These baked potatoes au gratin started when I walked into the kitchen and found Dan using my beloved apple peeler on a potato. Naturally, I had to explore this idea a little more. The ideas started flowing, and this was our first creation!
We filled the spiral-cut potatoes with garlic-thyme butter and Gruyère, poured cream over the top and baked them until tender and cheesy. They were INSANELY delicious. I ate two or three potato halves for dinner and happily called it a meal.
Each half makes its own little serving, with cream sauce to spoon over the layers. They’d be such a fun side for Thanksgiving, Christmas or a cozy dinner.
If you love a comforting potato side, try my feta cheese mashed potatoes, too!
Before You Begin
You’ll need an apple peeler/corer/spiral slicer that makes a continuous spiral slice, plus a 9×13-inch baking dish. A spiralizer that makes thin potato noodles will not create the same shape. These potatoes bake in cream for a tender, saucy result with melted cheese on top.
Why This Recipe Works
- Garlic butter in every portion. The hollow centers hold melted butter, garlic, thyme and Gruyère.
- No separate cheese sauce. Pour the cream over the potatoes and let everything bake together in one dish.
- A fun holiday presentation. Keep the spiral layers assembled so each potato half becomes an individual serving.
- Simple ingredients. Potatoes, cream, two cheeses and a few seasonings create a rich, comforting side.
Ingredient Notes
Russet potatoes: Use 3 medium russet potatoes of similar size to make 6 portions. Cut each potato in half crosswise before running it through the peeler/corer/slicer. Small pieces of peel left behind are fine.
Butter: Salted butter adds flavor to the filling. You’ll also need a little extra to generously grease the baking dish.
Garlic and thyme: Fresh minced garlic and dried thyme flavor the melted butter. Stir them together before dividing the mixture among the potato centers.
Gruyère cheese: Freshly shred the cheese for the filling and topping. Loosely fill the centers, then save whatever remains for the final 10 minutes of baking.
Heavy cream: It runs between the potato layers and collects in the dish to form the rich sauce served over the potatoes. Use heavy cream to follow the tested recipe.
Parmesan cheese: Grated Parmesan adds another layer of savory flavor before the potatoes go into the oven.
How to Make Baked Potatoes Au Gratin
- Spiral-cut the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 400°F and generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Scrub the potatoes and cut each in half crosswise. Attach the flat, cut side of each half to the prongs of an apple peeler/corer/spiral slicer. Run through the machine to peel, remove the center and spiral-slice. Small pieces of peel left behind are fine.
- Add the garlic butter. Keep the spiral layers together and arrange the six potato halves cut-side down in the prepared dish, with the hollow centers facing up. Stir together the melted butter, minced garlic and dried thyme. Divide evenly among the potato cavities.
- Fill with cheese. Loosely fill the remaining space in each potato cavity with freshly shredded Gruyère. Reserve any leftover cheese for the topping.
- Pour in the cream. Slowly drizzle the heavy cream over each potato, allowing it to run between the spiral layers and pool in the baking dish. Sprinkle the potatoes and cream with salt, pepper and grated Parmesan.
- Cover and bake until tender. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and check with a thin knife. It should slide easily through the potato layers without firm resistance. If needed, re-cover and continue baking until tender before adding the topping.
- Add the topping and finish baking. Sprinkle the reserved Gruyère over the potatoes. Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling. Let stand briefly, then serve with the cream sauce spooned over each potato half.
Recipe Tips
- Choose similar-sized potatoes. Larger or thicker halves may need more time under the foil.
- Keep the spirals together. Support each potato as you move it from the slicer to the baking dish.
- Fill the centers loosely. Save the remaining Gruyère for the topping instead of packing it all into the cavities.
- Check tenderness before topping. The potatoes should already be tender before the final uncovered bake.
- Use the pan sauce. Spoon it over each portion when serving.
Variations
Gruyère and dried thyme are what I used in my test. If you’d like to experiment, try Swiss cheese in place of the Gruyère or a little chopped rosemary instead of thyme. These variations have not been tested with this recipe.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking and use within 3 to 4 days. Keep the cream sauce with the potatoes.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave, covered with a vented microwave-safe lid, until they reach 165°F throughout. Spoon the sauce over the potatoes before reheating to help keep the layers moist. ask.fsis.usda.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
Are spiral potatoes the same as hasselback potatoes?
They have a similar layered appearance, but the cuts are different. Hasselback potatoes have parallel cuts that stop before reaching the bottom. This recipe uses an apple peeler/corer/spiral slicer to make a continuous spiral with a hollow center for the garlic butter and cheese.
Can I make these without an apple peeler/corer/spiral slicer?
The tested method uses that tool to make the thin, connected layers and remove the centers. Hand-cut hasselback potatoes or potato noodles would change the shape and may need a different baking time.
Why are my potatoes still firm after 45 minutes?
Potato size and slice thickness can affect cooking time. Re-cover the dish tightly and continue baking until a thin knife slides easily through the layers. Wait to add the reserved Gruyère until the potatoes are tender.
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream?
I tested this recipe with heavy cream. Milk is thinner and will change the richness and consistency of the sauce, so use heavy cream to follow the tested recipe.
Can I make these ahead for Thanksgiving?
I have not tested assembling these in advance or baking them from refrigerated. For the tested timing, prepare and bake them as directed. Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated using the instructions above.
What can I do with the removed potato centers?
I discarded the centers in my test. I have not tested baking them alongside the spirals, so I can’t give a reliable cooking time for adding them to this dish.
More Potato Side Dishes
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Spiral-Cut Baked Potatoes Au Gratin
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 medium russet potatoes of similar size
- 2 Tbsp salted butter melted, plus more for greasing
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 cup freshly shredded Gruyère cheese divided
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp fine salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste
- 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Scrub the potatoes and cut each in half crosswise. Working with one half at a time, attach the flat, cut side to the prongs of an apple peeler/corer/spiral slicer. Run through the machine to peel, remove the center and spiral-slice. Small remnants of peel are fine.3 medium russet potatoes
- Gently keep each potato spiral assembled and arrange the six halves cut-side down in the prepared dish, with their hollow centers accessible from above.
- Stir together the melted butter, garlic and thyme. Divide evenly among the six potato cavities.2 Tbsp salted butter, 2 cloves garlic , 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Loosely fill the remaining space in each cavity with Gruyère, reserving any leftover cheese for the topping.1 cup freshly shredded Gruyère cheese
- Slowly drizzle the heavy cream over each potato, allowing it to run into the layers and pool in the dish. Sprinkle the potatoes and cream with salt, pepper and Parmesan.1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/2 tsp fine salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Carefully remove the foil and check the potatoes with a thin knife. It should slide easily through the layers without firm resistance. If needed, re-cover and bake until tender before proceeding.
- Leave the foil off and sprinkle the reserved Gruyère over the potatoes. Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
- Let stand briefly before serving. Spoon the cream sauce from the pan over each potato half.
Notes
- In my test, the potatoes were perfectly tender after 45 minutes covered, followed by 10 minutes uncovered with the remaining cheese.
- Use similarly sized potatoes so all six halves cook evenly.
- There is no need to remove every tiny piece of peel left by the machine.
- Keep the spiral layers together during assembly for the whole-potato presentation.
- I discarded the removed potato centers. Adding them to the baking dish has not been tested.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat to 165°F throughout.Check tenderness before adding the final cheese topping. If a thin knife meets firm resistance, re-cover and continue baking until the potatoes are tender.
Nutrition
Megan Porta is a comfort food recipe creator who specializes in easy family meals and Instant Pot desserts, and the founder of Pip and Ebby. She has been cooking for three decades and developing recipes for over fifteen years, helping home cooks make reliable, cozy recipes for real life.
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