French Onion Potatoes (Printer View)

Layers of roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, and melted Gruyère cheese combine for a savory French-inspired side.

# What you'll need:

→ Potatoes

01 - 3.3 lbs Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/3 inch thick
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
04 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Caramelized Onions

05 - 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 1 tbsp olive oil
08 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
09 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
10 - 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

→ Topping

11 - 7 oz Gruyère cheese, grated
12 - 1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley for garnish

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss potato slices with olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until golden and tender.
03 - While potatoes roast, heat butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced onions and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 25 to 30 minutes until deeply golden and caramelized. Stir in thyme and balsamic vinegar, cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - Reduce oven temperature to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish and arrange roasted potato slices with slight overlap.
05 - Evenly spoon caramelized onions over the layered potatoes. Sprinkle grated Gruyère and optional Parmesan cheese over the top.
06 - Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese melts and bubbles.
07 - Allow to cool slightly, then garnish with fresh parsley. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cheese gets impossibly bubbly and the onions taste like liquid gold without you needing to babysit them.
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but comes together in about an hour, making it perfect for weeknight dinners that feel fancy.
  • Yukon Gold potatoes stay tender and creamy inside while their edges turn crispy, giving you texture in every bite.
02 -
  • Don't rush the onions; low heat and patience are the only real ingredients required for proper caramelization, and there's no shortcut that doesn't taste like a shortcut.
  • The potatoes will release some starch while cooking, which helps them bind together slightly and makes the whole dish feel more cohesive rather than just a pile of separate components.
03 -
  • Don't slice your potatoes more than an hour or two before cooking, or they'll start to oxidize and turn gray, which is purely cosmetic but somehow affects how the dish feels on the plate.
  • If your cheese isn't melting evenly, move the dish closer to the heating element in your oven for the last few minutes instead of turning up the heat and risking burnt edges.
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