This mini potato gratin muffin recipe is my twist on the classic layered potato dish. By brushing thin potato slices with butter and adding a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, these golden baked potato stacks come out crispy on the edges and tender inside. Perfect as a cheesy potato side dish, these individual potato gratins in a muffin tin make any meal elegant and easy.
Golden Layered Potato Bites (Muffin Tin)
A crispy, cheesy side dish made with thin potato layers baked into individual stacks.
Ingredients
- 3–4 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
- 3–4 tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt, to taste
- Optional: black pepper or garlic powder
Equipment
- Muffin tin
- Pastry brush
- Knife or mandoline slicer
Instructions
- Preheat the oven
Set your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a muffin tin. - Prepare the potatoes
Slice the potatoes very thin (a mandoline works best). Keeping them thin helps them cook evenly and become tender. - Start layering
Place one potato slice in the bottom of each muffin cup.
Lightly brush with salted melted butter. - Build the stack
Continue layering potato slices, brushing a small amount of butter between each layer. - Add the cheese halfway
When the stacks are about halfway full, sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on each stack. - Finish the layers
Continue stacking the remaining potato slices, again brushing lightly with butter between layers. - Top the stacks
Brush the top layer with butter and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. - Bake
Bake for 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the tops are golden and crispy. - Serve
Let them cool for a few minutes, then carefully remove from the muffin tin. Serve warm as a savory side dish.
Tips
- A mandoline slicer makes perfectly thin, even slices.
- If you like extra crispiness, broil the stacks for 1–2 minutes at the end.
- Fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary can add extra flavor.
Enjoy these buttery, cheesy potato stacks alongside roasted meats, grilled chicken, or a fresh salad. 🍽️
Using a mandoline slicer for potatoes ensures perfectly thin, even potato slices every time, which is key for making layered potato stacks or mini potato gratins in a muffin tin. Thin slices cook evenly, creating tender centers and allowing the edges to get crispy and golden. A mandoline also speeds up prep, making it easier to assemble individual potato gratins with precision and consistency. Whether you’re making a cheesy potato side dish or an elegant baked potato stack, slicing potatoes thin with a mandoline is the easiest way to achieve a professional, restaurant-quality result at home.
To make these mini potato gratin stacks truly decadent, brush salted melted butter between each potato layer. This simple step adds rich, buttery flavor to every bite and enhances the crisp, golden edges while keeping the centers tender and creamy. Combined with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese halfway through, this technique turns ordinary potatoes into a luxurious side dish perfect for dinners, holidays, or any meal that calls for a cheesy, buttery potato treat. Using both a mandoline and careful butter layering ensures each stack is crispy, flavorful, and irresistible.
For this dinner, I used easy-flaked Parmesan from Kraft, though you can use any flaked Parmesan you prefer. While I didn’t sprinkle Parmesan on the top of my mini potato gratin stacks, I highly recommend doing so for that extra crispy, cheesy layer and added rich flavor. The flaked Parmesan melts beautifully between the layers and on top, enhancing the buttery, tender potato slices and giving your baked potato stacks a professional, restaurant-quality finish.
The thinly sliced potatoes, brushed with buttered layers, are ready to go into the oven. Arranged in a muffin tin, these mini potato gratin stacks will bake to golden, crispy edges while staying tender and buttery inside, making for a simple yet decadent potato side dish.
A serving of mini potato gratin stacks fresh from the oven, with golden, crispy edges and tender, buttery layers. These individual baked potato stacks make an elegant and delicious cheesy potato side dish, perfect for any dinner or holiday meal.
These mini potato gratin stacks are the ultimate cheesy, buttery potato side dish, baked to golden perfection in a muffin tin. With thin, tender potato slices layered and brushed with melted butter, they deliver crispy edges and rich, decadent flavor in every bite. Perfect for dinners, holidays, or special occasions, this easy baked potato recipe is an elegant yet simple way to elevate any meal. Make them ahead or serve fresh from the oven for a luxurious, crowd-pleasing potato side your family and guests will love.