Cheesy potatoes get a whole new look with the addition of Provolone cheese, Portobello mushrooms, and fresh thyme to this potato gratin recipe.
Au gratin potatoes don't get the love they should so I gave them an update and made this Provolone, Mushroom and Potato Gratin recipe. It uses lots of provolone cheese and fresh thyme and it’s my newest crave-worthy side dish.
And you're probably wondering, what even is a gratin?
Simply put, a gratin is a French dish that has a browned crust, often using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, egg or butter. It's usually made with cream and baked in a shallow pan with cheese or butter on top that gets nice and crispy on top. How can you go wrong with that? You can't.
Do I need a special pan to make a gratin?
Traditionally gratin pans are used to make au gratin potatoes. What exactly is a gratin pan? A gratin pan is a shallow oval baking dish that allows the ingredients to be spread in thin layers so you can have a large surface area on top that can get a nice browned crust when it is baked in the oven.
Do you have to use one for these potatoes? No, but it sure looks pretty and its a great addition to any kitchen bakeware collection. But don't worry, if you don't have one you can sub in an 8 x8 or 9x 13 glass baking dish. Just be sure to adjust your baking time.
You'll need to add a little time in the oven if you use an 8 x 8 because the layers will be thicker and shave a little time off if you use a 9 x 13 since your layers will be thinner.
How do I slice potatoes thinly?
There are a few kitchen tools that I will give up valuable storage space in my kitchen and a mandoline is one of them. There is NO better, faster way to get even thin-sliced potatoes than with a mandoline. I have an OXO mandoline slicer and I absolutely love it.
But please promise me that you will use the supplied holder to grip the potatoes. Your fingers will thank you for saving them from the sharp blades.
Once you get your hands on a mandoline you'll be looking for all of the things to slice. You can also use it to make slicing easy in these recipes too.
- Herby Au Gratin Potatoes
- Crispy Zucchini Feta Fritters
What ingredients do I need for this potato gratin?
- Russet Potatoes
- Portobello Mushrooms
- Provolone Cheese
- Heavy Cream
- Fresh Thyme
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Butter
This gratin is filled with layers of thinly sliced potatoes, mushrooms, flavorful Provolone cheese, seasoned with thyme and then topped off with cream and a sprinkle of parmesan.
What kind of potatoes do I use for a gratin recipe?
I tried this recipe with several different kinds of potatoes. So trust me and stick with russet potatoes, they do the best job of keeping their texture when baked in cream.
Don’t try to sub in Yukon Golds. Their water content is too high, and the end result is a soupy mess. And no one wants to eat a soupy mess.
Do I need to use cream in au gratin potatoes or can I use milk?
Because the flavors in this gratin shine through, I used heavy cream and lots of cheese
A couple of things I learned when making this gratin. A recipe is only as good as the ingredients you use, so don’t try to make this low cal and use milk or less cheese and expect the same results.
It’s not going to happen.
Fair warning: This is not a recipe for someone counting calories. I'm a firm believer in enjoying everything in moderation so I don't make this heavy side dish all of the time, but when I do make it, I let myself enjoy it.
This easy side dish is impressive for entertaining as well as a unique side dish for your holiday dinner menu.
If you are looking for a lighter potato dish give this flavor-packed Rosemary Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Onions recipe a try. It's a staple in our dinner side dish rotation.
Looking for more options? Check out all of our side dish recipes here.
What to serve with au gratin potatoes?
You can't have a meal with potatoes alone. Add these reader favorite recipes to round out your holiday menu.
- Spinach Salad with Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
- Oven Roasted Asparagus
- Spicy Maple Roasted Carrots
- Grilled Beef Tenderloin
Try some of our other favorite potato recipes.
- Brown Butter Hasselback Potatoes
- Grilled German Potato Salad
- Herby Grilled Potatoes
- Day Before Mashed Potatoes
- Goat Cheese Sweet Potato Gratin
- Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole
Provolone and Mushroom Gratin
Ingredients
- 5 medium russet potatoes sliced thinly (⅛ inch thick)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 8-ounce package sliced portabello mushrooms
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 2 quart oval baking dish lightly with cooking spray and set aside.
- Peel potatoes and cut into ⅛ inch thin slices and place in a large bowl.
- In a small skillet, add olive oil and mushrooms and heat on medium for 5-6 minutes to let mushrooms release moisture. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a small pan heat cream, thyme and garlic over low heat until warm but not boiling, and pour over potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir gently to coat.
- Spoon a third of the potato and cream mixture into prepared dish and arrange so potatoes are evenly distributed. Add ⅓ of the mushrooms and cover with 2 slices of provolone cheese.
- Repeat the process two more times, finishing with mushrooms and cheese. Pour extra cream left in the bowl over top.
- Using a spatula, press down to compact layers and then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 45 minutes and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
This easy Provolone, Mushroom and Potato Gratin recipe is a simple, flavor-packed side dish for entertaining or a great addition to your holiday menu.
Made this a couple of times, reduced the cheese, used cheddar instead. Unfortunately this website has become really spammy, thought I'd provide the feedback.
I made this for Thanksgiving this year and it was amazing!! Only a couple of small changes to the recipe... I used 3 tbsp. minced garlic and 16 oz of sliced portabella mushrooms (we are a family who loves mushrooms). Also, I couldn't find the brand of provolone mentioned in the recipe so I used Kraft and it still tasted amazing. Every single bit of it was gone. Thanks for the recipe! I'll definitely be making this again.
I'm a fairly hardcore vegan but this stopped me dead in my tracks. Since it wasn't for company I used half and half. It was still very good. Unfortunately I bought Yukon golds so I cut out 1/2 c water. I topped it with parsley and chives. Next time I will top with scallions and parsley and try the heavy cream. Great dish thanks. Can't wait for leftovers!
Oh, I'm so happy it worked for you! Thanks for your nice note! Happy New Year!
Wow! This definitely has my name written all over it! It looks absolutely delicious!
Can I prep this a day ahead and store in fridge? Then cook the next day? Not sure if potatoes will brown?
THANK YOU!
Hi Lynnette, Good question! We've never prepped ahead of time, but we've successfully cooked it the day before and then reheated before serving. Worked beautifully. Hope that helps. Happy Thanksgiving!
hi I am cooking this as I write! I would like to serve for thanksgiving...would it be ok to cook it in the morning and then serve at room temperature? Or better to cool, put in fridge, and reheat for how long?
Thanks!
Kate
Hi Kate, I wouldn't eat it room temperature. I would cool in completely and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator 30-45 minutes before putting in oven (to take the chill off), then reheat at 350 for about 30 minutes or until warmed through. Good Luck! Let me know how it turns out!
I can't tell the size of your baking dish. Would this work in a 9x13?
This is a traditional gratin dish that measures 7 1/2 x 11 1/2. A 9 x 13 would work, you may need to adjust the cooking time a little bit, because it will cook faster in a larger dish. Good luck!
Any idea how turnips would do in place of the russet potatoes? I'd love to try them as they are lower carb than potatoes. Thanks!
I haven't tried the recipe with turnips, so I can't tell you for sure. If you try it, please let me know how it turned out! Good luck!
Tried this with turnips. It was probably a bit more watery than hoped, but not distractingly so. Next time I may try to put a teaspoon or two of cornstarch into the heavy cream before heating it to help with thickening. Otherwise it tasted great!
Great! Glad you found something that worked! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
oh my goodness, I can not wait to make this! It's gorgeous.
Thanks, Diane!
This looks great. I am a Cosco shopper and will be on the look out. I can't eat dairy but my husband does and I'm the cook. 🙂
If I had this in front of me I wouldn't share! It looks that good!!
It is, that may or may not have happened here 🙂
This recipe is so in my wheelhouse to both eat and fix. A change up to elegant on scalloped potatoes.
Thanks, Carol. 🙂
What a yummy and cheesy goodness side dish.
Thank you! 🙂
Mmmm, anything with cheesy mushrooms and I am there!
Oh my gosh... totally adding Belgioioso to my shopping list. This sounds and looks SO good!!
It is, Amanda! You will love it 🙂
This looks fabulous! My husband would LOVE it!