Easy potato gratin with leeks is a creamy, comforting side dish that goes well with just about every protein. Sliced potatoes and leeks are nestled into a baking dish with lots of butter, olive oil, and seasoning, then baked up until they’re golden and crispy on top and creamy soft on the inside.

It is not often that my oldest son, AKA Mr. Pickypants specifically asks for a meal.  Sure, he is 12…he is always hungry.  What I mean to say is he rarely stops me in the grocery store and tells me he really wants something in particular for dinner.

Bless his little adolescent heart, he tried and tried to remember what all was in this particular dish he wanted.  The conversation, in Meijer, went something like this:

“Mooommmm (insert 12 year old whiny voice here), you know that one time at the lake when you made that stuff that was all thin and slicey that was potatoes and butter and olive oil and leeches?  Can you please make that for dinner tonight? I have been thinking about it all day.  It really sounds good.”

Me: “Mr. Pickypants, um…what was that last ingredient again?”

“You know, leeches!”

At this point, I’m stifling laughter, covering my younger son’s mouth (He is laughing) and looking at the woman beside us who is staring with rapt attention to what he is saying.

Me: “I think you mean leeks, Mr. Pickypants, leeks.  NOT leeches, those are (insert gross description here).”

“Ya, whatever, leeks.  Can you make that?”

I just stared at him.  Yet another thing about the middle school aged child that I do not understand.  I guess he didn’t think what he said was funny. His brother and I sure did!

Easy Potato Gratin with Leeks

Quantity is determined by the size of dish you are using.  This is what I used for a 8×10 dish.
3 Large baking potatoes, scrubbed and very thinly sliced
3 leeks, washed well and thinly sliced
olive oil
Sea salt, fresh cracked pepper
1/2 stick of butter (or less if you want to use less)

Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the base of a baking dish. Add enough leeks to cover the bottom, them a layer of potatoes.

Add thin pats of butter…..

A drizzle of olive oil, sea salt and pepper….

Finish with the potatoes. Slightly overlap the thin slices. Repeat with the layers again: leeks, potatoes, butter, olive oil and S/P. Continue until you fill your desired dish.

Last layer, thin pats of butter, drizzle of olive oil and freshly cracked pepper and sea salt. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Baked to perfection! Crispy and golden on the top and soft, savory and buttery on the bottom:)

This easy potato gratin was the perfect side to go with our Beer Braised Pork Chops with Anjou Pears we were having! So I have to admit it here, my 12 year old had a good idea, but don’t tell him I told you.  Just make sure to bring up the leeches when you do ????