Thick-cut potatoes tossed in a creamy creole sauce and baked to perfection with a gruyere crust. You are gonna love this version of everyone’s favorite au gratin potato. You don’t have to be an expert at knife skills for this recipe or bring out a dangerous mandolin. The potatoes all get cooked. My favorite way to prepare an easy side dish is by cutting the potatoes any way I want.

This cheese sauce recipe uses a delicious combination of funky gruyere and spicy pepper jack cheese. Only one rule with these potatoes and it’s the hardest one. You have to let these potatoes cool for at least 10 minutes before digging in to let the sauce thicken. The wait is worth it!

As a chef, I like to sneak flavor into recipes wherever I can. Adding jalapenos and creole seasoning to this recipe was no accident. Creole seasoning derives its flavor from the combination of dried herbs and rich flavors from paprika, onion, and garlic. It’s the original all-purpose seasoning. The spicy citrusy flavor from the jalapenos is mellowed by fat from the milk, so if you are worried about it being too spicy you can just remove the seeds.

More and more people are transitioning to non-traditional recipes for holidays and parties more than ever just for convenience. Recipes you can prep in advance and just pop in the oven are making hosting your loved ones easier. This recipe lends itself well to doing just that. Make the cheese sauce in advance and store your sliced potatoes covered in cold water in the fridge. Assemble by draining the potatoes, tossing them in the cheese sauce, and putting them in a covered roasting pan. Easy side dish. If you even have leftovers, these potatoes make for great next-day croquettes.