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Easy Au Gratin Potato Recipe with Fennel and California Ripe Olives

These potatoes really are easy! Just slice, saute, mix and bake for creamy, cheesy potatoes!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword Au Gratin Potato Recipe, Easy Potato Au Gratin, Scalloped Potatoes with Fennel
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 6 servings
Calories 418kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 bulb fennel washed, stalks removed, and cored
  • ½ whole yellow onion
  • 2 large russet potatoes washed and peeled
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream divided
  • ¾ cup Gruyere cheese grated, divided
  • ¾ cup Jarlsberg cheese grated, divided
  • ½ cup California Ripe Olives sliced
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Thinly Slice fennel, onion, and potatoes using a mandoline or handheld slicer. Can be hand-sliced if you'd like just be sure to adjust the cooking time as thicker slices will take longer to cook.
  • In a medium-sized pan, heat butter and olive oil and saute onion and fennel over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until very tender. Remove from heat.
  • In a large bowl, combine sliced potatoes with the cream, olives, salt, pepper, and all but 2 tablespoons of each of the cheeses.
  • Add cooked fennel and onion to the bowl and stir to combine.
  • Transfer potato mixture to an 8x8" baking dish or deep pie plate and flatten the surface so all the potatoes are mostly submerged in the cream.
  • Combine remaining 2 tablespoons of each cheese in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of cream. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the potatoes evenly.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until potatoes are very tender the top is golden brown and bubbly. Check for tenderness by inserting a fork or sharp knife through the potatoes in the center of the dish. If needed, tent the dish with a piece of foil to preven the top from becoming to brown.
  • Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

  • Use a Mandoline Or Handheld Slicer This will ensure that your vegetables are sliced uniformly and will cook evenly. It also makes the dish look polished and well put together. :)
  • Use HEAVY Whipping Cream At the grocery store, look for the carton labeled HEAVY whipping cream or heavy cream. These two are the same product and contain 36% milkfat, which means it's the richest and creamiest. You may see "whipping cream" or even "light whipping cream" but these two products will give you different results in your recipe as the milk fat content is typically 10-20% lower than the "heavy" variety.
  • Pick the Right Cheese Virtually any kind of cheese can be used in this recipe-- so use what you have on hand or your favorite. I love the combination of Gruyere and Jarlsberg, though! It's mild, nutty, and creamy and pairs excellently with meats like turkey and ham without tasting too cheesy. 
  • Check For Tenderness The Au Gratin is done when a fork or sharp knife glides smoothly through the potatoes in the center. If there is any resistance, continue cooking. If needed, you can tent the top with a piece of tin foil to prevent the top from getting too brown.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 418kcal