Ruth's Chris Potatoes Au Gratin
Recreate the legendary steakhouse side dish at home with these rich, creamy potatoes au gratin inspired by the famous Ruth's Chris recipe, featuring layers of tender Russet potatoes baked in an infused garlic cream and topped with a bubbling, caramelized crown of Gruyère and sharp white cheddar.
- Unrinsed Potato Starch: Retaining the natural amylose starch acts as a natural emulsifier, preventing the heavy cream from breaking or curdling during the long bake.
- Dual-Cheese Strategy: Gruyère provides that classic, nutty meltability that clings to every layer, while sharp white cheddar adds a punchy, savory depth.
- Two-Stage Baking: Baking covered first gelatinizes the starches and softens the potatoes, while a final uncovered blast caramelizes the cheese crown to steakhouse perfection.
My first anniversary dinner at Ruth's Chris was supposed to be about the sizzling ribeye. Instead, I spent forty minutes trying to discreetly scrape the caramelized cheese crust off the sides of our shared gratin dish with my butter knife.
Back in my own kitchen, my first three attempts to recreate that velvety magic resulted in a curdled, watery mess. It got annoying fast.
The science behind this failure is actually pretty simple: when you bake potatoes in cream at high heat, the dairy proteins tend to clump together and separate if there isn't enough starch to stabilize them. Think about this in terms of physics: without a starch barrier, the water and fat molecules simply cannot stay bonded. If you rinse your sliced potatoes, you wash away the precious amylose starch that is absolutely crucial for binding the cream into a cohesive, glossy sauce.
Do not rinse those spuds.
Instead, slice them thin on a mandoline—mind your fingers, please—and let them release their natural starches directly into a warm bath of heavy cream, garlic, and a sharp blend of Gruyère and white cheddar.
Ruth's Chris Potatoes Au Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Russet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1.5 cups Gruyère cheese, shredded
- 1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (for greasing the dish)
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish generously with the softened butter.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the heavy cream, minced garlic, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, black pepper, and nutmeg, simmering gently for 5 minutes to infuse.
- Slice the peeled potatoes to exactly 1/8-inch thickness using a mandoline, ensuring you do not rinse them after slicing.
- Arrange half of the potato slices in slightly overlapping rows in the prepared baking dish, then pour half of the warm cream mixture over them.
- Sprinkle half of the shredded Gruyère and white cheddar cheeses evenly over the first layer of potatoes.
- Repeat with the remaining potatoes, cream mixture, and cheese, pressing down gently with a spatula to submerge the potatoes.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or broil on high for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese top is deeply golden brown and bubbling.
Notes
- Salt Conversion: We highly recommend using Diamond Crystal kosher salt; if you are using Morton's or fine table salt, cut the volume in half (use 1/2 teaspoon instead of 1 teaspoon) to avoid an over-salted dish.
- Potato Selection: Russet potatoes are high in amylose starch, which gelatinizes during baking to thicken the cream. Waxy potatoes like red-skinned varieties won't release enough starch, leaving you with a watery sauce.
- Workflow Warning: Watch the final broiling step like a hawk. The high fat content in Gruyère can go from beautifully caramelized to scorched and bitter in less than thirty seconds; tap your tongs against your hip and stay by the oven door.
- Storage Behavior: After a day in the fridge, the starches will fully set, making the leftovers much easier to slice into clean, restaurant-style squares than when served piping hot.
Serving Suggestions
This decadent side dish demands a main course that can stand up to its rich, velvety profile. Pair it with high-quality proteins or bright, acidic sides to balance the heavy cream.
- A perfectly seared ribeye steak, mimicking the classic steakhouse experience.
- Our savory Garlic Butter Steak Bites for a quick, high-impact weeknight luxury.
- A crisp, green salad tossed in a sharp lemon vinaigrette to cut through the dairy richness.
- Roasted asparagus spears with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- If you prefer a different potato style for another night, try our crispy Fondant Potatoes.
- A glass of bold, oaky Chardonnay or a dry Cabernet Sauvignon.
Storage and Reheating
Let's be completely honest: cream-heavy dishes can be notoriously finicky when reheated. If you throw a cold square of this gratin into the microwave on high power, the fat in the cheese will break, leaving you with a sad puddle of oil.
Instead, store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. The starch matrix will lock everything in place as it chills.
Do not freeze this.
When you are ready to eat, place the desired portion in an oven-safe dish, splash a tablespoon of heavy cream or whole milk over the top, and cover it tightly with foil. Bake at 325°F for about twenty minutes until it is hot and bubbling again.
Ingredient Substitutes
If you need to swap a few things based on what is currently sitting in your pantry, here are the most reliable adjustments.
- Gruyère Cheese: If Gruyère is too pricey or hard to find, Swiss cheese or Fontina makes an excellent meltable substitute.
- Russet Potatoes: Yukon Golds can be used in a pinch; they offer a buttery flavor, though the sauce will be slightly less thick than with Russets. For a completely different prep method, you can check out our Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes or even our Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes.
- Heavy Cream: Do not try to use half-and-half or whole milk here; the lower fat content will guarantee curdling under the high heat of the oven.
- Garlic: If fresh garlic isn't on hand, half a teaspoon of garlic powder whisked into the cream will suffice, though it lacks the sharp bite of fresh cloves.
Pulling a bubbling, golden-brown tray of these potatoes out of the oven always makes my kitchen feel like a five-star steakhouse. Grab your favorite baking dish, slice those spuds with care, and enjoy every single cheesy bite.
Susan Rosie
I've spent over 12 years perfecting recipes so you can cook with confidence. Every dish on Storied Skillet is tested multiple times – because your dinner matters. I believe in simple ingredients, clear instructions, and big flavors.
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