I make these cheesy gratin potatoes every year at Thanksgiving, and I’ll never go back to mashed potatoes.

• I grew up eating mashed potatoes every year at Thanksgiving, but I secretly preferred au gratin potatoes.

• We’ve been making these cheesy gratin potatoes and avoiding the mash for three years now.

• The crispy cheese crust and creamy potato layers make this one of my favorite recipes.

I’ve never been a fan of huge mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving or any other day.

Eschewing what many would call a Thanksgiving staple, I’ve been making potatoes au gratin – or au gratin potatoes – for three years. Thanksgiving purists may not believe me, but the texture and flavor are far superior to even the best mashed potatoes recipe. Plus, with an average Thanksgiving meal for 10 people costing $61.17 this year, according to a recent WalletHub report, I want to make every dish count.

I’ve followed several different recipes, but Half Baked Harvest, run by cookbook author Tieghan Gerard, has a recipe for potatoes au gratin with cheese and caramelized onions that has become a staple at virtually every party.

Here’s how to make it yourself.

I started by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and thinly sliced ​​about six golden-yellow potatoes.

The recipe recommends russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, but I opted for golden potatoes.

You can find the full Half Baked Harvest recipe and ingredient list here.

After slicing a small yellow onion, I added 2 tablespoons of butter and the onions to a cast iron skillet.

I cooked the onions over medium-high heat until they were golden and caramelized.

After about 10 minutes of cooking and stirring frequently, I added a quarter cup of dry white wine to the pan.

The wine helped speed up the caramelization of the onions and created a heavenly scent in my kitchen.

Next, I added a sliced ​​garlic clove and a tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme.

I cooked the garlic, thyme, and caramelized onions together for another two minutes before removing the pan from the heat.

Next, I greased a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter and set it aside.

Butter ensures your potato gratins won’t stick to the pan, of course.

I started assembling the potato gratin by pouring a third of the milk mixture into the bottom of the pan.

The milk mixture is made from 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, a pinch of cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and 3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese.

I followed the recipe instructions for layering the potatoes, onions, and milk mixture.

The first layer of potatoes should use a third of the sliced ​​potatoes, topped with half of the caramelized onions and garlic. Then I added another third of the milk mixture, then another third of the potatoes, followed by the rest of the onions.

I then placed the rest of the potatoes in an even layer and poured the rest of the mixture on top.

I covered the dish with foil and baked it for two hours.

After two hours, the potatoes were almost cooked and the milk mixture was bubbling.

I finished the au gratin potatoes by layering about a cup of shredded cheddar cheese on top and returning it to the oven.

You can shred your own cheddar or gruyere cheese for this recipe, or opt for store-bought pre-shredded cheese to make Thanksgiving day even easier.

After another 20 minutes uncovered in the oven, the potatoes had a deep, golden crust on top. I wish you could smell this dish.

I garnished the finished au gratin potatoes with another tablespoon of fresh thyme.

These potatoes were a big hit with my roommates and we all agreed that they were better than any mashed potatoes we’ve ever had.

The potatoes had a delicious, flavorful crust on top and the caramelized onions added lots of vibrant flavor to the dish.

The creamy layers of the potatoes complemented the crisp texture of the crust, creating a perfect balance of texture and flavor – something I’ve never experienced with grainy or bland mashed potatoes that, frankly, taste like baby food.

While I know some will never agree with my opinion that mashed potatoes have no place on the Thanksgiving dinner table, I’m perfectly happy as long as I eat. these potato gratin.

Read the original article on Business Insider