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Potato casserole with cheese

Pikantne Main Dishes Dishes for Special Occasions 90 min Medium 12 wyświetleń ~20.76 PLN - (0)
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Description

Classic potato casserole with cheese is a simple, hearty one-pot dish with a creamy texture and a golden, crispy cheese crust. The inspiration comes from European gratins, but the version with cream and yellow cheese is popular in Polish homes as a convenient dish for family dinners and gatherings. It will be perfect as a main course for New Year's Eve 2025 — it can be prepared in advance and just baked before serving. The casserole has a velvety cream-and-cheese flavor, the aroma of sautéed onions, and a delicately seasoned hint of nutmeg; served with green salad or pickles, it balances the richness and adds freshness. Visually, it attracts with its golden, bubbling surface topped with stretchy cheese and a green accent of chives.

Składniki (12)

Servings:
4
  • Potatoes 6.7 szt.
  • Cheese (e.g. cheddar) 200 g
  • 18% cream 200 ml
  • Milk 200 ml
  • Butter 30 g
  • Onion 1 szt.
  • Garlic 2 ząbki
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 6 g
  • Ground black pepper 2 szczypty
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Nutmeg 2 szczypty
  • Fresh chives 1 pęczek
  • Smoked bacon (optional) 100 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~20.76 PLN (5.19 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of ingredients

1

Wash the potatoes under cold running water with a vegetable brush if they have a muddy coating. Peel them with a vegetable peeler, then check for any eyes or damage; trim larger pieces with a knife. Peel the onion and chop it into small cubes (about 5 mm). Peel the garlic and finely chop it or press it through a garlic press.

Ingredients: Potatoes, Onion, Garlic
Use a sharp potato peeler and a stable cutting board. If you have a mandoline, set the thickness to about 2–3 mm for even baking; if not, use a sharp knife and cut slices of even thickness.
2

Slice the potatoes into thin slices (2–3 mm). If you are not parboiling them beforehand, the slices must be thin and even to bake well. Place the sliced potatoes in a large bowl of cold water — rinse twice until the water is clearer to remove excess starch, which will prevent the slices from sticking together.

Ingredients: Potatoes
A mandoline will speed up the process and give you even slices; hold it steady and use a finger guard. If you're using a knife, try to maintain a consistent thickness of the slices.

Steaming (optional but recommended)

3

If you want to shorten the baking time and ensure that the potatoes are soft inside: bring a large pot of water to a boil with 3 g of salt (half the amount given). Add the sliced potatoes in batches to the boiling water and blanch for 3–4 minutes from the moment it comes back to a boil. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.

Ingredients: Potatoes, Salt
Use a large pot and a strainer. The slices should become slightly soft at the edges, but still firm in the center — if they are completely soft, they will fall apart when layering.

Sauce

4

Melt 20 g of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 4–5 minutes until it becomes translucent and soft (it should be clear, not brown). Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 30–40 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the milk and cream, add 4 g of salt, 2 g of pepper, and 1 g of nutmeg (if using). Reduce the heat to low and warm while stirring with a whisk for 3–4 minutes until the sauce slightly reduces and begins to thicken just enough to coat a spoon with a creamy layer.

Ingredients: Butter, Onion, Garlic, Milk, 18% cream, Salt, Ground black pepper, Nutmeg
Use a pan with a diameter of 24–26 cm and a wooden spoon or whisk. Do not bring the sauce to a boil over high heat (it may curdle). If you see that the sauce is separating, remove the pan from the heat and stir vigorously.

Preparation of toppings (optional)

5

If you are using bacon: cut it into cubes and fry in a dry pan for 5–7 minutes over medium heat until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Chop the chives into small pieces for garnish.

Ingredients: Smoked bacon (optional), Fresh chives
Use a non-stick pan to fry the bacon. If you don't eat meat, skip this step — bacon is optional.

Assembly of the casserole

6

Preheat the oven to 190°C (top-bottom) or 175°C with convection. Grease a baking dish (20x30 cm or about 2 liters) with the remaining 10 g of butter, spreading it with a brush or paper towel. Layer the potato slices slightly overlapping (each layer about 1.5–2 mm thick visually), spreading some of the sauce between the layers and sprinkling a small amount of cheese. A suggested division: 3–4 layers of potatoes depending on the height of the dish — use about 150 g of cheese for the layers and reserve 50 g for the top. Gently salt and pepper each layer with a little (use the remaining salt and pepper in total). If using bacon, spread it thinly between the layers.

Ingredients: Potatoes, Cheese (e.g. cheddar), Salt, Ground black pepper, 18% cream, Milk, Smoked bacon (optional)
Use a wide spoon to spread the sauce. Don't pour all the sauce at once — it's better to dose it so that the casserole isn't too soggy. The layers should be compact but not too packed.
7

After arranging all the layers, pour the remaining sauce evenly on top, spread it out, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese (about 50 g), and place a few small pieces of butter on the surface (the remainder from 30 g). Loosely cover the dish with aluminum foil (not directly touching the cheese) or with a lid suitable for baking.

Ingredients: Cheese (e.g. cheddar), Butter, 18% cream, Milk
Leave a small space under the foil so that steam can gather — this will prevent the top from getting too burnt during the first stage of baking.

Baking

8

Place the dish in the preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake covered for 30 minutes at 190°C. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for another 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden, the cheese is bubbling, and a knife inserted in the center easily goes through the potatoes (check in several places). Total baking time: 50–55 minutes (if you did not blanch the potatoes beforehand). If the slices were blanched, reduce the covered baking time to 20–25 minutes and the uncovered time to 15–20 minutes.

Ingredients: Cheese (e.g. cheddar), Butter, Potatoes
Use the middle rack of the oven, which should be preheated well. If the top browns too quickly, lightly cover it with foil and continue baking until the center is soft.

Resting and Finishing

9

Remove the casserole from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly and the potato slices 'set' — this will help the portions hold their shape when cutting. Sprinkle the top with freshly chopped chives and optionally with fried bacon just before serving.

Ingredients: Fresh chives, Smoked bacon (optional)
Use a wide spatula for cutting and serving portions. Resting is important — the cheese and sauce will ooze less if you wait those 10 minutes.

Serving

10

Serve the casserole as a main dish for New Year's Eve 2025 — cut into portions about 2–3 cm thick. It pairs wonderfully with a green salad with a light vinaigrette, pickled cucumbers, or marinated vegetables, along with a glass of white wine or light red wine.

For serving, use ceramic plates — the casserole will retain its temperature for a long time. For a party, you can prepare the casserole in two smaller dishes to make it easier to serve to guests.

Fun Fact

💡

Potato casseroles have many variations in Europe; the French gratin dauphinois is a famous version from the Dauphiné region, traditionally made with milk and garlic — our version with yellow cheese and sour cream combines French technique with Polish love for processed cheeses.

Best for

Sylwester 2025 Spotkanie z przyjaciółmi Rodzinny obiad Kolacja

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the hot casserole after 10 minutes of resting. Fresh, spicy accompaniments will complement it: arugula salad with lemon dressing or pickles. A slice of crusty bread is perfect when guests want to 'dip' in the cheese and sauce.

🥡 Storage

Store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours covered with plastic wrap. For reheating, it's best to use the oven: 160°C for 20–30 minutes until bubbling again. Portions (without fresh chives) can be frozen for up to 2 months — thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake for 25–35 minutes at 180°C. Avoid reheating multiple times in the microwave, as the texture may break down.

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