French Onion Potatoes Layered (Printable Copy)

Roasted Yukon Gold potatoes topped with deeply caramelized onions and bubbling Gruyère for a flavorful side.

# What You Need:

→ Potatoes

01 - 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into ½-inch rounds
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - ½ tsp kosher salt
04 - ¼ tsp black pepper

→ Caramelized Onions

05 - 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 1 tbsp olive oil
08 - ½ tsp sugar
09 - ¼ tsp salt
10 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or ½ tsp dried thyme

→ Topping

11 - 1 cup (3.5 oz) Gruyère cheese, grated
12 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# How to Make:

01 - Set oven temperature to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss potato slices with olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - Bake potatoes for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and tender.
04 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced onions and salt, cooking and stirring frequently for 10 minutes until softened. Add sugar and thyme; continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until deep golden caramelization develops, about 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce heat if onions brown too rapidly.
05 - Transfer roasted potatoes to a shallow ovenproof baking dish or skillet, overlapping slices slightly. Spread caramelized onions evenly over potatoes.
06 - Sprinkle grated Gruyère cheese evenly over onion layer.
07 - Return dish to oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until cheese melts and bubbles. Optional: broil 2 to 3 minutes for extra browning.
08 - Top with chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like French onion soup but without needing a soup spoon or worrying about stringy cheese.
  • The potatoes stay creamy inside while getting crispy edges, and they actually soak up all that onion-butter magic instead of floating in broth.
  • You can make it on a weeknight and feel like you've cooked something fancy.
02 -
  • Don't rush the onions—low heat and patience are what turn them sweet and golden, not high heat and hurrying.
  • Flip those potatoes halfway through roasting so both sides get color and they cook evenly.
  • If your cheese looks pale after 12 minutes, the broiler is your friend for those last couple minutes of browning.
03 -
  • Buy pre-sliced potatoes if you're short on time—yes, they cost a bit more, but they cook more evenly than hand-cut slices of varying thickness.
  • Keep a close eye during the last few minutes of broiling; cheese can go from golden to burnt in about 30 seconds once it catches heat.
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