A perfectly indulgent side dish option for your holiday table
These Pumpkin Potatoes au Gratin include alternating layers of Yukon gold and russet potatoes swathed in a creamy pumpkin thyme béchamel with layers of gruyere and Parmigiano Reggiano. After baking until perfectly tender and melty, I like to finish these au gratin potatoes under the broiler so that the cheese on top gets delightfully brown and blistered. These pumpkin potatoes are lovely during the cold months and make a perfectly indulgent side dish option for your holiday table.
What kind of potatoes should I use for this au gratin?
I prefer to use a mix of Yukon gold potatoes and russet potatoes for this au gratin as they both offer beneficial flavor and texture to this dish. The Yukon gold potatoes offer a firm waxy texture and buttery flavor that hold up really well when baked, and because their skin is so thin, there's no need to peel them. On the other hand, russet potatoes have a thick skin, so they'll need to be peeled before using in this au gratin, but their low moisture content and the starchy, fluffy texture they retain once-baked is great for soaking up the pumpkin béchamel.
I slice both types of potatoes using my mandoline (generally between the thinnest and middle thickness setting) and then stack them in alternating discs so you end up with an equal portion of each type of potato throughout the dish. If you would prefer to simplify this recipe, you can omit the russet potatoes in favor of using only Yukon gold potatoes. However, I would not omit the Yukon gold potatoes in favor of using only russet as they won't provide enough structure on their own to hold up to the béchamel and cheese.
What kind of pumpkin puree should I use for this au gratin?
I use this canned pumpkin puree when I make these Pumpkin Potatoes au Gratin because I find that it's thicker and smoother than other canned options. However, most canned pumpkin puree should serve you well for this recipe. If you would like to use fresh pumpkin puree you may do so, but it often contains more water content and is less smooth than canned so be prepared for the possibility of additional liquid and texture in your béchamel sauce.
What should I serve with these Pumpkin Potatoes au Gratin?
These Pumpkin Potatoes au Gratin were made for holiday entertaining so I love serving them as a side dish on my Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner table. However, they are delicious all through the cold months and pair wonderfully with simple main dishes like roasted chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, or fish. Some of my favorite recipes to pair it with are:
What tools do I need to make this recipe?
- A kitchen scale
- Liquid measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- A vegetable peeler
- A mandoline
- A can opener
- A whisk
- A silicone spatula
- A cheese grater
- A large saucepan
- A 3 qt baking dish
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Looking for more cozy side dish inspiration?
Love these Pumpkin Potatoes au Gratin? Here are some more of my favorite cozy side dish recipes:
- Brussels Sprouts au Gratin with Pancetta and Walnuts
- Roasted Greek Potatoes with Whipped Feta
- Smashed Potatoes with Lemon Dill Cream Sauce
- Buffalo Smashed Potatoes
- Smashed Potatoes with Avocado Chimichurri Sauce
- Roasted Cinnamon Garlic Sweet Potatoes
Pumpkin Potatoes au Gratin
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: Oven / Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Description
These Pumpkin Potatoes au Gratin include alternating layers of Yukon gold and russet potatoes swathed in a creamy pumpkin thyme béchamel with layers of gruyere and Parmigiano Reggiano. After baking until perfectly tender and melty, I like to finish these au gratin potatoes under the broiler so that the cheese on top gets delightfully brown and blistered. These pumpkin potatoes are lovely during the cold months and make a perfectly indulgent side dish option for your holiday table.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced (no need to peel)
- 1 ½ lbs russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp butter, plus more to grease the pan
- 2 cloves minced garlic (may omit garlic and butter in favor of 2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil, if needed)
- 30 g (about ¼ cup) all-purpose flour
- 16 oz (2 cups) whole milk
- 122 g (about ½ cup) pumpkin puree
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp Kosher salt, plus more to top potatoes
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper, plus more to top potatoes
- 8 oz (about 2 ¼ cups) gruyere cheese, shredded
- 3 oz (about 1 cup) Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, shredded
- Optional: fresh thyme to top
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F / 205 C.
- Grease a 3 qt baking dish with butter and arrange half of the potato slices in the pan, alternating Yukon gold potato slices with russet potato slices as they overlap to create your first layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired. Reserve the dish to the side.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoon butter and the minced garlic (or garlic-infused olive oil). Once the butter is fully melted (or the oil is glistening), add the flour and whisk to combine until the flour is completely hydrated and starts bubbling slightly.
- Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly until smooth. Then add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine. Season with thyme, nutmeg, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper, whisking until combined.
- Remove from heat and pour half of the pumpkin béchamel over the top of the first layer of potatoes, smoothing it in an even layer across the top with a silicone spatula. Sprinkle ½ of the gruyere cheese and half of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese over the top.
- Add the remaining half of the potatoes, alternating Yukon gold and russet as they overlap as you did for your first layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired. Pour the remaining half of the pumpkin béchamel over the top, smoothing it out with a spatula. Top with the remaining half of the gruyere cheese and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Top with fresh thyme if desired.
- Cover the pan with a layer of tinfoil and bake for 60 minutes. Then remove the pan from the oven and carefully remove the tinfoil. Test the potatoes with a fork for tenderness. Depending on how thick you sliced your potatoes, you may wish to recover with foil and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes. Once tender return the pan to the oven without the tinfoil and broil on high for 5-8 minutes or until the cheese on top is beginning to brown and blister slightly. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 491
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 589 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 74 mg
Kay says
Can you make this a day in advance and store in the refrigerator? Then cook the next day?
Jenni says
Kay, Yes, you can assemble it a day in advance and store it in the fridge—just keep in mind that sliced potatoes can darken slightly when made ahead, though the creamy pumpkin béchamel helps minimize that. For best results, press a layer of parchment or plastic wrap directly onto the surface before covering the dish tightly. Let it sit at room temp for about 20 minutes before baking, and you may need to add a few extra minutes to the cook time. Hope it’s a hit!