Creamy & Golden Copycat Au Gratin Potatoes From Ruth's Chris

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Ruth's Chris Steakhouse may have a rather odd name (such a peculiar use of the possessive!), but they do make some pretty mean steaks. The sides are superb, as well, particularly the fan-favorite potatoes au gratin. A gratin typically consists of thin-sliced potatoes in a creamy sauce, and Israeli celeb chef Yotam Ottolenghi thinks it's the best way to cook potatoes. Ruth's Chris, however, makes its au gratin potatoes in a slightly different way. According to Patterson Watkins, creator of this copycat recipe. "These taters follow the rich, creamy, and cheesy standard for au gratin with some slightly delicious deviations." One of these is that the potatoes are diced, not sliced, which she says cuts down on cooking time and "...makes this a much more hearty and somewhat rustic side dish."

Watkins also feels that the three cheese combo that Ruth's Chris uses (this being cheddar, provolone, and Parmesan) "...definitely makes for epic pulls of stringy cheese without the sharpness of typical gratin cheeses like Gruyère." She also notes that this simple dish has an unexpected depth of flavor from fresh alliums, "I love that every bite comes well-seasoned with pops of garlic and onion as well. Overall, this was a damn good dish. I straight up ate it as a main (no steak necessary)."

The main ingredients for this recipe are russet potatoes along with cheddar, provolone, and Parmesan cheese. Supporting their efforts are butter, a yellow onion, garlic, flour, vegetable broth, cream, salt, and pepper. Parsley steps in at the end to add a photogenic touch of green to the finished product.

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.

Once melted, add the onion and garlic, and saute for 2 minutes.

Add the flour and stir to combine the roux. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.

Add the broth and cream to the pot, whisk to combine with the roux, and bring to a low simmer.

Once simmering, add the diced potatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Remove the pot from the heat and add 1 cup of cheddar, ½ cup of provolone, and ¼ cup of the Parmesan. Gently stir until the cheese has melted.

Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to broil on low.

Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish and spread it out in an even layer.

Sprinkle the casserole with the remaining cheeses and place it in the oven.

Broil for 5 to 8 minutes or until bubbly, melty, and lightly browned.

Remove the casserole from the oven and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

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The cheese trio used here will get you results that taste about as close to the Ruth's Chris au gratin potatoes as can be achieved at home, but if you wish, you can swap out the cheddar and provolone for Gruyère for a more traditional (and sharper) take on a gratin. You could also make the cheese sauce taste sharper by using aged cheddar and provolone, or you could use mozzarella cheese for a milder (and even meltier) flavor.

Even though the diced boiled potatoes make for an easier, chunkier preparation, thin-sliced potatoes are more traditional. If you make this substitution, the potatoes don't need to be precooked. Instead, simply layer them in a casserole dish with the cream sauce and bake them at 350 F for about an hour until they soften. Once you can stick a fork in the potatoes, sprinkle the dish with shredded cheese and turn the heat to broil until it melts.

Ruth's Chris uses light, table, or single cream, as it may be called, which Watkins says "... certainly provides a richer, creamier, silkier texture than milk without it being over-the-top heavy (like if you used full-fat cream)." Patterson says it's okay to use whole milk as a substitute or even heavy cream for an indulgent, rich sauce. To strike a balance between the two, half-and-half is an option.

The au gratin potatoes in this recipe are cooked in one big casserole dish, but Ruth's Chris serves them up in single-sized portions. If you want to duplicate the restaurant experience more closely or are a fan of portion control, you can do likewise. Individual casserole dishes may hold about eight ounces or one cup of the mixture, while mini skillets (the four-inch ones) might hold just five ounces or a little over half a cup. Coming somewhere in the middle are ramekins, which typically hold six ounces or three-quarters of a cup.

Whichever dishes you use, be sure not to overfill them. You should also put them on a baking sheet, which will not only provide stability but make it easier to put them all into the oven at the same time. Broil the cheese until it browns and bubbles, which Watkins says should take about the same amount of time. To be on the safe side, check on the cheese after just a few minutes. And remember to rotate each dish, skillet, or ramekin halfway through so the cheese can melt more evenly.

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