Description
Creamy Garlic Potato Gratin with Crispy Bacon—rich, cheesy comfort layers baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
- 7 cloves smoked or regular garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 whole cloves
- 1½ cups shredded semi-firm cheese (such as Gruyère, Fontina, or Emmental)
- 4 medium yellow waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced paper-thin (about 1½ pounds total)
- 5 slices turkey bacon, chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (plus extra for greasing the dish)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Bacon
- Place the turkey bacon in a skillet over medium heat.
- Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden.
- Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain and cool. Set aside.
- Infuse the Cream
- In a medium saucepan, combine garlic slices, heavy cream, milk, bay leaf, and cloves.
- Set over medium heat and bring just to a gentle simmer.
- Once small bubbles appear around the edges, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 10–15 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.
- Prepare the Potatoes and Cheese
- While the cream infuses, grate the cheese and slice the potatoes as thinly as possible — ideally paper-thin for a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- A mandoline slicer or very sharp knife works best for even slices.
- Assemble the Layers
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Grease a baking dish (or similar shallow dish) generously with butter.
- Arrange a thin layer of potato slices along the bottom.
- Top with a light sprinkle of cheese, a few slices of garlic from the infused cream, and some crispy bacon pieces.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Continue layering in the same order — potatoes, cheese, garlic, bacon, and seasoning — until all ingredients are used.
- Finish with a generous layer of cheese on top.
- Add the Cream and Bake
- Remove the bay leaf and cloves from the infused cream.
- Slowly pour the garlic-infused cream and milk over the layered potatoes, letting it soak through evenly.
- Dot the surface with small bits of butter.
- Bake uncovered for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and the top is golden and bubbling.
- Rest and Serve
- Remove from the oven and let the gratin rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Sprinkle with a few extra bacon pieces or freshly cracked pepper for garnish.
- Serve warm as a comforting side dish or a hearty main paired with a crisp green salad.
Notes
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 70mg