Our Lemon Thyme Potatoes au Gratin recipe is filled with sharp lemon flavor while also being creamy. Plus the addition of garlic, thyme and Parmesan cheese make this savory side dish a winner!
Our Lemon Thyme Potatoes au Gratin recipe is filled with sharp lemon flavor while also being creamy. Plus the addition of garlic, thyme and Parmesan cheese make this savory side dish a winner!This classic casserole is perfect side dish for special meals, holiday gatherings and anytime you want to treat yourself to a root veggie dish.. but we’re keepin’ it fresh with a few updates, like adding fresh lemon and taking out the flour for a gluten free casserole. It goes great with ham, beef, or just about any main course… but here at Vintage Kitty we even love it as a brunch dish!
Last year I served these delish Lemon Thyme Potatoes au Gratin for Easter. I think the family asked for more seconds of these potatoes than the gorgeous Chocolate Easter Bunny Cake I labored over! They are just that good! So today I’m passing the baton, so your family can enjoy it too!
In case you haven’t noticed, I LOVE lemon! It’s a staple in my kitchen so you’ve probably seen it in some of my go-to recipes like Lemon Chicken Noodle or Lemon Icebox Pie. Lemon is a subtle, acidic and fragrant element in many of my dishes while in others it plays the starring role. There simply is not a more versatile fruit! Lemon is the little black dress of the cooking world. It goes with everything and is equally good in savory dishes as it is in sweet desserts.
In this potato dish, lemon provides a bit of bite and lots of depth to an otherwise dull dish. Yes, potatoes, cheese and cream are delicious, but all that starchy, salty, fatty flavor can be a bit one note without some counterpoint. You need that bit of brightness to perk up your taste buds. Lemon juice and zest provide that culinary interest here…along with a bit of thyme, white wine and garlic.
But you’ll also notice that we skipped the flour. To do this we’ve used a double cook method where the creamy thyme sauce gets cooked down before the addition of potatoes. This makes sure that the potatoes au gratin doesn’t end up a soupy mess under a layer of melted cheese. But this method also condenses the flavor for more umph! (That’s a technical term lol)
These are simple, classic flavors that make an ordinary root vegetable into the highlight of a meal! And seriously, these potatoes can shine at any time of day. Serve this au gratin with bacon and fresh fruit for breakfast, with baked eggs and a mimosa for brunch, or with a steak au poivre for a classic French dinner. Can you say #omnomnom?
Another plus is that although this dish takes a while to prepare, it’s ultimately forgiving. It can stand up to being kept warm in the oven for hours (super ++ when cooking a holiday meal) or it can be par-baked and reheated for busy family dinners. Bottom line, this Lemon Thyme Potatoes au Gratin is your new favorite potato dish!
I’ll leave you with the recipe while we sit down at the table for seconds!!!!
Lemon Thyme Potatoes au Gratin- #SundaySupper
Ingredients
- 2 1/2-3 pounds Russet potatoes thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup white wine or chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2-3 drops hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
- 2 teaspoon salt
- Juice of one lemon
- Zest of one lemon
- Pepper to taste
- 4 oz parmesan cheese finely grated
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and slice into very thin rounds.
- As you get done each potato, place it in a bowl of water to prevent browning.
- Butter a shallow baking dish or cast iron skillet and preheat oven to 375F.
- Place remaining butter in a skillet and place over medium-high heat.
- Sauté garlic until fragrant and golden.
- Add white wine, heavy cream, hot sauce and salt to the pan and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce liquid by one-third then turn down to low and add lemon juice, zest and thyme.
- Season with pepper to taste and set aside.
- Drain potatoes and place in baking dish, overlapping, one layer at a time.
- Cover each layer with a little sauce and Parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for another 35-65 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender and golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
For reference, we used a 10 inch cast iron skillet.
Nutrition
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shelby says
Sounds wonderful and such great photos! I could dig right in!
vintagekitty says
Thanks Shelby!
Krayl @ An Appealing Plan says
I will take two slices! Love the favor combination and I bet it smells fantastic cooking!
Ps- welcome to the Sunday Supper family!
vintagekitty says
Thanks Krayl! I’m very excited to be part of this great group of bloggers!
Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere says
This is such a beautiful gratin! I am loving the light and bright flavors to complement the traditional gratin richness. YUM!! Welcome to the Sunday Supper family!
vintagekitty says
Thanks Sarah!
Cindys Recipes and Writings says
I’m gonna try these with Lemon Chicken. Sounds great to me!
vintagekitty says
You can never have too much lemon!
Liz says
Such a perfect galette! And so nicely flavored with lemon and thyme :)
vintagekitty says
Thanks Liz!
Nichole says
These look insanely delish!
vintagekitty says
Thanks Nicole! They are as I’ve cannot resist the leftovers!
laura dembowski says
Potatoes au gratin is such a treat. I’ve never dared to make it myself, but you make it sound so easy and yours looks even better than the ones I have had at restaurants.
vintagekitty says
Its really easy actually! The hard part is just the potato slicing. Hope you’ll give it a try!
April says
I love the flavor of potatoes and thyme together.
vintagekitty says
They are great together! Thanks for stopping by!
Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook says
So pretty! I love that you made this in cast iron. I bet this tastes like spring.
Vintage Kitty says
Thanks Lauren! I love cast iron and how easily it goes from stove to oven. This one is new but I want to collect vintage cast iron in different shapes and sizes.
Christie says
I wish the hubs loved lemon as much as I do. Lemon and thyme are my fave pairing!! I bet they are amazing in this potatos au gratin.
Vintage Kitty says
Christie, I think your husband will love this recipe. The lemon gives a sharpness to the dish a bit like cheddar cheese does, so its not overwhelming. The first test batch was way too lemony, so we made it several times to get the balance just right.
Sue Lau says
I love a good gratin!