If you’ve never tried smoked brie potato gratin, you have a new favorite side dish on your hands now. Some links in this post are affiliate links that earn me a commission if you purchase through them.

I can’t even tell you when I first made this dish, but I know I started making it as a novice home cook. It’s different from most potatoes au gratin, as it contains no flour to thicken the sauce.

Instead, you simmer the milk with the potatoes and the starch from the potatoes does most of the thickening without it becoming a full sauce. This is a great alternative for anyone with gluten sensitivities, and it tastes great for those of us without them.

With any au gratin recipe, however, you’re supposed to spoon up the sauce with the potatoes. It truly doesn’t need flour when you cook your potatoes this way.

It’s a quick and easy dish to make, and it’s unique enough with the brie that it’s fun and perfect for a dinner party. In fact, I most recently made these for my New Year’s Eve party.

What is smoked brie?

Smoked brie is a brie that has been cold smoked. It generally has some herb flavors imparted along with the subtle smoky flavor.

You can find it at specialty cheese shops. Alternatively, you can make your own smoked brie, but I never go that route.

What if I don’t have smoked brie?

If you don’t have smoked brie, go ahead and use a standard brie wheel. It will work just as well, although I will often add in a sprig of rosemary or other herb to the potatoes when I simmer them to give them a lightly herbed flavor.

What potatoes should I use?

For potato gratins, I like to use a Yukon Gold or a russet. You want a potato that has a lot of starch to help thicken your sauce.

If you use a red potato or a fingerling or something like that, you won’t get the same results. I prefer the Yukon Gold because it has a thin skin, which means I don’t need to peel it.

If you use a russet potato, you will likely want to peel the potato with a vegetable peeler first, which adds another step. Me? I’m all about saving time and energy.

A Yukon Gold also tends to hold its shape a bit better than a russet potato. That means it stays nicer looking as you serve it, which is another bonus.

How to Make Smoked Brie Potato Gratin

The key to a good potato gratin is thin potatoes. You need them sliced evenly so that they cook evenly.

If you have mostly thin potatoes and some thicker ones, you’ll either end up with uncooked potatoes (the thicker ones) or overcooked potatoes that fall apart (the thinner ones). No one wants that.

To get evenly cut potatoes – quickly – I use a mandoline. If you have a food processor with a chopping attachment that fits potatoes, feel free to use that.

Regardless, make sure you cut your potatoes to 1/8 to 1/4″ thick, which is super easy and fast to do with a mandoline.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, then work on your potatoes and mince the garlic.

Melt the butter in a wide, shallow pan over medium heat. Add the oil and garlic, and cook for one minute, just until fragrant.

Add the potatoes and cook for two more minutes. Stir carefully with a wooden spoon when you first add the potatoes to ensure you coat them in oil and garlic.

Pour in the milk, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. I usually use less than a teaspoon of salt and about a half teaspoon of pepper.

I’ll throw out my recommendation that you always always use whole nutmeg and grate it fresh with a zester each time you want some. The flavor difference is incredible.

Heat the mixture to a slow simmer and cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. This is where the starch releases from the potatoes and helps to thicken the milk some.

While the potatoes simmer in the milk, slice the smoked brie as thinly as you can, about 1/4″ thick. I leave the rind on top and bottom, but I’ll remove the exterior of the rind so it isn’t too much.

Remove from the potatoes from the heat, and pour half the mixture into a shallow oven proof dish. I use a ceramic pie pan, which doubles as a pretty serving dish.

Layer the brie on top of the potato mixture in a single layer. You will have extra slices, so hang on to those.

Pour the remaining potato mixture over this, and top with the remaining brie slices. Place the baking dish in the 400 degree oven for 25 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.

Let it sit for five minutes before serving so the potatoes absorb a little of the liquid as it starts to cool. You can also let this come to room temperature and serve it at room temp.

Regardless, you’ll find that this smoked brie potato gratin is wonderful, and so much more complex than your “normal” potato au gratin. And it’s perfect for your gluten intolerant family and friends!

Store any leftovers in a tightly sealed container for up to two days. Gently reheat them before serving.

Have you ever tried a brie potato gratin dish?

Looking for more delicious side dishes? I’ve got you covered