Leek and Potato Gratin

This Leek and Potato Gratin Recipe is fresh, creamy, cheesy, and the perfect side dish that everyone will love!

Leek and Potato Gratin.

This leek and potato gratin is a dish that combines the mild, slightly sweet flavor of leeks, with the starchy, earthy flavor of potatoes. All combined with a cream sauce and topped with two different cheese flavor profiles to create an exquisite side dish!

I serve this dish on weeknights for my family and on holidays alongside my Blackberry Dijon Ham, or Rotisserie Chicken.

Recipe Ingredients

Leek and Potato Gratin Ingredients.

Leek: Similar to a green onion but their flavor isn’t as pungent, it is milder, which makes for the perfect ingredient to tie everything in this dish together!

Cheddar Cheese & Parmesan Cheese: Because two cheeses are better than one! Plus, I love the balance of the sharpness of the parmesan and mild flavor from the cheddar. However, if you’re not a fan of parmesan cheese you can use Colby jack instead which is the second cheese I use in my Au Gratin Potatoes.

For full list of ingredients and amounts see the recipe card below.

How to Make Leek and Potato Gratin

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter a 9″ pie dish, 9×9″ square baking pan, or a medium size gratin dish, set aside.

Step 2: In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, melt butter, then add leeks. Sauté until soft and tender.

Step 3: Then add garlic and cook until fragrant (taking care to not let either brown).

Garlic added into the skillet with the leeks.

Step 4: Add cream, whole milk, salt, pepper and paprika.

Milk, cream, and spices added into the skillet with the leeks and garlic.

Step 5: Bring mixture to a simmer then add the sliced potatoes into the mixture. Allow the potatoes to cook for 5 minutes, then stir in thyme.

Potatoes and thyme added into the skillet to cook.

Step 6: Combine the cheeses in a small bowl.

Step 7: Transfer ⅓ of the potato slices to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle with ⅓ of the cheese mixture, pour in ⅓ of the cream mixture in between each layer (over the cheese). Repeat two more times.

Gratin being assembled before baking.

Step 8: Place in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown.

Step 9: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before garnishing with a pinch or two of paprika and chopped chives and enjoy!

Spoon getting a serving of gratin from a dish of leek and potato gratin.

Expert Tips

Clean Your Leek! To clean it, slice the leek down to the root, then rotate it so that the cut is even with your cutting board and cut the leek again. That will leave you with 4 even sections. Now that the leek is nice and open you can run it under cold water to remove an grit or dirt that’s trapped deep down in there.

FAQs

What’s the difference between a gratin and a casserole?

Gratin typically refers to a dish with a crispy, browned top (often from cheese or breadcrumbs), while a casserole is a broader term for any baked dish that’s cooked slowly in the oven.

Can I make this potato leek gratin ahead of time?

Of course! You can prepare it and then refrigerate it before baking. Then when you are ready to serve bake it in the oven until the top is a beautiful golden brown.

Storage and Reheating

You can store this recipe in an airtight container in your fridge for 3-4 days.

To reheat this recipe you can bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until everything has warmed through. Or you can heat up a serving in your microwave until everything has warmed through.

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This Leek and Potato Gratin Recipe is fresh, creamy, cheesy, and the perfect side dish that everyone will love!

Leek and Potato Gratin Recipe

This Leek and Potato Gratin Recipe is fresh, creamy, cheesy, and the perfect side dish that everyone will love!
4.89 from 17 votes
Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 330kcal
Author: Andrea
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 large leek (white and light green parts only) - thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic - minced
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 3 large russet potatoes - peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese - grated
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese - shaved

Garnishes

  • chopped chives
  • pinch or two of paprika

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter a 9-inch pie dish, 9×9 inch square baking pan, or a medium size gratin dish, set aside.
  • In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, melt butter, then add leeks. Sauté until soft and tender.
  • Then add garlic and cook until fragrant (taking care to not let either brown).
  • Add cream, whole milk, salt, pepper and paprika.
  • Bring mixture to a simmer then add the sliced potatoes into the mixture. Then stir in thyme.
  • Next, combine both cheeses in a small bowl.
  • Transfer ⅓ of the potato slices to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle with ⅓ of the cheese mixture, pour in ⅓ of the cream mixture in between each layer (over the cheese). Repeat two more times.
  • Place in oven and bake for 45-55 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before garnishing with a pinch or two of paprika and chopped chives.

VIDEO

NOTES

This recipe can easily be doubled and baked in a 9×13″ dish.
Clean Your Leek! To clean it, slice the leek down to the root, then rotate it so that the cut is even with your cutting board and cut the leek again. That will leave you with 4 even sections. Now that the leek is nice and open you can run it under cold water to remove an grit or dirt that’s trapped deep down in there.
You can store this recipe in an airtight container in your fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat this recipe you can bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until everything has warmed through. Or, you can heat up a serving in your microwave until everything has warmed through.

Nutrition

Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 769mg | Potassium: 881mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 899IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 204mg | Iron: 2mg

Recipe source: Life Made Simple

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About the Author

Andrea

Hi I'm Andrea!

Hotelier turned Food Blogger to help make your life simple, one recipe at a time.

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Comments:

  1. I’m excited to make this but the instructions don’t say when to add the butter or leeks. I know to add the butter before the garlic and I’m guessing the leeks are at the same time as potatoes… but maybe with garlic since leeks are similar to onion? Might need an edit 😉

    1. Can I partially make this and finish cooking it in the oven the next day? Or would it be best to cook it all the night before and reheat it for dinner the following day?