Skillet Potato Leek Gratin
Prepared with Yukon gold potatoes, cream, Gruyère, and herbs, this rich gratin makes a decadent side dish for your upcoming Thanksgiving feast or Christmas dinner.
It’s been cold and rainy, so I was in the mood to make a low-and-slow meal. Since I was making baked ribs for dinner, I decided to make this skillet potato leek gratin recipe from The New York Times Cooking, and it looked & sounded irresistible. This easy potato gratin recipe was fun to make, worked well in my cast-iron skillet, and paired nicely with the ribs and roasted broccoli.
Skillet Potato Leek Gratin
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 leeks, trimmed, halved, cleaned, & chopped
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 small bay leaf
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1½ lbs Yukon gold potatoes
- ¾ cup Gruyère cheese, shredded
How to Make a Skillet Potato Leek Gratin:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and cook, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes, or until softened and starting to caramelize. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Remove from the skillet to a bowl, and set aside until needed.
Add the minced garlic to the cast-iron skillet and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the cream, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg, then remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Pour the cream into a dish and set aside.
Slice the peeled potatoes into 1/8-inch thick rounds using a mandoline or sharp knife.
Layer half of the potatoes in the bottom of the cast iron skillet. Season with sea salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste.
Top with half the leeks and ¼ cup shredded Gruyère cheese.
Finish the final layer with remaining potatoes, season with sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, and then top with the remaining leeks.
Pour the warmed cream evenly over the potatoes & leeks, then sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese.
Cover with a lid or some foil and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove the lid or foil and cook until golden brown & bubbling, about 15-20 minutes.
Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy.
Equipment
- 10-Inch Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 leeks, trimmed, halved, cleaned, & chopped
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 small bay leaf
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1½ lbs Yukon gold potatoes
- ¾ cup Gruyère cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat the butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and cook, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes, or until softened and starting to caramelize. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste. Remove them from the skillet to a bowl, and set aside until needed.
- Add the minced garlic to the cast-iron skillet and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the cream, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg, then remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Pour the cream into a dish and set aside.
- Slice the peeled potatoes into ⅛-inch thick rounds using a mandoline or sharp knife.
- Layer half the potatoes in the bottom of the cast-iron skillet. Season with sea salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste.
- Top with half the leeks and ¼ cup shredded Gruyère cheese.
- Finish with the remaining potatoes, season with sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, and then top with the remaining leeks.
- Pour the warmed cream evenly over the potatoes & leeks, then sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese.
- Cover with a lid or some foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove the lid or foil and cook until golden brown & bubbling, about 15-20 minutes.
- Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy.
That looks incredibly delicious and tempting with that golden cheesy topping!
I am a big fan of potatoes and would certainly enjoy this tasty looking potato leek gratin. Looks delicious.
This looks delicious Pam and any dish containing potatoes and onions is very high on my list and will be tried here.
Love potatoes cooked this way.
Potatoes and Gruyere just go together so so well!
Potato and leek are so good together. Your gratin looks so comfy and delicious. Perfect for fall season.
Totally decadent! I love comforting sides like this.
1. Any advice for replacing cast iron pan w/an 8″ square baking pan? (Too small?)
2. What size pan would you recommend for doubling the recipe or 1-1/2 times the recipe?
3. This recipe is a definite for the holidays. Merci beaucoup!
Adri,
I’m so glad you are going to make this for your holiday meal. I think I would use an 8×8 for the original recipe and a 9×13 if you double it. I hope this helps.
-Pam