The word “gratin” usually calls to mind a dish that’s a little elevated, meant more for special occasions like your holiday table or a celebratory dinner. But not this gratin. This Beef and Potato Gratin uses the magic of the slow cooker to produce a dish that’s totally casual and approachable, but still equally crave-worthy. It’s hearty enough to make a meal out of but it’s SO easy to make that it works for busy weeknights OR special occasions.

The only thing you have to do on your stovetop is brown the ground beef. Easy, right? Just season it up and let it cook until it’s no longer pink.

Then you’ll layer sliced potatoes in the slow cooker…

… and top them with some sliced onions, a little bit of garlic and thyme, and some of that ground beef.

Oh, there’s cheese too, of course.

Repeat those layers once again, cover it up, and give it four hours to cook, and voila, dinner is done!

And what a delicious dinner it is. Ooey-gooey cheese, beef, potatoes… is there a better trio out there? I think not.