It can go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: Potatoes Au Gratin are one of the best side dishes of all time. They go great with any sort of protein or, honestly, I can make a meal of a good potatoes au gratin with a side salad. SO GOOD.
One small problem. If you’re cooking potatoes au gratin it means your oven is gonna be one for at least an hour. So, one of the best side dishes for things like grilled chicken or grilled steak is actually pretty brutal to make in the summer.
So let’s make potatoes au gratin in foil packets! These are not your bland, minimal foil packet potatoes. These are rich, creamy, and garlicky and everything that you would want from the larger classic casserole version.
Second bonus: Because you want to use smaller packets for these, they cook faster!
Make potatoes au packet for your next casual grill day (4th of July?)!
Potatoes Au Gratin Packets
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds new potatoes, sliced thin or cubed
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 oz. Fontina or Gruyere, grated
Instructions
- Combine cream, shallot, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and red pepper flakes in a small pot and heat over low heat until it’s steaming. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Then pulse mixture in a food processor or just mash it together to mash up shallot and garlic.
- Wash potatoes well and either A) slice potatoes thin with a mandoline or just cube into 1/2-inch cubes. Divide potatoes between four foil packets. Double wrap the foil on the bottom to make sure it doesn’t tear.
- Once potatoes are in foil packets, pour cream mixture over the potatoes. Divide it evenly. Cover packets with more foil and seal tightly.
- Cover grill and grill the packets over low indirect heat (if you’re using a gas grill turn off all the burners except one and cook the foil packets off the burner). Grill for 20 minutes, rotate packets (but never flip), and grill for another 20-25 minutes. Test the potatoes to make sure they are tender.
- Open the packets by removing the top piece of foil from the packets. Add grated cheese to the potatoes. Cover grill and grill for another 10 minutes until cheese is very melted.
- Serve potatoes while hot!
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Potatoes Au Gratin Foil Packets
The key to making these potatoes taste like the classic french dish is to use the same method of cooking the potatoes in a garlicky cream mixture. So step one is making that cream base! Just combine cream with some garlic, shallot, salt, pepper, thyme, and red pepper flakes.
Let that mixture simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes and then either mash it up well or pulse it a few times in a food processor to really combine the flavors. Some chunks are fine though!
Now let’s talk taters. You could use Russet potatoes, but personally I like to use new potatoes.
You have two options for these. The classic option is to use a mandoline to slice the potatoes really thin. This is actually easy and fast if you have a mandoline. If you don’t have one, I wouldn’t recommend trying to slice them unless you want to drive yourself crazy.
Single the potatoes in a few foil packets! I recommend doubling the foil to prevent it from tearing. Ideally, you should get four packets out of this recipe so plan accordingly. Each packet will serve 2 people as a side dish.
If you don’t have a mandoline, just cube the potatoes into about 1/2-inch pieces. This doesn’t have quite the same look, but the tastes are all there. If you don’t have a mandoline, just go this direction!
Once your potatoes are prepped in the packets, pour over the cream mixture. Divide it evenly between the packets obviously.
Grilling the Packets
Cover the packets with a second piece of foil and seal them well. Then grill the potatoes over LOW and indirect heat. If you’re using a gas grill, turn off all the burners except one and then move the packets away from that burner. Basically you are making an oven out of a grill!
Grill the packets for 20 minutes (grill covered), then rotate them and grill for another 20 minutes. Whatever you do, don’t flip the packets. You’ll make a big mess!
After 40-45 minutes, the potatoes should be tender and the cream mixture should be thick and delicious. I would test the potatoes to make sure they are done though. Then remove the top piece of foil from each packet and add the cheese!
Boom!
Another 10 minutes on the grill (covered) and the cheese will be really melty and delicious.
Keep your oven off and stay cool this summer, people. But, still make potatoes au gratin!
Gayle Kesinger
Nick, I am going to prepare these on the 4th of July. I grilled the shishito peppers using your recipe last night and they were a total hit. Definitely a new treat for our dinner group. I was quite surprised that everyone liked them a lot as there are two picky eaters. Thanks so much.
Susan
Great timing !
Have the grill on and a packet of these potatoes along with the soon to be added ribs. A surprise for my hard working guy.
Krystal
Hi!
This sounds amazing and I would like to make them for a camping trip. Any tips for making these a day ahead of time so I can toss them in my cooler.
Thank you!
Nick
Hey Krystal,
Shouldn’t be a problem. I would just prep the potato packets and then the cream mix separately and then combine them right before you cook them over the fire. Be sure to really be careful of the heat over a campfire. You want low and slow! Good luck!
Silya Dozier
how would i cook these in an oven? it’s cold where i’m at right now but i would really like these for dinner soon. i just don’t know what the temperature should be on an oven setting? these sound so wonderful
Sandee
What is the answer? Sounds great but this time of year, I would also make in my oven.
Nick
Hey Sandee, you can definitely make them in the oven. No need for the packets in that case. Just layer the stuff in a baking dish and bake it at 375-400 for 35-40 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Then top with cheese and bake more! Good luck!
Martha Brister
My question is, could these be frozen? I would assume they could be after cooking or possibly frozen before cooking? Thanks for responding.
Lauren
Would these cook okay on a gas grill top rack – not directly on the burner? Hoping I can grill chicken at the same time!
Nick
Hey Lauren, sorry for the late reply! I think they need some direct heat to get started but you could probably transfer them up after some time to free up grate space. Hope that helps!
Elizabeth
Grilled these along with buffalo chicken sandwiches. Added a little blue cheese to the topping, excellent!
Sandy
Love this recipe, but I found 1 tablespoon of pepper overpowers the sauce.
Teresa
How can I make these still in the foil, but in the oven for just 1-2 people.
Roberta
Easy and excellent. I did mine in the oven. For me though I’d go less on the pepper. A little too spicy. I will deffinately make its again! Having leftovers is great for the next day. I made this for 2 people.
Roberta
Absolutely.
Ricardo
What exactly is heavy cream? Cream cheese?
Nick
It’s sometimes called whipping cream or just full fat cream Ricardo. Hope that helps!
Gwen
What’s a mandolin besides a stringed musical instrument in the lute family? That’s all that comes up when I google search it. I am going to use a food processor.
Nick
Ha! It’s because I can’t spell. It’s supposed to be mandoline. It’s a kitchen cutter that slices very thin strips of things. You can definitely use a food processor slicer as well. :)
Kristi
If you have a nice sharp knife, cutting potatoes into thin slices is not a big deal. It’s easier than a mandolin, IMO.
Bonney
I believe I can help with the campfire question. I would build a fairly large fire. I call these cooking fires. These fires need to burn hot for at least an hour, more is better. Prepare you packets, I would use a small shallow plate under the aluminum foil. Fold the aluminum over like a book. Carefully match the edges. Fold the edge back at least an 1′ on all 3 sides. Repeat, folding and sealing the edge you just completed. Repeat, then gently roll toward the food. Create 2 or 3 layers of the heaviest duty aluminum foil. Using a shovel push the coals back creating a clearing a few inches larger than your packet. Repeat for each packet. The ground under the packet will be hot but not direct like a coal. Small coals can be gently placed on top. I would leave space within the packets. Don’t pack them tight. After 30 minutes or so I would use tongs to gently squeeze the packet, checking for give. If it seems to be as soft as you’d expect you could stick a fork in to further check for potatoes being done. Each time you do this though, you create an avenue for dirt and ash. Good luck!