German Potato Casserole Kartoffelgratin Recipe
Kartoffelgratin is a creamy casserole of thinly sliced potatoes baked in cream with cheese. In Germany it often accompanies roasted meats or is served as a filling main dish for a quiet evening at home. The flavors are similar to French gratin dauphinois, but the German version more often includes cheese and garlic.
This gratin is wonderfully creamy inside with a golden, slightly crisp top – classic comfort food with simple ingredients. Garlic, nutmeg and thyme give the potatoes a deep, aromatic flavor that works both as a side and as a main dish.
Chef's tips
Slice the potatoes as evenly and thinly as possible so they cook at the same rate. Taste the cream mixture before pouring it over the potatoes – it should be a bit saltier than you think, because the potatoes will mellow the seasoning. If the top browns too quickly, cover the dish loosely with foil again.
How to serve
Serve the gratin in generous squares, spooning some of the creamy sauce from the bottom of the dish over each portion. It goes particularly well with roast chicken, pork loin or a simple green salad with mustard vinaigrette. For a vegetarian dinner, add a side of steamed green beans or broccoli.
Ingredients
- potatoes preferably waxy, suitable for baking - 1 kg
- cream 30% or 18% - 300 ml
- milk - 150 ml
- yellow cheese grated, well-melting - 150 g
- garlic - 2 cloves
- butter for greasing the dish - 20 g
- nutmeg grated - 0.25 teaspoons
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- thyme dried herb, optional - 1 teaspoon
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Grease an ovenproof dish thoroughly with butter, including the sides.
- Peel the potatoes and slice them very thinly, ideally 2–3 mm thick. You can use a mandoline or a sharp knife.
- Peel the garlic and press it through a garlic press or chop very finely.
- In a bowl, mix the cream with the milk, then add the garlic, nutmeg, thyme, salt and pepper. Taste the mixture – it should be distinctly salty, as the potatoes will absorb some of the seasoning.
- Arrange the first layer of potato slices on the bottom of the dish, slightly overlapping them like roof tiles.
- Pour over a thin layer of the cream–milk mixture so the potatoes are just lightly covered. Sprinkle with a little grated cheese.
- Repeat the layers of potatoes, sauce and cheese until you use up all the ingredients. The top should be a layer of potatoes covered with sauce and sprinkled with the remaining cheese.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil (shiny side facing in) and bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes.
- After this time, remove the foil and bake for another 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden and a knife inserted into the center of the gratin slides in without resistance.
- After taking the dish out of the oven, let the gratin rest for 10 minutes so it can set slightly and be easier to slice.
Storage
Store cooled leftovers in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven or in a covered pan over low heat; if the gratin seems dry, add a splash of milk or cream before reheating.
