Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team

A chef or home cook will always find inspiration from new culinary experiences. A recipe shared, a cooking show watched, or a happy accident kind of recipe that comes from putting together the right ingredients at the right time. I made this recipe for a meal prep client based on her request. I took this experience home and was inspired to play with my food, so I landed on this iteration of Cheesy Potato Stacks.

Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team

Think au gratin or even fondant potatoes, if you’re familiar with the trend. A pretty potato is quite popular these days! Thinly sliced potatoes are stacked with cheese and topped with savory, rich cream, then baked slowly until they emerge from the oven in aesthetically pleasing stacks of potato-cheesy goodness.

Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team

It’s potato perfection, and a kind of go-to for everything from a dinner party to a simple weeknight dinner. It’s the layering that elevates this style of potato.

Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team
Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team

The layers, stacked with cheese and covered (not smothered) with heavy cream, stand alone as they peel away from the muffin cup to reveal the tiers of tender potato. And those golden edges of crispy baked cheesiness are the jewel in the crown of this tower of goodness.

Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team
Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team

This is one of those times when playing with food is a good thing! These Cheesy Potato Stacks are a playful take on the au gratin experience, rustic yet elegant and decidedly irresistible.

Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team