German Leek and Bacon Potato Bake (Lauch-Kartoffel-Auflauf) Recipe
This casserole with leeks, potatoes and bacon is a typical German oven dish for cooler evenings. The taste is a bit like a cross between a French quiche and a Polish potato bake, but with a distinct leek aroma. It’s perfect for a family lunch or dinner, as you can cut it into squares and serve with a simple salad.
Leek and potato bakes are very popular in Germany, especially in regions with a colder climate, where they’re treated like a hearty “Eintopf from the oven”. The addition of bacon and nutmeg reflects typical flavours of German home cooking.
This German-style leek and bacon potato bake combines tender potatoes, sweet leek and smoky bacon in a creamy, cheesy sauce. It’s hearty, satisfying and easy to portion, making it ideal for family meals or casual gatherings.
Why this version works
- Par‑cooking the potatoes ensures they won’t stay hard in the centre after baking.
- Sautéing the leeks with the bacon removes their raw sharpness and brings out the vegetable’s sweetness.
- The mix of cream, milk and eggs gives a creamy interior instead of a dry, omelette‑like texture.
- Using some cheese in the custard and some on top adds flavour inside and creates a golden crust.
Chef's tips
Slice the potatoes as evenly as possible so they cook at the same rate. Season each layer lightly with salt and pepper if your bacon is not very salty. Letting the bake rest before cutting helps keep the slices neat and prevents the sauce from running out.
How to serve
Serve warm in generous squares with a crisp green salad or a simple cucumber salad. It also pairs nicely with steamed green beans or roasted carrots for a fuller plate.
Watch out for
- Don’t slice the potatoes thicker than 3–4 mm – if they’re too thick, they may stay slightly undercooked.
- Don’t let the leeks burn – deeply browned strands will add bitterness to the whole bake.
- Too little salt in the egg mixture will make the dish taste bland despite the bacon and cheese.
Substitutions
- You can replace the bacon with smoked turkey bacon or Black Forest ham.
- You can swap part of the cream for milk if you want a lighter sauce.
- You can substitute the yellow cheese with Gouda, Emmental or mild Cheddar.
Ingredients
- potatoes peeled - 600 g
- leek white and light green parts only - 2 piece
- smoked bacon diced - 120 g
- 18% fat sour cream - 200 ml
- milk - 100 ml
- egg - 2 piece
- yellow cheese grated, e.g. Gouda or Emmental - 120 g
- butter for greasing the dish - 10 g
- ground nutmeg - 0.25 teaspoons
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Generously butter a baking dish of about 20×25 cm, including the corners and sides, until the surface is evenly glossy.
- Peel the potatoes and slice them into thin rounds, about 3 mm thick, trying to keep the thickness even. Put them into a pot with salted water, bring to a boil and cook for 5–7 minutes, until a slice can be easily cut with a fork but doesn’t fall apart. Drain and let them steam‑dry in a colander.
- Wash the leeks thoroughly and cut off the dark green parts. Halve the white and light green parts lengthwise, then slice into half‑moons. Rinse again in a colander, separating the layers until no sand is visible in the water.
- Cut the bacon into small cubes. In a dry, wide frying pan, fry it over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, until the fat renders and the pieces are golden and lightly crisp on the edges but not dark brown.
- Add the leek to the bacon and cook for another 5–7 minutes, stirring, until the leek has clearly softened, turned glossy and reduced in volume by about half. Take the pan off the heat, let it cool slightly and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, mix the cream, milk, eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add half of the cheese grated on the fine side of the grater and stir until the mixture is smooth, with no visible streaks of egg white or clumps of cheese.
- Arrange an even layer of potato slices on the bottom of the dish, overlapping them slightly like roof tiles. Spread half of the leek and bacon mixture over the potatoes, then repeat the layers, finishing with potatoes.
- Slowly pour the cream‑and‑egg mixture over everything, gently moving the dish so the sauce runs between the layers and no dry pockets remain. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese evenly over the surface.
- Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes, until the top is a deep golden colour and the sides of the bake are just starting to bubble. If the cheese is browning too quickly, loosely cover the dish with aluminium foil.
- After taking it out of the oven, let the bake rest for about 10 minutes, until the egg mixture has set and no longer wobbles noticeably when you move the dish. Slice when the sides are just pulling away from the edges and the portions hold their shape.
Storage
Store leftover bake covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or in a covered pan over low heat so the sauce becomes creamy again. Frozen portions can be reheated straight from the freezer at a lower oven temperature.
This kind of potato and leek bake is a staple of German home cooking: simple ingredients, baked together into something comforting and full of flavor. It’s a great way to turn basic pantry items into a cozy one-dish meal.
