutes or less to cook them in, that’s fine and you’ll have beautiful onions, however, if you have longer, you’ll be rewarded by lowering the heat and taking your time.
How to tell if your onions are finished caramelizing – We’re aiming for a deep brown finished caramelized onion here. They should never stick and brown to the pan, if you find that your onions are sticking, either lower the heat or add a smidge more butter to the pan. I always liken the to looking likey that are candied when they’re done. They’re really shiny, all the liquid has absorbed and they are a lovely dark brown colour.
Don’t skimp on the resting time. The cream thickens as it cools, giving you a creamier potato bake!
Serve your cheesy potatoes with…
Any grilled meat. Think sirloin steaks, lamb chops, or baked chicken breasts meshed with that cheesy, creamy sauce! Add some buttered green beans on the side and you’ve got something special.
Incorporate it into the roast dinner lineup. This red wine topside roast beef recipe pairs perfectly with homemade mushy peas, roasted root vegetables, and a creamy potato bake!
Storage
Once cooled and at room temperature, cover and store your cheesy potatoes in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating
To reheat, either pop portions into the microwave and warm through or warm in the oven at 150C until bubbling.
Love potato recipes as much as we do? Try these ones…
- Cajun Roast Potatoes
- Creamy Potato Salad with Egg and Bacon
- Fish Pie with Cheesy Colcannon Mash
- Persian Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup
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Easy Cheesy Potato and Caramelised Onion Bake
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Resting Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 serves 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Australian
Description
Soft potato slices cooked in cream with flavors of caramelized onion and gruyere. It’s an easy, cheesy and oh so creamy potato bake!
Ingredients
Caramelized Onion
- 3 brown onions
- 60g butter
- 1/3c brown sugar
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Potato Bake
- 1.4kg potatoes, suitable for baking
- 600ml thickened cream
- 100ml chicken stock
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 10g parmesan, finely grated
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme, stripped of leaves, stalk discarded
- 2 tsp sea salt flakes
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 180g Swiss gruyere
Instructions
- In a small skillet combine the sliced brown onions, butter, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Sauté on a low heat for 40 minutes or until the onions have caramelized into a thick onion relish. Pop aside to cool.
- Slice your potatoes with a 2mm slicing blade in a food processor or with a mandoline.
- Combine the cream, chicken stock, crushed garlic cloves, grated parmesan, thyme, sea salt flakes and black pepper in a small mixing bowl. Give it a quick whisk to incorporate all the flavors.
- Line the baking dish with half of the sliced potatoes. Pour over half of the cream mixture and follow with sprinkling half of the caramelised onion on top.
- Repeat step 4 with another layer of potatoes, cream mixture and onion.
- Cover with aluminum foil and pop into the preheated oven. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cover the potato bake with grated gruyere cheese. Return to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.
- Leave to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Don’t skip out on the resting time. The cream thickens as it cools, resulting in a creamier potato bake.
I usually get around 3/4 cup of caramelized onions, once they are cooked.
Once cooled and at room temperature, cover and store your cheesy potatoes in the fridge for up to 3 days.
This recipe was cooked in a 29 x 21cm enamel cast iron roasting pan. You could also use an oven-safe casserole dish of a similar size
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 467
- Sugar: 14.6 g
- Sodium: 826.3 mg
- Fat: 27.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 43.9 g
- Protein: 12.3 g
- Cholesterol: 85.1 mg
